Police protest events were held all around Southern California on Friday, in Huntington Beach, Mid-City, South Los Angeles and Ontario, following a week of national turmoil.
Police protest events were being held all around Southern California on Friday, following a week of national turmoil. Protests were held in Huntington Beach, Mid-City, South Los Angeles and Ontario, among other locations Friday night. About 35 to 40 people marched peacefully Friday night at one event in South Los Angeles that started in front of a Los Angeles Police Department station. The Ontario event featured about 50 people who moved into the Ontario Mills mall for a time. The Mid-City event evolved into an impromptu demonstration that broke out after an art show in the area. Earlier in the day, more than 100 demonstrators including rappers The Game and Snoop Dogg peacefully marched at Los Angeles police headquarters to open a dialogue with police. That event happened at the same time as a Los Angeles police cadet graduation. Police Chief Charlie Beck and Mayor Eric Garcetti met with the two rappers and invited them into the ceremony. None of the Southern California events had any reports of major violence or arrests. Other protests were held in cities throughout the country, and even in London. The events included one tense standoff between police and thousands of marchers in Atlanta who were being blocked from heading onto a highway. In Phoenix, a large protest began turning violent amid confrontations in the crowd between marchers and some Donald Trump supporters. Police began using tear gas and pepper spray to try to disperse the crowds. The events were held amid the escalating national tension following the police shootings of black men in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and suburban St. Paul, Minn., as well as the deadly sniper attack on police officers in Dallas.