Portland protests: Suspect in brutal attack on truck driver hands himself in

The aftermath of an altercation during a protest at Broadway and Taylor St in Portland, Oregon: Kalen D'Almeida/Scribber News/Twitter @fromkalen
The aftermath of an altercation during a protest at Broadway and Taylor St in Portland, Oregon: Kalen D'Almeida/Scribber News/Twitter @fromkalen

A man who allegedly attacked a truck driver in Portland and left him injured in the streets has turned himself in to police.

Marquise Love, 25, turned himself over to the police at the Multnomah County Detention Center on Friday morning, according to The Oregonian. He faces charges of assault, coercion and rioting. He's being held on a $260,00 bail.

The assault occurred after the truck driver, Adam Haner, crashed his vehicle into a lamppost in central Portland. Mr Love is accused of being one of several individuals who stormed the truck and pulled Mr Haner out before assaulting him.

The assault was caught on video and shared widely across social media. The footage shows a man punching Mr Haner in the face and kicking him unconscious. Other people in the video appear to be attacking a woman identified as Mr Haner's girlfriend, Tammie Martin.

Mr Haner is recovering at home with multiple injuries. A fundraiser to curb his medical costs has been launched online and has since raised more than $136,000.

The attack occurred during a protest in Portland. The group that attacked Mr Haner allegedly followed him to the scene of the crash following a confrontation earlier in the night at a 7-Eleven.

Mr Haner claimed he had stopped at the protest to help a transgender woman who was being mugged, and believes he was attacked because he is white.

Activists and individuals involved in the Black Lives Matter protest decried the attack, saying the assailants undermined the message of the movement.

Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell said he was pleased with the resolution of the search for Mr Love.

"I am pleased the suspect in this case turned himself in and appreciate all of the efforts to facilitate this safe resolution," Mr Lovell said.

Local officials in Portland condemned the incident. Mayor Ted Wheeler, the city's commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty and the county's District Attorney Mike Schmidt all spoke out against the attack.

A recent policy enacted by Mr Schmidt that protects protesters from being prosecuted for minor offences will not protect Mr Love from prosecution. The policy does not cover violent acts or destruction of private property.

"The actions depicted in these videos are universally rejected as wrong – and the actions are illegal," Mr Schmidt told local news station KOIN. "Assaults and other violent crimes will be prosecuted when the evidence supports such action."

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