A large pro-Trump demonstration in Beverly Hills turned violent as a group of black-clad counter-protesters harassed a man holding an American flag, punching, kicking and beating him with a metal pole, forcing police to intervene.
The incident apparently began when a person wearing a helmet with ACAB painted on the side tried to take the flag from one of the Trump supporters, according to a video posted on Twitter by photographer Shane Murphy. Ironically, although the man was beaten and kicked by at least half a dozen counter-protesters, police had to pull him off one of the assailants after dispersing the other attackers.
#BeverlyHillWhat proceeded the attack:A group in tactical vests harass this man and a person with ‘ACAB’ on a motorcycle helmet tries to steal his flag. He is then attacked. pic.twitter.com/6AHuiS0KtX
The overall scale of the pro-Trump rally on Saturday could be seen with an aerial view shared by Beverly Hills Courier reporter Samuel Braslow. Some of the demonstrators showed up three hours early, and the crowd spilled onto Santa Monica Boulevard as it grew, Braslow said. Beverly Hills police directed a line of traffic through an open lane in the crowd at one point.
The crowd has started spilling into Santa Monica Boulevard pic.twitter.com/HtVKbStBRQ
Police then closed off the street to traffic. When counter-protesters arrived, police in riot gear formed a line blocking them. Once violence flared, police declared the counter-protest an unlawful assembly.
Trump supporter who went into counter protesters gets injured pic.twitter.com/QKD06xMrHT
The counter-protesters moved a line of temporary fence sections in front of the line of police but apparently walked back toward Roxbury Park once officers moved toward them.
Counter protesters start walking back to Roxbury Park pic.twitter.com/2FNpoHMROv
#BeverlyHills#CaliforniaWoah.Police have rolled out their armored MRAP tactical vehicle in Beverly Hills after clashes between demonstrators occurred. Credit: @Ninja_StuntZ / streamerpic.twitter.com/005BWDn7mG
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