Injured Occupy Protester Sues Portland Police

An Occupy Portland protester has filed a federal lawsuit accusing police of excessive force during a demonstration last fall in which he says his back was injured.

Justin James Bridges says he was swept up in a crowd Nov. 13 as police pushed demonstrators out of a downtown park. The Oregonian reported he says police dragged him across a street, choked him with his bandanna and beat him with batons.

City Attorney James H. Van Dyke declined comment on the suit citing pending litigation.