City Hall protester gets 3 years for attacking passerby

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An immigration reform protester who struck a stranger in the face with a PVC pipe after the stranger complained that protesters were partially blocking the sidewalk at Portland City Hall has been sentenced.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports William Pierce was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to attempted assault.

Pierce was arrested shortly after authorities say he left the scene Aug. 9, 2018.

The attack came as protesters were camping outside City Hall expressing their unhappiness with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

A probable cause affidavit says Tim Schmitz was walking past them when he and protesters “exchanged words.”

Schmitz then got into his car and drove by City Hall as he was leaving, again getting into a “verbal exchange.” The affidavit says that’s when Pierce struck him with the pipe through an open car window. Schmitz suffered a gash above his left eye.