A day after mostly peaceful “No Kings” demonstrations that drew tens of thousands of protesters around Southern California, details involving violent episodes and dozens of arrests came into sharper focus on Sunday.
In Los Angeles, 38 people were arrested downtown on Saturday night after police directed tear gas and less-lethal rounds at crowds to move them out, reportedly after some people threw rocks, bottles and bricks. In Huntington Beach, a protester who was trying to pick a fight with someone a few blocks from the pier turned out to have a loaded handgun in his waistband, police said. And in Riverside, a woman was badly injured when a car sped around a march, then struck her and fled the scene.
Here is a roundup of problems related to massive and smaller protests alike that law enforcement agencies reported on Sunday:
Downtown Los Angeles
After an estimated 200,000 people rallied throughout the day, 35 people were arrested Saturday night for curfew violations, one for failure to disperse, one for resisting, obstructing or delaying a police officer, and one for resisting arrest, LAPD said.
Three officers were injured, police added.
Since the daily demonstrations began on June 7 to protest federal immigration raids in the Los Angeles area, the LAPD has arrested 561 people related to protests, according to the department. In all, 12 officers have been injured, police said. No details about the circumstances of the injuries or the officers’ conditions were released.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who had urged the crowds to remain lawful, noted that most of Saturday’s demonstrators followed that advice.
“Sometimes people who aren’t even a part of the main protest hang around, and then that’s where you can have trouble,” she said on KTLA5 as an 8 p.m. curfew went into effect. “I think that is happening off and on right now, but I do think at the end of the day, this will have been a successful, peaceful day.”
Huntington Beach
A convicted felon with a loaded handgun was arrested at the “No Kings” protest in Huntington Beach on Saturday after threatening to knock someone out in the middle of the street, police said Sunday.
Eduardo Pineda, 25, had concealed the gun in his waistband, Huntington Beach police said in a news release.
The confrontation happened a few blocks from the pier. Around 3:30 p.m., officers in the area of Main Street and Pacific Coast Highway monitoring the demonstration observed Pineda, who was waving a Mexican flag, shouting at a pedestrian and challenging him to a fight, police said.
Officers learned that Pineda has warrants for his arrest related to previous charges of battery and vandalism from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. He is also a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms, the release said.
Huntington Beach Police spokesperson Corbin Carson said Pineda had prior felony convictions for auto theft and robbery out of Fullerton, along with several misdemeanors.
Pineda was arrested and booked on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a loaded firearm, challenging someone to a fight in public, and the outstanding warrants.
Santa Ana
An unlawful assembly was declared Saturday evening in Santa Ana after several demonstrators reportedly threw bottles at a patrol car.
It was unclear whether any damage was incurred.
Nine people were arrested on various charges, ranging from a refusal to disperse to assault on a peace officer, Santa Ana Police Officer Natalie Garcia said.
Riverside
Police are searching for a driver suspected of significantly injuring a woman in a hit-and-run during a Riverside “No Kings” protest on Saturday night.
Whether the crash was intentional or politically motivated remains under investigation, but the hit-and-run is being investigated as an assault with a deadly weapon, Riverside Police Officer Ryan Railsback said.
Around 9:10 p.m., some 200 protesters marched along the street on University Avenue between Main and Orange streets in Riverside when a dark-colored SUV sped around the march and struck a woman, then fled the scene.
The woman was hospitalized with significant injuries, Railsback said.
“No Kings Day of Defiance” protests drew several thousand people around the Inland Empire throughout the day and into the night. At one point on Saturday evening, several hundred protesters present during the Riverside crash had merged with people who attended a large anti-ICE protest, which began earlier that day.
As of Sunday afternoon, no arrests were made.
Palm Springs
A La Quinta man was arrested on suspicion of making an online threat to shoot people at a Palm Springs “No Kings” rally.
Edward Miranda, 28, was booked into the Benoit Detention Center in Indio on Saturday on suspicion of making criminal threats and violating civil rights, police said.
He was out on $200,000 bail on Sunday.
According to the Palm Springs Police Department, shortly after 2 p.m. Friday, officers were notified of an online threat to target attendees at Saturday’s rally. In collaboration with the FBI, Miranda was identified as the suspect and search warrants were served at his residence on Eisenhower Drive in La Quinta and another residence in San Bernardino County, authorities said.
A firearm allegedly belonging to Miranda was seized at one of the properties, and he was taken into custody without incident.
“We take all threats to public safety seriously and will vigorously pursue those intent on committing violence in our community,” Palm Springs Police Chief Andrew Mills said.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Thousands rally at ‘No Kings’ events in Southern California; LA protest turns violent