Video shared by the activist group Senior and Disability Action shows dozens of people protesting against the Republican health-care bill lying and standing in the street outside the San Francisco Federal Building as part of a “die-in.”
Suddenly a loud motorcycle can be heard on the video and screaming demonstrators are seen moving to get out of the way as the biker drives into the crowd, nearly hitting several people on the ground.
The driver then revs his engine in an intimidating manner before tearing off, leaving behind shocked demonstrators.
The incident was made more dangerous as many of the demonstrators in the video had mobility issues.
“He was definitely targeting us … It was unclear if it was for political reasons or if he was just mentally unstable or what, but it was terrifying,” spokesperson Emily Lee told KNTV.
According to Lee, the biker was travelling the wrong direction on the street.
“Everyone thought he was just confused, but he didn’t stop, and at some point, it became clear he was going to come through the crowd and people jumped out of the way,” she said.
Police ordered the driver to stop, with at least two officers drawing their guns.
Police took the man into custody but did not confirm if he would be charged.
But local media reported the man was an administrator with the Facebook group called the “White Privilege Club.”
The demonstration was part of a national day of action to protest a GOP Senate plan to overhaul Obamacare with little public input.
Critics are concerned the plan could leave millions of Americans without health insurance.
A similar Republican health-care bill approved by the House of Representatives in May was found to threaten the health coverage of 23 million people based on a Congressional Budget Office report.
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