Eugene police say downtown street blockade 'escalated'; investigation ongoing

Eugene police said Tuesday, March 3, they are continuing to investigate
the Saturday evening traffic blockades near the downtown federal
building and related conflicts they say resulted in injuries to a driver
and a 19-year-old man. 

As some drivers pushed through a line of about 20 protesters, some
protesters appeared to bang on vehicles, as shown in bystander videos.
According to police, a Eugene woman driving an SUV sustained facial
injuries after being struck through an open window. No video of that
incident has surfaced. 

During the evening, police established detours to keep some vehicle
traffic away from the protest site. Video and witness accounts show
police absent from the scene when at least one driver moved through the
protest group in a widely shared video on social media. 

“Initially it was due to staffing levels and available officers,” police
spokesperson Melinda McLaughlin said in an email when asked about the
lack of a police response in the early evening. “When things escalated,
EPD called in additional officer and team resources to respond, which
takes time.” 

McLaughlin said Tuesday a detective is reviewing the actions of both
protesters and drivers as part of the investigation. 

The traffic blockades took place at Sixth Avenue and Pearl Street near
the Eugene Federal Building, a site of frequent protests against
immigration enforcement activity under President Donald Trump. Hours of
protest activity against immigration enforcement, as well as military
strikes against Iran, were held at the site and elsewhere Saturday. 

https://lookouteugene-springfield.com/story/justice/2026/03/04/eugene-pol
ice-say-downtown-street-blockade-escalated-investigation-ongoing/