Dozens of activists were staging a ‘die-in’ against President Donald Trump’s healthcare plans by lying in the middle of the road outside the San Francisco Federal Building.
In video of the incident, protesters can be seen lying or standing on the road with signs before a red motorcycle begins to drive up behind them.
Though it was only moving slowly, the motorcycle was being revved loudly and caused concern among the activists yesterday afternoon.
Many of the protesters were elderly or using wheelchairs since it was organised by Bay Resistance and Senior and Disability Action.
A spokeswoman for Bay Resistance, Emily Lee, said the driver was ‘definitely targeting us’, according to CBS.
She added: ‘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.’
Lee added that the man then turned around and began driving back into the activists before a police officer drew his gun and ordered him to stop.
The man is being held in custody but no charges have yet been made.
No injuries have been reported after the incident.
Republicans have been working for weeks on legislation aimed at repealing and replacing major portions of the Affordable Care Act, former Democratic President Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law, popularly known as Obamacare.
It was one of President Trump’s central pledges during the election campaign.