A disturbing incident unfolded at a pro-Palestinian rally at Portland State University in Oregon on Thursday when a driver accelerated his car toward a group of protesters before attempting to flee.
Video of the incident, captured by a bystander, shows the man revving the engine of his white Toyota Camry and driving the vehicle toward the demonstrators.
The crowd reacts with screams and attempts to stop the car.
The driver then abruptly halts, exits the vehicle, and appears to use pepper spray on protesters who approach him as he tries to escape.
Police eventually detained the driver. The Portland Police Bureau issued a statement saying the man was taken to a hospital and placed on a police mental health hold.
The incident occurred just hours after officers removed protesters from a campus library that had been occupied by demonstrators since Monday. Police said they made 22 arrests.
Portland State University is among several college campuses across the U.S. where protesters have been calling on university administrators to stop doing business with Israel or companies they believe are supporting the war in Gaza.
Other major universities hosting pro-Palestinian demonstrations include Columbia University in New York, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Harvard University in Boston, the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
According to media outlets, more than 2,000 people have been arrested over the past two weeks at university demonstrations across the U.S.
