Students arrested and campus police chief hospitalized during PSU protest Thursday

On the campus of Portland State University, September 2023 (KOIN)

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Continued Protests at Portland State University Thursday eveningthe school said the campus police chief was hospitalized and several students were among those arrested.

According to the PSU, during the demonstrations, a group marched towards the Richard & Maurine Neuberger Center and the demonstrators chained himself to the doors for the second time.

The chained protesters were asked to leave and refused, the school said. That's when campus and Portland police responded to the scene.

There were seven arrests in total, three of which the school confirmed were current students.

During the event, PSU President Ann Cudd said in a statement that physical force had to be used against students and that at one point Campus Police Chief Willie Halliburton had to be taken to hospital after suffering a “medical emergency”. No further information about the emergency was given.

In his statement, Cudd also called for the protests to stop, saying “this is not a campus atmosphere that can support any of us at Portland State.”

Cudd added that she is working to engage with protesters and meet with community members and student groups to reach agreement on the demands made by the Associated Students of Portland State University .