Man Arrested After Driving into Pro-Palestine Demonstrators at Portland State University

A man was arrested after attempting to drive his white Toyota Camry into a crowd of pro-Palestinian demonstrators at Portland State University in Oregon. The driver, whose name has not been released, briefly accelerated towards the crowd before braking and fleeing on foot, spraying what appeared to be pepper spray at protesters who confronted him.

Why this matters: This incident highlights the growing tensions and violent clashes between pro-Palestine demonstrators and counter-protesters, which could lead to further escalation and unrest on college campuses nationwide. The incident also raises concerns about the safety of protesters and the ability of law enforcement to effectively manage and de-escalate such situations.

The incident occurred on the Portland State University campus, where protesters had been occupying a library since Monday. The driver's car was damaged by protesters, with smashed windows and graffiti spray-painted on it. Police detained the driver and took him to a hospital on a police mental health hold.

Earlier on Thursday, Portland police made 22 arrests while clearing out the occupied library. The protests at PSU are part of a larger nationwide movement calling on universities to divest from Israeli companies or companies supporting the war in Gaza. Over 2,000 people have been arrested at universities across the U.S. over the last two weeks, according to an Associated Press tally.

One eyewitness described the incident, saying: "As I was walking up to PSU in Portland, Oregon, a car turned down an alley in front of me where the crowd of protestors were standing. On the dash was a can of bear mace and the license plate holder read 'We the people'. This wasn't an accident. "Photos show the damaged car, with smashed windows and graffiti, parked on a campus walkway, as well as the license plate holder with the phrase "we the people" and a can of bear mace on the dashboard.

The Portland Police Bureau reported that the adult male driver was taken to a local hospital on a police mental health hold. The investigation is ongoing, and no further details have been released about the suspect's identity or motives. The incident at Portland State University highlights the heightened tensions and clashes occurring as the pro-Palestine divestment movement continues to spread across college campuses nationwide.

Key Takeaways

• Man arrested for attempting to drive into pro-Palestinian protesters at Portland State University.
• The driver accelerated towards the crowd, then fled on foot, spraying pepper spray.
• The incident highlights growing tensions between pro-Palestine demonstrators and counter-protesters.
• 22 arrests were made earlier in the day while clearing out the occupied library.
• Over 2,000 people arrested at universities across the US in the last two weeks.