White supremacist rally ends with five arrests and two assaults, police say [Updated]

 
A white supremacist rally on the lawn of Los Angeles City Hall ended with a handful of arrests Saturday afternoon as counter-protesters showered police and white supremacists with rocks, bottles and other debris.

[Updated at 4:50 p.m.: All five people arrested were counter-protesters, police say.]

A rally by 40 members of a group calling itself the National Socialist Movement drew hundreds of counter-protesters from throughout the region. In the hours leading up to the rally, where members called for the removal of all nonwhites from America's southwest, counter-protesters scuffled with people perceived to be sympathizing with the white supremacists' message.

One man, who sported Nazi tattoos, was severely beaten near City Hall while another man, who carried a confusing sign about religion with a scribbled swastika, was pummeled by a mob of people on Spring Street between 1st and 2nd.

The Los Angeles Police Department went on tactical alert during the event and took responsibility for escorting the white supremacists to and from the demonstration site. Earlier in the week the group had obtained a permit for the demonstration.

At the end of the rally, after 2:30 p.m., police escorted the white supremacists to the criminal courts building parking lot to get in their vehicles. However, one car failed to start. A crowd of counter-demonstrators ran to the lot and began hurling rocks and bottles into the parking lot's southwest corner, hitting cars and shattering glass. As some of the white supremacists held shields emblazoned with swastikas over their heads to protect them from the projectiles, others attempted to jump-start the car. 

The LAPD then order the crowd to disperse and reopened the streets.

Commander David Doan said the LAPD's goal was to ensure that everyone was allowed to exercise free speech while avoiding any use of force by officers. “There was a tremendous amount of restraint shown by our officers,” he said. “We allowed both sides to exercise their 1st Amendment rights.”

Doan said it was a frustrating situation for LAPD officers. “We took some rocks and bottles when they arrived and we took some again when the car had some trouble starting.”

The two people assaulted in the crowd have been treated for their injuries and released, Doan said. The LAPD is not providing a crowd estimate, but Doan said the department had more than enough officers on hand.

The department issued a tactical alert as a precaution, Doan said, to ensure it had adequate staffing. “I am very happy. Our people did an outstanding job,” the incident commander said.

-- Richard Winton and Robert Faturechi

Photo: White supremacists rally on the lawn of Los Angeles City Hall. Credit: Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Doug W.]

We need to control illegal immigration, but this kind of activity is not helpful at all. This should be about law and order, not race. Most of our ancestors came from somewhere else, and most of them did it legally. I don't care who comes in as long as they do it legally. And as a student of World War II I have to say that only a congenital idiot would associate themselves with the Nazi name and philosophy.

[mikey]

No different than al sharpton and his goons walking to city hall on one of their protests. Both groups belong in the same place: an arena where they fight until death.

[HankR]

It always goes down like this. _insert_evil_group_here has a constitutionally-protected free assembly, but then the 'peaceful' anti-everythings show up (with faces hidden), and try to deny them their civil rights. There is a terrible undercurrent emerging from colleges and universities that instills in these kids that its ok to *violently* silence others if their message is not PC-approved. It is demonstrably un-American and disgusting.

[Scott]

What is pathetic about the way the crowds reacted to the neo-nazis is that they actually strengthen the message of the nazis. These nazis believe that everyone outside of their belief system is an unruly, savage. Unfortunately the people who attacked them proved to be just that. The people of L.A. behaved like savages. They would have been better served had they protested peacefully.

[RA]

What about the real Nazis in the white house and congress who love illegals?

[Chris Maines]

I do not support racist activities nor do I support hate groups or Nazi's.
I do support keeping our south west borders closed to any and everybody
that does not have a visa. We must work with Mexico to tighten border security
and keep illegal drugs from crossing the border. This country is in a drug war
with Mexico and this recieves very little media attention.

[CJ]

Q. How are the Nazi's any different from La Raza? Or C.A.I.R.?
A. They're not. It's just that minorities are allowed to promote hate in this country.

(I'm sure someone is typing I'm a "racisist" right now. See what I mean?)

[Miss Creant]

*****************Could it be that those "Nazis" and "white supremecists" are, for the most part, simply exercizing their right to free speech, while the media and the ADL continue to demonize them? **************

demonize a nazi white supremist? lol

[Wheres My tini at?]

...If you want them to go away, just ignore them, and give them no press - don't go to their rallies, don't cover their rallies, don't publicize their rallies.

The more you insist on drawing attention to them, the easier you make it for them to recruit...

[Tom Genin]

First, is it possible to get rid of the Nazi's and Illegal Aliens.

2nd, the Nazi's apparently weren't violent, and the illegal aliens (guessing who threw the bottles) were, and therefore illegals are worse than Nazi's.

Lastly, the obvious reason for the article is to compare those that want to get rid of illegals to Nazi's.

And the police "We allowed both sides to exercise their 1st Amendment rights.”

What about the arrests for those committing violence? Not that beating up a Nazi is a bad thing per se, but if I can throw a rock, or beat up a Nazi, what about an Illegal, or a Socialist? Bad job.

[Carman-Ghia]

Before I make a judgement, I have have to walk a mile in their shoe. Imagine living in a state where these immigrants bust through every hole in the fence to get to. Once there they expect to receive all the priviledges citizens of the US receive and don't pay a single cent for it. They invade every emergency room and take up the resources that should be used for US Citizens. The females seem to be able to get pregnant on the spot so their kids will be American citizens and will at some point be able to serve as a sponsor to the many other relateives that come over. Hate Nazi? For this matter they are doing a service to this country!!!

[matt]

i don't remember this much attention for the mexican racist organization La Raza ( the race) when they have demonstrations with mexican flag (i.e their flag for race)

[Helen]

Just one giant sheep herd we are. Little puppets that the media and the government manipulate. There will never be true liberty and happiness until people learn how to think for themselves and figure out where YOUR best interests are rather than allowing people to TELL you how to think and feel.

STOP VOTING DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN.