Police use pepper spray during Portland protest
PORTLAND, Ore. – Police and protesters clashed Saturday afternoon during a march in Northeast Portland.
Police said officers arrested one protester and used pepper spray on several others when they confronted officers with wooden shields.
A group called Portland Action Lab organized the march called "Solidarity Against Austerity." It included some members of Occupy Portland, and several other groups.
The march started at 2 p.m. at Holladay Park in Northeast Portland.
Police used pepper spray on marchers near the Lloyd Center at Northeast 15th and Halsey.
"People had goggles, they didn’t have wooden sticks or anything like that," said 15-year-old protester Quetzal Brock. "There were wooden banners right in front just to protect from the police."
Brock said he was pepper sprayed by police.
"I didn't think it would happen to me, especially at this age," said Brock.
Police said they attempted to contact event organizers to find out if the event would be peaceful, but no one with Portland Action Lab responded.
The marchers moved south from there on Northeast 15th Avenue.
KATU's Lincoln Graves contributed to this story.
Video by Alex Milan Tracy (WARNING: Profanity)
They hate freedom of speech and the right to assemble in a police state.
 @2easy2berightback They being the local police? Seriously? Do you know any of them? Because I am pretty freakin sure those are not the things they have a problem with.
Another option to quell the Occupiers would have been the threat of a job or a dousing of warm soapy water.Â
People have a right to have peaceful protest. Be on that I feel the police have the right to use what ever they have to maintain peace. We know the most of people are going to be peaceful but there are the thugs that cause the trouble and destruction. These thugs are the ones that need the sh** beat out of them. The thugs can complain of the well deserved beating. I feel these people should spend there time in looking for a job and contribute to the community that have been feeding them.
I love how the video drops in right as their shields are taken away rather than showing anything that happened before. =/ Considering who is in the crowd, I'm going to give the police the benefit of the doubt and say good job. Be liberal with the pepper spray.