Free speech? Not in Los Angeles. The LAPD has allowed ANTIFA to break up a peaceful protest in front the police headquarters, across the street from City Hall. Thanks to the LAPD, one man was stabbed—the worse news is that so far NO arrests.
“Reporter Frank Stoltze of KPCC and LAist tweeted about the experience.
“Something happened to me today that’s never happened in 30 yrs of reporting. In LA. @LAist. I was shoved, kicked and my eyeglasses were ripped off of my face by a group of guys at a protest – outside City Hall during an anti-vax Recall @GavinNewsom Pro Trump rally,” he tweeted.
LA City Council Prez @CD6Nury on today’s violence outside City Hall: “These aren’t ‘patriots’. Not wearing a mask and being anti-vax isn’t patriotism – it’s stupidity. We have to be able to have differences of opinions without resorting to violence.” @LAist
— Frank Stoltze (@StoltzeFrankly) August 15, 2021
The City Council President came out against freedom of speech—no wonder the cops allowed this to happen. The only difference between Los Angels and Hong Kong? The language we speak—both cites are run by totalitarian governments.
Man stabbed in downtown LA during dueling demonstrations over vaccine mandates
By City News Service, 8/14/21
One man was stabbed Saturday during dueling demonstrations in downtown Los Angeles over the contentious issue of mandatory vaccinations against the coronavirus, Los Angeles police said.
One person was stabbed when a huge fight broke out between anti-vax protesters and counter protesters in downtown LA. @KNX1070 pic.twitter.com/EIDomlE7N7
— Emily Valdez, KNX News Reporter (@EmilyValdezKNX) August 14, 2021
At least 500 demonstrators protesting against mandatory vaccinations and counterprotesters had gathered at the south lawn of Los Angeles City Hall at 2 p.m., said LAPD Lt. Raul Jovel, spokesman for the department.
Around 2:30 p.m., a fight broke out among 20 to 30 protesters and counter-protesters in front of the LAPD headquarters across the street from City Hall, leading to the stabbing, Jovel said. The victim, a man in his 20s, was stabbed at least once in the chest.
The man was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was in serious condition, LAPD Officer Mike Lopez said.
Witnesses told police the assailant was a man dressed in all black.
The department said no arrests had been made but officers were in the process of taking a large number of reports from those involved in the melee or were witnesses, Jovel said. A number of people were battered in the fight, including one news reporter, he said.
Reporter Frank Stoltze of KPCC and LAist tweeted about the experience.
“Something happened to me today that’s never happened in 30 yrs of reporting. In LA. @LAist. I was shoved, kicked and my eyeglasses were ripped off of my face by a group of guys at a protest – outside City Hall during an anti-vax Recall @GavinNewsom Pro Trump rally,” he tweeted.
LA City Council Prez @CD6Nury on today’s violence outside City Hall: “These aren’t ‘patriots’. Not wearing a mask and being anti-vax isn’t patriotism – it’s stupidity. We have to be able to have differences of opinions without resorting to violence.” @LAist
— Frank Stoltze (@StoltzeFrankly) August 15, 2021
Police were still sorting out what led to the fight and the role the assailant and victim played in the opposing demonstrations.
Most of the crowds had cleared from the area by 5 p.m.
The organizers of the “choose freedom march” called out against “medical tyranny, mandatory vaccinations and vaccine passports.”
One hour earlier, an opposing group staged a counter-protest at the same location that organizers are calling “no safe space for fascists.”
“These aren’t ‘patriots,’ ” Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez said in a statement late Saturday about those protesting against vaccines and other preventative measures recommended to stop the spread of COVID-19. “Not wearing a mask and being anti-vax isn’t patriotism – it’s stupidity. We have to be able to have differences of opinions without resorting to violence. Attacking counter-protesters and journalists has no place in a democracy and certainly no place in Los Angeles.”
The opposing rallies came as vaccine mandates continue to proliferate across California.
The Los Angeles City Council voted earlier this week to have the city attorney draw up an ordinance requiring proof of at least partial vaccination to enter many public indoor spaces in the city, including restaurants, bars, gyms, concert venues, movie theaters and even retail establishments.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is gathering advice from experts over the next two weeks on a similar mandate.
On Friday, interim Superintendent Megan Reilly announced that all Los Angeles Unified School District employees will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 15. The district previously was mandating only weekly testing for all students and staffers, regardless of vaccination status. That testing requirement will remain in place.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday announced a statewide requirement for all teachers and school employees in the state to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or submit to weekly testing. The Long Beach Unified School District, the second-largest district in Los Angeles County, announced the same policy earlier this week.
Los Angeles County is requiring its employees to get vaccinated, and many large private employers are doing the same.
And AEG, owner of many of the Southland’s major concert venues, said Thursday that fans will have to be vaccinated to attend shows at its facilities, including the Roxy, the El Rey Theatre, the Fonda Theatre, the Shrine Auditorium and the Coachella Music & Arts Festival in Indio.
Southern California News Group staff writer Jonah Valdez and The Associated Press contributed to this story.
