Medic hit and demonstration shut down as Portland protesters mock theme of Kendall Jenner advertisement where she handed drink to police officer

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

A May Day protest in Portland has been shut down after demonstrators threw full cans of Pepsi at officers, with one hitting a medic, according to police in the US city.

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On Monday, as the pro-labor, anti-Trump rally in Oregon descended into violence, Portland police tweeted that demonstrators had started hurling objects including full Pepsi cans at officers.

Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) A @PDXFire medic was hit by a full @pepsi can thrown during #MayDayPDX protest march. Not injured.

Shortly later the protest’s permit was revoked and police moved in to shut it down. Three people were arrested.

Earlier in the day police had ignored a protester offering a can of Pepsi.

doug brown (@dougbrown8) Police took some shields from anarchists, anarchists grouped up toward cops. 1 tried to hand Pepsi to cop, unsuccessfully #Mayday #MayDayPDX pic.twitter.com/IV8nDzxLeP

The use of Pepsi by protesters was linked on social media to the recent widely ridiculed ad for the drink that showed model Kendall Jenner defusing a tense moment at a demonstration by handing a can to a police officer. Pepsi pulled the ad in April after it was accused of co-opting the imagery of protest movements to sell soda.



Play Video 2:40 Kendall Jenner stars in heavily criticised viral Pepsi ad – video

At least three people were arrested at the Portland rally after anarchists destroyed a police car, damaged windows and property, started fires in the streets and attacked officers, according to police.

Police said the protest permit was cancelled “due to numerous incidents of thrown projectiles, incendiary devices and other unsafe conditions”. No injuries had been reported.



With Associated Press

