by A
Sunday, Apr. 18, 2010 at 5:20 PM
LOS ANGELES, April 17, 2010 – Neo-Nazi groups staged a demonstration today on the steps of City Hall. About 25 Nazis in full uniform and with Swastika flags marched to City Hall under the escort of hundreds of police. Police created a wide buffer zone between the Nazi rally and a large crowd of counter protesters estimated at around 500 people.
anti-nazi-phto.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480
*RUSH COPY*
And so the scene of the LAPD protecting 25 Nazis from an outraged crowd of hundreds played out in front of Los Angeles City Hall this Saturday afternoon. Several hundred police in full tactical riot gear were deployed to the scene complete with their full arsenal of so called less lethal weapons. Weapons pointed not at the Nazis but at the citizens of Los Angeles outraged at the staging of a Nazi rally at their city hall.
There are conflicting reports of at least two incidents where suspected Nazis were beaten by some members of the counter demonstration. There are reports of the beating of a shirtless man displaying swastika tattoos. And another incident where police intervened to extract a second man from the crowd it is unclear if the second man was indeed a part of the Nazi group.
Both men are believed to have escaped with minor injuries. There are also reports of some injuries sustained by counter protesters incurred from police blows during the LAPD intervention to extract the two men.
Uploaded is a cell phone photo sent from the scene. More details to follow.
