LAPD Braces For Massive Anti-Trump Rally In Downtown Los Angeles Saturday
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — More than 200 people were arrested overnight in a continuation of anti-Trump protests in downtown Los Angeles while law enforcement braces for an even larger crowd Saturday.
Police said 226 people were arrested late Thursday and early Friday in suspicion vandalism, graffiti and blocking traffic.
Organizers of the Saturday rally told KCAL9's Rachel Kim they don't want a repeat of the past few days.
"We're gonna be there peacefully, we're gonna be there to send a loud and clear message that we are opposed to the policies of Donald Trump," said Ron Gochez, protest organizer.
Gochez is with Union Del Barrio, the group organizing the protest.
He expects over 10,000 people to be at MacArthur Park from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday.
The group plans to march from the park three miles down Wilshire Boulevard to the Federal Building in downtown LA. The LAPD says they've given organizers a certain amount of time at the park and a specific route to leave it. They also say they will be prepared to stop vandalism, attempts to block traffic, and assaults.
"A message to those individuals that plan to create havoc and disorder, we will be there, we will arrest you, and you will go to jail," said Sgt. Frank Preciado of the LAPD.
"Tomorrow, those aren't tactics we plan on using at all. However, we cannot control what thousands of people will do," Gochez said.
At this writing, the LAPD is also on the hunt for the person who stole an officer's gun. Around 10:30pm Wednesday, an undercover officer saw n alleged act of vandalism going on when the suspect charged him. While they were on the ground, a woman picked up his handcuffs and hit him over the head. She was arrested and so was the man who fought with the officer. Problem is, somebody else got away with the handcuffs and handgun.
"It's very dangerous. We have an individual, he probably has no knowledge of a firearm, a loaded firearm We don't that gun to be used in an altercation," Preciado said.
