Make California Great Again Huntington Beach

A day afterwards several videos surfaced of angry marchers punching and blasphemous at protesters, journalists and others at the Brand America Peachy Again rally in Huntington Beach on Sat, those who were assaulted are request why police didn't act to stop the violent brawl that bankrupt out minutes into the march.

The event, billed equally the "MAGA March," was one of near 50 organized across the state to back up President Donald Trump, the war machine, veterans, police force enforcement and emergency responders. Organizers said they were hoping for a family-friendly, child-friendly march.

Simply that wasn't what they got.

Marchers are shown on video attacking two photographers and an intern from the OC Weekly and Angie LaPorte-Domkus, of Sunset Embankment, who said she was at that place to observe and record the march.

"It didn't look similar the cops were interested in doing anything at all," she said. "They were but standing there watching."

California State Parks Police Capt. Kevin Pearsall said Monday his officers saw "a lot of people punching," and it was chaotic.

"When you have that many people going at the same fourth dimension, information technology's hard," he said. "We went into this with the thinking that if a situation became life-threatening, nosotros would act."

The violent brawl lasted near 30 minutes as marchers and protesters, who initially blocked the march, clashed. Information technology ended with three of the protesters pepper-spraying some on the other side, including Jennifer Sterling, one of the march's organizers who was trying to suspension upwardly the fight.

Officials charged three males with felony illegal use of pepper spray and one woman with misdemeanor assail and battery. Their names were not bachelor Monday.

(Alarm: Video contains foul language.)

The march connected without further incident, only the violence set the tone for the issue with some marchers continuing to intimidate protesters and some of the protesters were yelling in response.

A few people on either side attempted to appoint in peaceful dialogue and contend, only the environment was more often than not one of animosity between the ii contingents.

A group calling itself Chinese Americans for Trump chanted "Build that wall." Some participants carried signs with Nazi, anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim symbols.

Pearsall said his section monitored social media before the result, which alerted them that weapons may be brought to the march.

"The but weapon that was used (Sabbatum) was pepper spray," he said. "Use of pepper spray is actually serious because it can do permanent damage. Our goal was to ensure that no one was injure and in the end no one was seriously hurt."

Photos also captured ane marcher wearing brass knuckles.

As of Monday, no one had called his section or requested further investigation, Pearsall said. He said at that place were reports of 2 people suffering pocket-size cuts that did non require treatment.

The department was criticized on social media for estimating the crowd at two,000, with many saying the number seemed much lower. Pearsall said he stands by his department's count.

"Nosotros counted from iv stories above the ground and we counted as the crowds walked by," he said. "There were about i,700 to ane,750 people and we rounded the number to 2,000."

The incident volition not alter in terms of the permitting process at Bolsa Chica, Pearsall said. Any person or group is still welcome in that location as long as they encounter the California State Parks' special event requirements, he said.

"Nosotros take over 100 special events annually at the state park beaches in Huntington Beach," Pearsall said. "It is not the starting time, but it has definitely received the most media attention."

The march was moved from the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa to Bolsa Chica State Beach over fears that marchers and counter protesters might clash.

The march'south organizers chosen information technology a "huge success" and Sterling said she done the pepper spray out of her eyes and continued on with it.

"I think it was a beautiful event," she said.

John Beaman, 54, of Tustin, a marcher who was trying to break up fights Saturday, said he was non surprised past the turn of events.

"You get a bunch of testosterone going and people getting in each other's faces, this is what you get," he said. "(The marchers) weren't there to crusade trouble. The protesters were the ones who came to try and finish us. They were looking for trouble and they institute it."

Jordan Hoiberg, a member of the Socialist Political party USA and one of the protest organizers, said Sabbatum that the group wasn't there to stir up trouble, simply but to exercise their correct to costless speech.

LaPorte-Domkus, 52, said she was not among the protesters, but was filming a verbal fight on her telephone when a woman punched her in the face up. That's caught on video, too. (Meet below.)

"I've lived here for eighteen years and I've never seen annihilation similar this," LaPorte-Domkus said. "It blew me abroad that this rally was even held here considering this is a tight-knit community where we accept pancake breakfasts and family unit events. I've never witnessed so much hatred and I was shocked to meet it."

Huntington Beach has witnessed bigger brawls, such as the July 28, 2013 incident during the U.South. Open of Surfing, when a fight sparked a riot with crowds tipping over porta potties, tearing down street signs, not bad shop windows and annexation.

The 3 OC Weekly journalists including a 21-year-old intern who were all shown on video getting punched by marchers during Sabbatum's brawl, are doing well, but are shaken and physically sore, said editor Gustavo Arellano.

"Nosotros're still exploring our options on how to proceed," he said. "It's unfortunate that nosotros have to enquire the police to practise their jobs when in that location is articulate video evidence of the attacks."

Photographer Julie Leopo asked ane of the officers to pursue the human being who punched intern Frank Tristan, but the officer refused, Arellano said.

"I'm proud of our reporter and photographers for standing strong and doing their jobs," he said.

Contact the author: 714-796-7909 or dbharath@scng.com

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Source: https://www.ocregister.com/2017/03/29/trump-march-in-huntington-beach-turned-into-30-minute-violent-brawl-with-a-lot-of-people-punching/