In the chaos that resulted from protesters taking charge of the roads and directing traffic while police stood on standby, numerous altercations erupted between protesters and locals, local media reported.
One such altercation between a driver and protesters was captured by local videographer Brandon Farley, who shoots and edits videos of disruptive events in Portland. Farley captured the moment a driver struck a protester as he attempted to push his way through the crowd to continue his journey.
The video shows the driver of the silver Lexus trying to make a right-hand turn at a green light amongst a crowd of protesters. One protester was pushed by the car as it made the turn. Protesters were also hitting the car. Fortunately, no one was injured.
Protesters then chased the car down as the driver stopped to check for damage.
Portland Police Bureau spokesman Sgt. Chris Burley said that the police were taking into account the protesters’ First Amendment rights of free speech and free assembly, as well as the impact the protests had on the Portland community.
Damage to Car
The driver later reported to the police that a total of $3,000 of damage was made to his car, KATU reported.Police said that they received a 911 call from the driver after the confrontation and have opened an investigation into the incident.
Police said that the protesters did not have a permit for the protest, KATU reported, adding that the incidents on the day demonstrated how important permits are to ensure that police are prepared to maintain a safe separation between protesters and road users.
