Videos posted to social media show a mob in Portland beating a man until he was unconscious, the New York Post reported.
An unidentified man was filmed standing outside his truck with his wife in Portland Sunday night as a mob approached and attacked them.
“He didn’t do nothing!” someone is heard saying during the video as the man was kicked and punched.
The man was able to get in his car and speed off before hitting a light pole. He was then dragged from his truck, according to the New York Post, as he pleaded for the violence to end and called out to his wife. The mob comprised Black Lives Matter and antifa activists, the outlet reported.
“I ain’t trying to hurt no one,” he’s heard saying. It is unclear what prompted the altercation, but someone is heard saying, “COVID is real.”
“I was trying to get out the way,” he said after the crash.
The crowd then began leaving the scene, but one attacker returned, kicking the man in the head and causing him to lose consciousness, according to the New York Post.
Police are currently investigating the incident and said they encountered a “hostile crowd” when responding to a call that “protesters were chasing the truck before it crashed, and they assaulted the driver after the crash.”
“Officers encounters a hostile crowd and a squad from the Rapid Response Team (RRT) responded to help secure the scene while the investigation was underway. The driver was transported to the hospital by ambulance with serious injuries. The incident is under investigation and no arrests have been made,” the Portland Police Bureau said of the incident.
Violence and protests in Portland have persisted since the death of George Floyd in May, with many nights of riots targeting government buildings.
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has condemned the violence in the city after initially showing support for what he said were largely peaceful demonstrations.
“We anticipate additional planned attacks on occupied public buildings over the next few days,” Wheeler said last week. “I want to put a message out to the people of this city. If you are a nonviolent demonstrator and you don’t want to be a part of intentional violence, please stay away from these areas. Our community must say that this violence is not Portland, that these actions do not represent our values, and these crimes are distracting from reform, not advancing it.”
