Beaverton Oregon Protesters Picket Nike.

http://www.katu.com/news/8631477.html

BEAVERTON, Ore. – The Oregon Humane Society protested outside of Nike world headquarters in Oregon Friday, hoping to convince the Beaverton-based company to drop its sponsorship of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick.

Vick was indicted Tuesday for his alleged participation in illegal dog fighting and faces charges of animal cruelty.

Since the allegations surfaced, Nike has decided to suspend next month’s scheduled release of its ‘Zoom Vick Five’ shoe.

Around two dozen protest organizers from as far as Seattle gathered to demonstrate outside Nike's headquarters in Beaverton.

One man wearing a pair of Nike athletic shoes said it was going to be the last pair he buys unless Nike severs ties with Vick. Others held signs, many of them showing the gruesome injuries dogs incur from fighting.

While the case brings to mind the dog abuse charges brought against former Trail Blazer Qyntel Woods in 2005, the protests against Vick have intensified after details were released that indicated some of Vick's dogs were tortured or executed.

The Humane Society has said it wants Nike to go further than a postponed shoe release, but Nike said it will neither sever its multi-million dollar endorsement deal with Vick nor recall any merchandise connected with the Falcon’s football star.

Vick's dogs have sometimes appeared in Nike commercials