Chaos erupted on the campus of Portland State University when a driver allegedly charged his white Toyota Camry at a group of pro-Palestinian protesters. As detailed in an incident caught on video, the car hastily approached the crowd before slamming on the brakes, narrowly missing the demonstrators who had gathered. In an ensuing frenzy, the driver fled the scene on foot, brandishing what appeared to be a can of pepper spray at those in pursuit, the Portland Police Bureau confirmed.

After some demonstrators damaged the abandoned vehicle, tagging it with graffiti and smashing its windows, the police intervened, later locating the driver. "The man was taken to a hospital on a police mental health hold," the bureau said in a statement. His name, however, remains undisclosed as the investigation continues. Crowds of people, captured screaming in videos, bore witness to the near-violent clash as it unfolded.

Turning the page, the incident came on the heels of Portland Police disbanding an occupation of protestors at a campus library, an occupation that was initiated only days prior and ended with 22 arrests on Thursday. These protests, part of a nationwide surge of defiance, call for academic institutions to sever economic ties with Israel and companies linked to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Nationally, campuses have become battlegrounds of conviction and controversy, with protest tent encampments multiplying. Civil unrest has led to over 2,000 arrests amidst passionate demonstrations, a count provided by the Associated Press. Lectures and studies continue in the vicinity of protestors who are steadfast on their principles, undistracted by administrative pressure or the specter of detainment.