Anti-Trump Protesters Took Over I-5 In Early Morning Portland March

Protesters started gathering downtown around midnight, not long after Donald Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States.

Around 12:30 am, protesters burned an American flag, set a dumpster on fire and damaged local media boxes.

Around 1:30 am, they began marching to the Hawthorne Bridge.

Once on the bridge, they stopped all traffic both ways before turning around and heading back to the west side. There was also shouting between the protesters and people who stood on the bridge yelling "make America great again," and some people holding religious signs.

As the group marched back to the west side, they continued to chant "Fuck Trump, fuck Trump!" and someone lit two fireworks.

"It's disgusting that Donald Trump was elected, and that moved me to get out here," says social activist Michael Chababo. "I don't know if it's a big enough movement to make his presidency not happen, but this is definitely a minor step towards that."

Around 1:45 am, protesters then marched over the Morrison Bridge, followed by two men yelling, "White Power!"

In the middle of the Morrison Bridge, organizers urged protesters to sit down and be silent for four and a half minutes to mark the four and a half hours that Michael Brown's body lay on the streets on Ferguson.

After, they got up and continued chanting, "Trump is the president and we don't have a fuck."

Protesters then continued to march, entering the Interstate-5 freeway on-ramp around 2:15 am.

Once on I-5, they were able to fully occupy both the northbound and southbound lanes of I-5, effectively blocking the entire freeway. A reported incident involving a truck driver hitting a protestor caused one man to charge at the truck driver with a bat, calling him racist. Other protestors quickly deescalated the situation. Someone tagged another truck with "Fuck Trump." Horns honked loudly, while protesters continued to block the incoming traffic, most of them semi-trucks as they continued to chant, "Fuck Trump!"

A few cars began driving over the median, close to where protesters were standing. But they pressed on, going further north, until they came face-to-face with police wearing riot gear.

As the protestors held their hands up, chanting "Hands up, don't shoot," police actually backed away, which Chabado says was unexpected.

"It was the first time I've seen a major highway get shut down like that, and cops intervening, but retreating back and being more peaceful than violent," he says. "I definitely thought everyone was bracing for something to happen. I think the people that were acting more negatively than the cops were the drivers trying to get through."

The cops retreated, and the protesters moved entirely to the northbound side of the freeway. Police stood by their cars, declining offers for Pringles from protesters and taking photos with their phone cameras.

The march then continued on I-5 before leaving at exit 302A around 2:50 am.

Here, the group lost a few members, but blocked Northeast Weidler Avenue, continuing to chant, "fuck Donald Trump." A passing car stopped and played "FDT (Fuck Donald Trump)" while the crowd sang along.

The march then continued over the Broadway Bridge, where they slowed it down as it was moving too fast for people with disabilities, says Chababo. At 4:40, the group was smaller, but still chanting and marching. Around 5:30 am, protesters dispersed.

Chababo says there will be another gathering in the next couple of days.

Willamette Week