Eugene, OR – On May 1, 2025, a protest took place in Eugene, Oregon, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Park Blocks. The event started with a series of speeches from participants, followed by a march to Kesey Square. Organizers were present to ensure the event remained peaceful and made repeated announcements urging the participants to stay on the sidewalks while marching.
However, as the march progressed, several individuals began to disregard the organizers’ requests and walked into the street, blocking police vehicles and other traffic. At this point, organizers reached out to the Eugene Police Department’s Mobile Response Team (MRT) for assistance in managing the situation.
The protestors continued to block lanes of travel as they turned onto E. 11th Avenue, significantly impeding the evening commute. Despite efforts by MRT to allow the group to maintain safety on their own, the situation escalated when the splinter group blocked all lanes of E. 11th Avenue. This prompted officers to intervene in order to avoid potential confrontations with motorists…