Portland has ignited controversy by opting to refer to the iconic Christmas tree in the main square as merely ‘the tree.’ This decision has drawn sharp criticism from conservatives who view it as a ‘woke’ attempt at inclusivity that compromises traditional Christmas values.

The annual tree lighting ceremony at Pioneer Courthouse Square took place on Saturday night, amidst this backdrop of contention. City council member Candace Avalos marked the occasion by singing ‘holiday songs.’ Meanwhile, nearby protesters demonstrated against a local Starbucks, adding to the event’s charged atmosphere.

Also present at the ceremony was a Muslim woman who waved a Palestinian flag and addressed the crowd with a stark message: ‘There’s a full-blown genocide happening, live streaming in 4k,’ she declared. She emphasized the timeliness of her message, highlighting numerous ongoing genocides.

Attempting to galvanize the crowd, she initiated a ‘Free, Free Palestine’ chant, which received a muted response. Nevertheless, she proceeded to lead them in a song, intertwining her message with the evening’s festivities.

‘This is the perfect time to bring this up. There are a lot of genocides going on.’

The woman attempted to lead the crowd in a ‘Free, Free Palestine’ chant, which invoked a small response from the public, before she led them in a song.

But the city did have a Santa Claus at the function, interacting with families and ultimately ‘flipping the switch’ to illuminate the tree with about 10,000 light bulbs.

Thousands of resident crowded the town square to celebrate the annual occasion.

The city of Portland has sparked fury for referring to the Christmas tree in the main square simply as ‘the tree’

The ceremony also promoted a Muslim woman waving a Palestinian flag (pictured), who told the crowd: ‘There’s a full blown genocide happening, live streaming in 4k. ‘This is the perfect time to bring this up. There are a lot of genocides going on.’

‘They can’t bring themselves to say the word “Christmas”,’ one critic said online after the event.

He had traveled to see the tree in all its glory, and noticed a sign in front of the tree simply labeled it ‘the tree.’

‘Friends, I’m reclaiming this tree and it is HEREBY the Portland CHRISTMAS Tree,’ he added.

During the celebration, Mayor Keith Wilson announced the square will also host a New Year’s Eve drone show. 

‘This family-friendly event in Portland’s Living Room is quickly becoming a new downtown Portland tradition, and I want to invite everyone to join us and celebrate the arrival of 2026 and all that a new year has to offer,’ he said.

The city has faced mounting scrutiny for ‘woke’ agenda items in recent months. One lawmaker wanted the city to redirect funds to help refugees instead of clearing  homeless encampments that have taken over the area in recent years. 

Councilor Angelita Morillo, who lives outside of downtown Portland – the homelessness hotspot of the city – in a luxury high-rise apartment building, sugested cutting approximately $4.3 million from the Impact Reduction Program to support refugees. 

The program went into effect in July and specifically helps assist the unhoused population in the Democrat-run sanctuary city by cleaning sites and supporting those in need.

During the celebration, Mayor Keith Wilson announced the square will also host a New Year’s Eve drone show

Conservatives slammed the move as a ‘ woke ‘ effort at inclusivity at the expense of tradition and Christmas spirit

As of this month, a total of 12,034 people are experiencing homelessness in Portland’s tri-county area, according to a report by Portland State University (PSU)’s Homeless Research & Action Collaborative. 

That population has risen 61 percent from 2023 and is spread out across Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties, per the report.

In September, Mayor Wilson sent a mass email to residents begging them for help to combat the homelessness crisis by donating their time, money and household items.

He expressed concerns that if the community didn’t step up to fix the problem, Donald Trump would set his sights on cleaning up the community, as he had done to other liberal cities. 

The message was sent to 17,000 recipients on the City Hall mailing list. 

It said: ‘I need your help. We’re delivering real change to Portland, and if you can contribute a bag of snacks, an hour of your time as an artist, teacher, or builder, or even a small show of financial support to our emergency shelter system, I want to connect.

The city did have a Santa Claus at the function, interacting with families and ultimately ‘flipping the switch’ to illuminate the tree with about 10,000 light bulbs

‘Recent events in Washington, D.C. show us what will happen to Portland if we don’t move with speed, purpose, and compassion to address the humanitarian crisis on our streets.

‘The federal administration deploys bulldozers and mass arrests by masked agents, the opposite of our outreach worker and emergency shelter strategy.

‘Let’s work together by volunteering and donating, and prove the administration’s heavy-handed tactics are not needed in our city.’

Trump did deploy the National Guard to Portland in September, but a federal judge recently ruled he did not meet legal requirements when he did so.