PORTLAND, Oregon — A disturbing online call for residents to shine laser lights into the sky to disrupt federal helicopters flying over South Portland has sparked safety concerns and forced Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) to reroute medical air traffic.
The flyer — posted on Rose City Counter-Info, a self-described “anarchist counter-info platform” — invited participants to a “laser tag” event aimed at “federal regime spies.” It urged individuals to mask up, coordinate with others, and destroy evidence afterward by cleaning and disposing of lasers to avoid identification.
As a result, several air ambulance providers refused to land at OHSU’s rooftop helipad on Saturday night, rerouting patients to nearby airports instead. Those patients had to be transferred to the hospital by ground ambulance, adding an estimated 45 to 60 minutes to critical response times.
“For most patients, that will be an acceptable delay,” OHSU said in a statement. “However, for unstable trauma cases, heart attacks, and strokes, the delay could have real impacts.”
The hospital strongly urged the public not to participate in the event, calling it “extremely dangerous.” It clarified that the decision to divert air ambulances was made by the flight vendors themselves, not OHSU.
Police and Federal Agencies Issue Warnings
The Portland Police Bureau warned that aiming lasers at aircraft is not only hazardous but also a federal crime.
“It endangers pilots, crews, and people on the ground,” the bureau said, adding that it regularly arrests offenders — including one suspect just last week who allegedly targeted a police helicopter with a laser.
The FAA has repeatedly cautioned that laser strikes can temporarily blind pilots and lead to prison time or fines of up to $250,000.
Community Frustration Over Federal Helicopters
Residents in South Portland say helicopters have been circling the area nightly for two weeks, often for hours at a time.
“Every night we’re forced to listen to the threatening rhythm of helicopter blades,” one local flyer read, blaming “federal regime spies.”
According to the Port of Portland, the surge in helicopter activity is tied to federal or military operations — something local authorities cannot control.
Just two weeks ago, the FBI arrested four men accused of aiming a green laser pointer at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter during law enforcement operations. All four were undocumented, officials said.
A Dangerous Protest With Real Consequences
OHSU said the so-called “laser party” was a protest taken too far — one that endangered patients and frontline medical teams.
“This is not a game,” the hospital said. “Lives depend on those helicopters getting through safely.”
