Small, scattered protests throughout Wednesday came to a head downtown and again in Northeast Portland as protesters blocked roads and police arrested 14 people.

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.

Within minutes, cars and buses started honking and angry bystanders began yelling for the demonstrators to move. A car tried to push past, but the group refused to move. The driver eventually drove his car away in reverse.

Several people got out of their cars to confront the protesters. One man yelled, "I gotta go home!"

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 traffic citations for improper position on a highway, Portland police said in a news release. All of the adults face second-degree disorderly conduct charges, and three of them face interfering with public transportation charges. One also has a parole violation, police said.

Police said each of the adults were jailed, and the minors were arrested and later released.

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.

Once the intersection was open again, officers also arrested three more people, including activist Micah Rhodes, a frequent presence at Portland demonstrations, and Robert West, who often films Portland police.

A short time later, about two dozen remaining protesters boarded an eastbound MAX train and rode to the Steel Bridge. They walked across the bridge, slowing cars and carrying a banner reading, "Fire Mike Marshman."

The group then walked down Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, delaying traffic before police officers arrived and broke up the crowd. Police said they arrested five more people on the east side.

Later in the night, people gathered at the Justice Center in downtown and waited for police to release the arrested protesters. Police arrested three people in the area.

Mayor Ted Wheeler has said the police use of force last week was justified. City officials have emphasized that protesters didn't have permits for Friday's march. Marshman has said he will keep his job.

But the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon said police overreacted and called police orders to protesters "confusing and at times contradictory" in a post on its website.

-- Samantha Matsumoto

503-294-4001; @SMatsumoto55

Jim Ryan of The Oregonian/OregonLive staff contributed to this report