A 19-year-old protester is facing criminal charges after jumping onto a moving vehicle and damaging it during a demonstration in downtown Eugene on Saturday night.
According to the Eugene Police Department, officers responded around 8 p.m. on Feb. 28 to reports that 30 to 60 protesters were blocking traffic near West Sixth Avenue and Pearl Street. The protest was held in opposition to a joint U.S. and Israeli military operation.
Police said the gathering began around 6 p.m., with demonstrators obstructing vehicles traveling along West Sixth Avenue.
Authorities reported that a black SUV driven by a Eugene woman in her 30s attempted to slowly move through the crowd. As the vehicle proceeded, protesters allegedly began striking it. Police said the driver then accelerated through the group.
During the incident, 19-year-old Shane Alexander Novak, of Pflugerville, Texas, jumped onto the hood of the SUV and struck the windshield before falling off.
Novak was treated at the scene by Eugene-Springfield Fire and transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police said the driver was also injured after being struck in the face while her window was down, sustaining facial injuries. She was evaluated at the scene and later taken to a hospital for further treatment.
Novak is facing charges of second-degree criminal mischief and disorderly conduct. Authorities also reported additional damage to other vehicles during the protest.
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