Portland Councilor Loretta Smith withdraws proposal to allow open carry firearms during City Hall business

Proposal surfaced after council meeting disruption and was withdrawn within days

Portland City Councilor Loretta Smith has withdrawn a proposal that would have allowed city councilors to openly carry firearms while conducting city business at City Hall. The idea emerged after a City Council meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 was disrupted by protesters and ended early following a security response as demonstrators approached the dais after public comment.

Smith said the disruption heightened her personal safety concerns and prompted her office to begin drafting a policy change. By Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, Smith’s office confirmed the proposal had been rescinded. In a public statement issued the same day, Smith said she denounced violence and emphasized that changes to security protocols should be prioritized over an open-carry approach.

What open carry would have changed inside City Hall

The withdrawn concept focused on open carry—firearms visible on a person—rather than concealed carry. Under Oregon law, firearms in public buildings are generally prohibited, with specified exceptions. Portland also maintains city code restrictions governing the possession of loaded firearms in public places, alongside defined affirmative defenses and exemptions.

Smith’s remarks framed open carry as a deterrent and self-protection measure for elected officials during public meetings and other official duties. However, the proposal immediately raised concerns about whether increasing the presence of firearms in government facilities would improve safety outcomes or elevate risks during tense public proceedings.

Immediate political pushback from within the council

In the hours after Smith’s comments became public, criticism from fellow council members appeared on social media, with at least two councilors describing the concept as counterproductive for a government building. The reactions highlighted a broader and longstanding tension in Portland civic life: how to balance access to government, protest activity, and public safety inside City Hall.

Smith’s decision to withdraw the idea does not end the underlying issue that sparked it—how City Hall manages disruptions, threats, and the safety of officials, staff, and members of the public during contentious meetings.

Security options likely to remain in focus

With the open-carry proposal off the table, attention is shifting toward operational safety measures that can be implemented without changing firearms policies for elected officials. Those measures can include staffing adjustments, building access procedures, and protocols for responding to disruptive behavior during meetings.

• Review of council chamber security procedures during and after public comment
• Clarification of de-escalation and removal protocols when meetings are interrupted
• Assessment of building access and screening measures during high-attendance sessions

Smith said she denounced violence and called for improved security protocols rather than an open-carry ordinance.

The episode underscores how quickly public-safety debates can surface at City Hall in response to disruptive events—and how rapidly they can be reversed when they meet unified political resistance and public scrutiny.