Christian preachers were attacked outside a Planned Parenthood clinic in Oregon with a cleansing agent on Wednesday, while a police officer protected the assailant.
Around 20 Christians were preaching the Gospel outside the Planned Parenthood clinic in Portland when a man began shouting and sprinkling them with dousing powder. An officer from the Portland Police Department, who was on duty at that time, did not do anything to stop the man, according to Christian Today (CT).
The assailant, who had reportedly brought a woman to the clinic, disrupted the group of Christians in the middle of their activity by dousing them with a large canister of Comet scouring powder.
Pastor Chuck O'Neal recounted how the man first doused a woman from head to foot with the scouring powder while telling her that she was a "scum." O'Neal tried to reason with the attacker, but he got doused with the Comet powder, too.
"I approached the man, and he proceeded to douse me with the Comet as well, getting it in my eyes and on my clothes," CT quotes Pastor O'Neal. "I was warning him that this was assault ... and calling upon him to stop and to repent and turn to Christ."
Police officer Gene Gillock was on duty at that time. Former Los Angeles county deputy sheriff Tony Miano asked Gillock for help in arresting the attacker, but the cop told them to stay back and let him be. Miano also said the officer did not even stop to check if any of the victims needed help, the
Christian News Network reports.
A total of six Christians were assaulted and some of them complained of burning pain in their eyes. The group had to call 911 themselves to give their statements to the police, the report relays.
The former sheriff, who accused the officer of improper conduct, said the victims were "peacefully exercising" their religious beliefs and right to free speech. The cop should have prevented the assailant from attacking more people and investigated the matter thoroughly, Miano added.
Meanwhile, the Portland Police Department said no charges will be pressed against the man since the incident was considered a "private criminal complaint."
