The videos of Portland, Oregon police officers bull rushing liberal protesters who had taken over an intersection are fun to watch over and over again.
About 2 dozen protestors block traffic at 6th and Yamhill. They demand @tedwheeler fire the PPB chief. #LiveOnK2 pic.twitter.com/ByFty15lby
— katherine kisiel (@katherinekisiel) January 25, 2017
Videos from different perspectives show protesters blocking light rail, bus and vehicle traffic on a workday afternoon on Wednesday to the annoyance of civilized Portlanders. When suddenly a mass of riot gear clad police officers are seen marching in formation up a street toward the intersection and then running around the front of a blockaded bus to where the protesters are gathered.
The protesters try to scatter, but several are too slow and get leveled in tackles akin to middle linebackers body-slamming crossing tight ends.
The police are rewarded with cheers and thumbs up from people watching from the sidewalk. One man can be heard exhorting the police to, “Take them all down!”
Videos posted below:
Fox 12 video:
The Oregonian video:
This Periscope video by Mike Bivin shows civilized Portlanders arguing with the liberal protesters right before police intervened.
Protesters blocking city buses and trains, angry drivers confronting protesters. #Portland https://t.co/1MUJ3YWIVl
— Michael (@michaelbivins44) January 25, 2017
The Oregonian reported the protest called for the firing of the police chief over tactics used during Inauguration Day protests last Friday.
…”A group of about 30 people gathered in Pioneer Courthouse Square in the afternoon, calling for the dismissal of Portland Police Chief Mike Marshman. Clad mostly in black with many wearing bandanas over their faces, they stepped into the intersection of Southwest Yamhill and Sixth Avenue, blocking cars, buses and a MAX train.
…It apparently was part of a promise by people to disrupt the city to show their outrage over the police response to an Inauguration Day rally and march downtown last Friday when officers in riot gear used tear gas and flash-bang and sting-ball grenades to get people to leave.
Each of the people arrested — 12 adults and two 17-year-olds — received improper position on a highway citations, Portland police said in a news release.
The protesters were in the Yamhill intersection for less than 15 minutes when officers arrived to the cheers of bystanders. They cleared the intersection and arrested three people while bystanders whooped and clapped…”
Kelsey Watts, reporter with KPTV-TV posted several video clips of the protest to Twitter.
Right now on SW Yamhill & 6th. Woman behind me: "some of us just want to get home." @fox12oregon pic.twitter.com/t4whDZiNko
— Kelsey Watts (@KelseyWattsPDX) January 25, 2017
Bus, MAX blocked. @fox12oregon pic.twitter.com/oYCLvZT41o
— Kelsey Watts (@KelseyWattsPDX) January 25, 2017
Well that got heated quickly.@fox12oregon pic.twitter.com/ba5fQ4LEYq
— Kelsey Watts (@KelseyWattsPDX) January 25, 2017
Cops just showed up, tackle people in street. People on sidewalk cheer. @fox12oregon pic.twitter.com/7MQLLZ6v91
— Kelsey Watts (@KelseyWattsPDX) January 25, 2017
I've witnessed 6 people so far being taken into custody after blocking streets, traffic, transit. @fox12oregon pic.twitter.com/8wW8jGjiDF
— Kelsey Watts (@KelseyWattsPDX) January 26, 2017
They took the MAX, now blocking traffic on the Steel Bridge. @fox12oregon pic.twitter.com/ozsvip9soA
— Kelsey Watts (@KelseyWattsPDX) January 26, 2017
One vehicle drove through an attempted blockade.