Hundreds of 'anti-fascist' protesters gathered in the Orange County, California town of Huntington Beach on Sunday to face off aga...
Hundreds of 'anti-fascist' protesters gathered in the Orange County, California town of Huntington Beach on Sunday to face off against a 'White Lives Matter' rally that saw heated scuffles and a heavy police presence.
A man and a teenager on the 'White Lives' side who waved a flag pole topped with an American flag, a 'Don't Tread on Me' flag and a Trump flag were chased around an intersection by protesters - and then were surrounded.
Huntington Beach police rode into the crowd on horseback to scoop up the men and took them away in an SUV, the Register reported.
In another instance, a middle-aged woman approached a protester who was chanting 'Black Lives Matter,' and mocked her. She eventually threw her coffee in the protester's face, the newspaper said.
The 'anti-fascist' protest had started peacefully, the Register reported. By the time the crowd was dispersed, multiple arrests on both sides had been made.
ORANGE COUNTY: Aman and a teenager who waved Trump and 'Don't Tread on Me' flags as part of a 'White Lives Matter' event in Huntington Beach, California, were chased around an intersection by protesters - and then were surrounded. Police rode into the crowd on horseback to scoop up the men and took them away in an SUV, the Orange County Register reported
ORANGE COUNTY: Protesters in Huntington Beach try to snatch a pole displaying a Trump flag and other symbols as the crowd explodes after police fail to keep the two sides apart. The 'anti-fascist' protest was said to start peacefully
ORANGE COUNTY: Police in Huntington Beach arrested a 'White Lives' protester whose face was shielded by a mask
ORANGE COUNTY: Police eventually stepped in to try to keep the two sides apart and by 2:30 pm Pacific Time had declared the gathering unlawful as things became 'unruly'
ORANGE COUNTY: Protesters tried to snatch the flag of a 'White Lives' demonstrator as the scene got more chaotic
ORANGE COUNTY: The 'White Lives' demonstrator in the grey T-shirt wore a Trump hat as others carried 'Don't Tread on Me' and Trump flags. They were surrounded by 'anti-fascist' protesters
ORANGE COUNTY: A Huntington Beach police officer pins down a woman during the chaotic scene
ORANGE COUNTY: The protest started peacefully, as people against the 'White Lives' rally gathered in Huntington Beach
ORANGE COUNTY: People made signs, including this man holding an anti-KKK poster, during the Huntington Beach protest
ORANGE COUNTY: The protest eventually got out of control, police said, as they ordered the two sides to disperse
ORANGE COUNTY: Skirmishes broke out throughout the city center area of Huntington Beach as the two sides clashed
The 'anti-fascist' protesters had gathered in Orange County and also in New York, Pennsylvania, Washington state, New Mexico and Ohio on Sunday to rally against 'White Lives Matter' marches that had been expected but largely never materialized, except in California.
Cities nationwide had been preparing for the White Lives Matter rallies that were scheduled for Sunday.
In Huntington Beach, residents had received KKK propaganda at their homes advertising a planned march.
In New York, a small group of protesters in New York stood across the street from a single man holding up a Nazi salute in front of Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue.
In Albuquerque, New Mexico, a large group gathered in the city's center to rally against the expected 'White Lives' demonstration.
In Seattle, 'White Lives Matter' demonstrators didn't show up to a local park, but 'anti-fascist' protesters were there to meet them, anyway.
In Philadelphia, a few protesters gathered for a 'Picnic Against Hate.'
And in Columbus, Ohio, so-called 'anti-fascists' patrolled a city park where a white-power march was expected to have been held, but didn't happen.
NEW YORK CITY: A single person arrived at Trump Tower for a 'White Lives Matter' march and performed a Nazi salute in front of a small crowd of counterprotesters
NEW YORK CITY: A group of 'anti-fascist' protesters stand across from Trump Tower on Fifth Ave in Manhattan
PHILADELPHIA: A small group of protesters attend a 'Picnic Against Hate'
COLUMBUS, OHIO: 'Anti-fascists' patrol Schiller Park on the lookout for 'White Lives Matter' incidents
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO: Anti 'White Lives Matter' protesters gathered in the city's center
SEATTLE: 'White Lives Matter' demonstrators didn't show up, but 'anti-fascist' protesters were there to meet them anyway
The proposed 'White Lives Matter' rally in Huntington Beach attracted perhaps the most attention.
Among the arrests police made were one for an 'anti-fascist' protester who was taken into custody for using amplified sound, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Images from the demonstration showed at least one man being taken to the ground by police officers before he was handcuffed.
ORANGE COUNTY: An 'anti-fascist' protester is detained by police officers while preparing for a counter demonstration against white supremacists who never showed
ORANGE COUNTY: The 'anti-fascist' demonstrator is held by Huntington Beach Police during a demonstration to protest the 'White Lives Matter' march on Sunday in Huntington Beach, California
The rallies around the country had been organized by ultra-right wing groups that had called for April 11 to be a national day of 'White Lives Matter'.
Investigators have not been successful in determining who exactly organized the events, which were advertised via social media.
The Anti-Defamation League said the demonstration in California was one of several scheduled across the country. The rallies were said to have been organized through the messaging app Telegram.
ORANGE COUNTY: A demonstrator is seen holding a 'Black Lives Matter' sign during a counter demonstration on Sunday
ORANGE COUNTY: Several people were seen holding signs, with one saying: 'F**KKK white supremacy' in Huntington Beach
ORANGE COUNTY: Another counterprotester was seen holding a 'death to the klan' sign during the demonstration
ORANGE COUNTY: The rally was organized by ultra-right groups that have called for April 11 to be a national day of 'White Lives Matter'. Counterprotesters are seen during the event on Sunday
The rally also comes after fliers with KKK propaganda were delivered to homes in Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and Long Beach, according to the LA Times.
However, police do not believe that the same people are responsible for the fliers and the rally.
A 'Day of Unity' was also scheduled at the same time as the White Lives Matter event.
Other cities where rallies were supposed to occur include Fort Worth, Texas and Chicago, Illinois.
A rally was also planned in Raleigh, North Carolina, and a counterprotest was planned in Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Columbus, Ohio.
In Philadelphia, a small group of counter-protesters attended a 'Picnic Against Hate', where free food was offered from a box to attendees.
NEW YORK CITY: A man doing a Nazi salute is escorted past counteprotesters by police on Fifth Avenue in New York
NEW YORK CITY: A group of BLM protesters are seen by the Trump Tower on Fifth Ave. to protest white supremacy
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