SANTA ANA (CNS) - Several protests were held in Orange County to coincide with a memorial service for George Floyd, whose death at the hands of Minneapolis police sparked national outrage.
About 100 to 150 protesters amassed in Anaheim's Center Street Promenade Thursday morning in a “very small, completely peaceful'' gathering, said Anaheim police Sgt. Shane Carringer.
Another demonstration began in Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley Thursday afternoon, where police estimated about 800 “peaceful protesters'' were marching, and a vigil was staged in front of Irvine City Hall. Another protest was planned at the Outlets at Orange in Orange.
Protests in Orange County on Wednesday were largely peaceful, apart from a man arrested for allegedly intentionally striking a bicyclist with his car in Newport Beach and another man seen brandishing a weapon during one of several rallies in that city.
Police Thursday arrested 48-year-old Travis Patrick White of Newport Beach for allegedly waving a gun at a protester near 30th Street and Newport Boulevard just before 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The suspect and a protester got into a “verbal altercation'' before he allegedly pulled out a gun from his backpack and then ran away, said Heather Rangel, a spokeswoman for the Newport Beach Police Department. He was booked for assault with a deadly weapon and criminal threats, police said.
Don Wallace, who is in his 50s and resides in Newport Beach, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon after he allegedly struck a bicyclist with his Mini Cooper. He was booked in Newport Beach's jail and posted bail and was released, Rangel said.
A protest in Garden Grove on Wednesday drew about 3,000 people, but there were no incidents and police praised the protesters.
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