Anti-Target protests over the company's new transgender bathroom policy have come to Portland.

Or at least one protester has.

A video shot at the Cascade Station Target in Northeast Portland over the weekend shows a Bible-quoting, self-styled preacher yelling at store customers and employees, condemning them for their choice of retailer. (Warning: The video contains some explicit language.)

The incident comes amid backlash after Target reiterated its transgender bathroom policy in recent days, allowing customers and employees to use the restroom or fitting room that "corresponds to their gender identity."

Hundreds of thousands of people have said they would boycott the retailer because they say the policy would enable sexual predators to assault women and girls in bathrooms.

But there's no data showing that enacting trans-friendly bathroom policies leads to higher rates of sexual assault, as Time magazine reported. If anything, laws that force transgender people to use restrooms where they might look out of place make them more likely to be victims of assault, advocates told the magazine.

In the Portland video, the protester yells that God didn't make "transvestites," just males and females. Apparently citing scripture, he said those who justify the wicked and condemn the just are "abominations." He urged those at the store to repent.

"Target, this is your warning," he shouted. "You will be judged."

The video was posted by the channel "Hell shaking Street Preachers," whose other videos include street preaching around Portland. The channel's description says it's dedicated to "preaching the gospel and rebuking the wicked."

The man was escorted out of the store by management, who had called 9-1-1 to report the incident.

The department-store preacher left the store amid shouts and jeers from customers.

"Shut up," one yelled.

"Leave. Leave. Leave," chanted another.

"You're not a true Christian, you're an (expletive)," yelled another shopper.

The man appeared to leave peaceably.

Target corporate did not immediately respond to an electronic request for comment.

-- Anna Marum

amarum@oregonian.com

503-294-5911

@annamarum