After more than 200,000 people marched peacefully and gathered in downtown Los Angeles for a planned “no-kings” protest on Saturday, an almost heartfelt or harmonious rally changed the tone late Saturday afternoon.
The Los Angeles Police Department has issued a dispersal order to parts of downtown Los Angeles, particularly in the Hall of Justice Hall of Fame on Spring Street and Temple Street.
Deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office informed the rally that “something has changed.”
“You started these agitators who came here with the aim of creating confusion, and they started attacking officers and deputies,” LA County Sheriff Robert Luna told NBC Los Angeles on Saturday night.
Luna said at least one deputy was injured while the horse from the department’s executive details department was injured. LAPD did not report any officer injuries on Saturday afternoon.
“There are people who literally attack horses. That’s crazy,” Luna added.
LAPD also said that peaceful gatherings were suspended when a small group of “agitators” began to appear.
“They had high ground on the pedestrian overcross bridge and started throwing rocks, bottles and projectiles at our officers,” Deputy Director Emada Tingirides, deputy director of LAPD, urged the department to declare an illegal council, explaining the attack on officers.
Luna and Tingryde said violent protesters “smashed” the rally, forcing peaceful participants to disperse and leave the area.
“These individuals committing violent acts are actually just criminal acts and are carrying out their message,” Luna said. “In my opinion, it’s falling completely into the message on the other side of this.”
Tingrides reflects Luna’s concerns about a small group of people “producing chaos.”
“It is absolutely unacceptable to throw luxury fireworks, rocks and bottles not only on our law enforcement officers, but also on individuals, families and children who are trying to express their First Amendment rights.
A limited curfew will be re-enforced on Saturday in parts of downtown Los Angeles, from 8pm to 6am. This includes approximately one mile of downtown Los Angeles from 5 highways to 110 highways and 10 highways.
Source link
