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Police pepper protesters Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/oregon/index.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?o0036_BC_OR--Bush-Protesters&&news&ornews"I don't think any American boys' lives are worth a barrel of oil," said Rob Moitoza, 57, who carried a sign that said: "Vets Against Bush."
http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/oregon/index.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?o0036_BC_OR--Bush-Protesters&&news&ornews
Police fire pepper spray at protesters
By WILLIAM McCALL
The Associated Press
8/23/02 12:01 PM
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Protesters dodged pepper spray and a few rounds of non-lethal ammunition fired by riot police during a running, seven-hour scuffle in downtown Portland around a hotel where President Bush was spending the night.
Many of the protesters criticized a new forest initiative Bush had announced earlier Thursday on a visit to southern Oregon, before flying to Portland for a fund-raiser for U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith.
Several hundred demonstrators marched toward the Hilton Hotel after Bush's arrival there, some chanting "Drop Bush, Not Bombs!"
Demonstrators at one point began to disperse, but many returned to the downtown area at about 5 p.m.
Supporters of Bush in formal attire were jostled and taunted by protesters as they arrived for the fund-raiser. After elbowing their way through the crowd of demonstrators, the VIPs were checked by Secret Service agents before they were allowed inside the hotel.
The melee erupted after police ordered about 500 protesters to move from a barricaded area.
Brian Schmautz, spokesman for Portland Police Bureau, said protesters threw things at the police.
Protesters at one point pushed down a barricade and a female police officer who was standing behind it, said Henry Groepper, police spokesman. The officer sprained or broke her wrist falling down, and two patrol cars were damaged, he said.
Riot police wearing helmets walked into the area, pushing activists with their batons. Some activists fell. Police then fired aerosol canisters of pepper spray at the protesters.
One protester showed television cameramen a large, red welt on his leg from a non-lethal round fired from a riot police gun.
Later in the day, about 150 demonstrators blocked vehicle access to Morrison Bridge. Cars honked their horns and police moved in, again firing pepper spray.
Police arrested five protesters through the afternoon, Groepper said.
One of the activists -- Jill Howdyshell -- was perched about 25 feet above the crowd on a tree platform set up by the Cascadia Forest Alliance.
"The plan will suspend all environmental laws and public involvement just to push more road-building and logging on public lands," said Carrie Taylor, 24, a volunteer with the environmental group.
The policy would make it easier for timber companies to cut wood from fire-prone national forests.
"The new policy is classic doublespeak," said Kenneth Kreuschu, 24, also from Cascadia Forest Alliance. "It has been shown time and again that more cutting leads to more fire. The new policy is a hoax."
Some of the activists were worried about a possible war with Iraq.
"I don't think any American boys' lives are worth a barrel of oil," said Rob Moitoza, 57, who carried a sign that said: "Vets Against Bush."
Moitoza said he served two years in the Navy aboard an aircraft carrier during the Vietnam War and fears a much worse conflict if U.S. troops are sent to Iraq.
"If he (Bush) starts a war against Iraq, it will be to get re-elected. All he cares about is wealth and power," Moitoza said.
Before flying to Portland from Medford, Bush was ferried to the still-smoldering Squire Peak fire.
A dozen or more demonstrators dotted Bush's motorcade route up Squires Mountain. Some of the hand-lettered signs they waved at him: "No attack of Iraq. You can't fix Daddy's mistake" and "More forests, less Bush."
At that protest, they were far outnumbered by local families waiting at the ends of their driveways holding "We love you" and "We support you" signs.
Copyright 2002 Associated Press. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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