After more than 200,000 people peacefully marched and gathered in downtown Los Angeles for the planned “No Kings” protest on Saturday, the mostly cordial or even harmonious rally drastically changed the tone late Saturday afternoon.
The Los Angeles Police Department issued a dispersal order in parts of downtown Los Angeles, especially around the Hall of Justice building on Spring and Temple Streets, as some protesters began throwing objects at officers at around 4 p.m.
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WATCH HEREDeputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department also notified that “something shifted” with the rally.
“You started to have these agitators who came here with the purpose of creating chaos, and they started to attack police officers and deputies,” LA County Sheriff Robert Luna told NBC Los Angeles Saturday evening.
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SIGN UP Luna said at least one deputy was injured as well as a horse from the department’s Mounted Enforcement Detail division. The LAPD did not report any officer injuries as of Saturday afternoon.
“You literally have people attacking horses. That’s crazy,” Luna added.
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The LAPD also said the peaceful rally was interrupted when a small group of “agitators” began to show up.
“They had high ground on a pedestrian overcross bridge and began throwing rocks and bottles and projectiles at our officers,” LAPD Deputy Chief Emada Tingirides said, explaining the assaults on officers prompted the department to declare an unlawful assembly.
Luna and Tingrides both said the violent protesters “ruined” the rally, forcing peaceful participants to disperse and leave the area.
“These individuals that are out there committing acts of violence, really just criminal acts, are running the message,” Luna said. “In my opinion, it’s falling right into the message of the other side of this.”
Tingrides echoed Luna’s concerns about the small group of people “wreaking havoc.”
“It’s absolutely unacceptable to throw high-grade fireworks, rocks and bottles not only at our law enforcement officers but also toward individuals, families and children that are trying to express their First Amendment rights.
A limited curfew will go into effect again Saturday for part of downtown Los Angeles from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. It includes about 1 square mile of downtown Los Angeles from the 5 Freeway to the 110 Freeway and the 10 Freeway to the point where it merges with the 110 and 5 freeways.
