Cops and Protesters are Clashing at Portland's #NotMyPresidentsDay Protest

Anti-Trump demonstrators protest downtown on Monday. Doug Brown

A relatively small group of people protesting Donald Trump on this President's Day has been met with a forceful response from the Portland Police Bureau.

The Mercury's Doug Brown reports police have cracked down on a Don't Shoot Portland-organized #NotMyPresidentsDay protest in front of the federal building in downtown Portland. The event, with roughly 100 demonstrators, is smaller than most protests we've seen since Trump won the White House in November. But it's drawn a notably stern response from police, who've arrested people not just for blocking roads, but on the sidewalks, and deployed crowd control devices, according to Doug.

Here's a rundown.

At Don’t Shoot Portland’s #NotMyPresidentsday protest at the federal building. pic.twitter.com/y9sCWSa27d

— doug brown (@dougbrown8) February 20, 2017

Protesters blocked 3rd and Madison. Cops just cleared people. #notmypresidentday pic.twitter.com/PNBY7TTsV4

— doug brown (@dougbrown8) February 20, 2017

Portland riot cops just tossed people to the ground. Nonviolent protesters arrested #notmypresidentsday pic.twitter.com/kA8mTJYcqj

— doug brown (@dougbrown8) February 20, 2017

They just did it again, on the sidewalk. I don’t get this.

— doug brown (@dougbrown8) February 20, 2017

Here is second encounter. Police roughing up people on sidewalk, pepper spraying one in face. #notmypresidentsday pic.twitter.com/N08DFzKca1

— doug brown (@dougbrown8) February 20, 2017

Portland riot cops make more rough arrests around the corner, shot “pepper balls” at people. #Notmypresidentsday pic.twitter.com/hQrhRf11wu

— doug brown (@dougbrown8) February 20, 2017

The clash comes as members of Don't Shoot Portland's leadership have expressed concern over the recent police shooting of a black 17-year-old, and cast doubt that the incident would be investigated fairly. According to cops, a Portland police officer shot Quanice Hayes on February 9 after encountering the teen while investigating a robbery. Police say Hayes had a "replica" handgun at the time, though the circumstances surrounding the shooting remain opaque.

Update: As of 12:45 pm, the demonstrators had met up with another group at Director Park. Now with larger numbers, they're marching through the streets.

They’re marching on SW 10 and Taylor pic.twitter.com/kdwYQuLKWy — doug brown (@dougbrown8) February 20, 2017