Photo: Getty Images
At least 30 protests were scheduled for today in Los Angeles and Orange counties to call for justice and condemn police tactics for the deaths of George Floyd, who died while in police custody in Minneapolis, and Breonna Taylor, who was killed during a police raid of her apartment in Louisville.
Events will begin as early as 8 a.m. with a protest at Los Angeles City Hall, 200 Spring Street and run as late as a 5 p.m. candlelight service at La Palma Avenue and Beach Boulevard in Buena Park.
Other planned protests in Los Angeles County include:
-- 10 a.m., the USC Black Alumni Association will march in support of Black Lives Matter. The march begins at Jefferson Boulevard and McClintock Avenue, near the USC Village. Participants must wear a mask and be prepared to socially distance. Attendees were asked to remain peaceful and not attempt to destroy or vandalize;
-- 10 a.m., a peaceful youth protest in support of Black Lives Matter is scheduled at 4946 Balboa Boulevard, near Moorpark Street, in Encino;
-- 10 a.m., the NAACP and members of Los Angeles Police Department's Harbor Division will march from the police station, 2175 John S. Gibson Blvd., in San Pedro to Councilman Joe Busciano's office at 638 S. Beacon St.;
-- 10 a.m., a peaceful protest at King Hall at Cal State LA. Masks and social distancing required;
- 11 a.m., protesters will march from Porter Ranch Drive and Rinaldi Street to Harvest Street near Van Norman Park;
-- 11 a.m., a peaceful protest against police violence in front of the LAPD's West Valley station, located at 19020 Vanowen Street;
-- 11 a.m. a march and demonstration for George Floyd begins at Bonita and Carson streets in Carson and will proceed to the steps of City Hall. Attendees are asked to wear a mask
-- Noon, Black Lives Matter will hold a protest at Figueroa Street and Pacific Coast Highway in Wilmington;
-- Noon, a peaceful protest against police brutality and racial injustice on the steps of Pasadena City Hall, 100 Garfield Ave. Protesters are asked to wear masks and practice social distancing;
-- Noon, a demonstration of solidarity with Black Lives Matter is scheduled at Liberty Park, 3700 Wilshire Blvd., in Koreatown. Masks are required and social distancing is recommended;
-- Noon, a protest in Hollywood near Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street;
-- Noon, a protest outside ICM Partners Building, 10250 Constellation Ave., in Century City. Protesters must wear a mask and practice social distancing;
-- Noon, a Justice for Breonna Taylor rally at Pan Pacific Park, 7600 Beverly Blvd.;
-- Noon, bicyclists will participate in a Ride for Justice for George Floyd in Leimert Park. A a specific location was not announced;
-- 1 p.m., Black Lives Matter will protest at 3331 Torrance Blvd., near Torrance City Hall. Protesters are asked to wear a mask;
-- 1 p.m., a Black Lives Matter rally and march begins at the San Gabriel Library, 500 S. Del Mar Ave., and will continue through the city of San Gabriel;
-- 2 p.m., Black Lives Matter will protest at Artesia and Crenshaw boulevards in Torrance. Protesters must bring a mask and are asked to remain peaceful;
-- 2 p.m., the ICNA Council for Social Justice will hold a rally outside the Federal Building, 11000 Wilshire Blvd., in West Los Angeles. Masks and gloves are required;
-- 4 p.m., a We Need a Change protest is scheduled at Lancaster City Hall, 44933 Fern Ave.
Scheduled protests in Orange County include:
-- 9 a.m., a march from University High School, 4771 Campus Drive, in Irvine to Northwood High School, 4515 Portola Parkway;
-- 9 a.m., a paddle out at the Huntington Beach Pier;
-- Noon, a protest scheduled at Commonwealth and Highland avenues, near the Fullerton Community Center;
-- Noon, a rally outside the Placentia Police Department at 401 E. Chapman Ave.;
-- 2 p.m., protesters will march from Newport Beach High School, 600 Irvine Ave. to Back Bay;
-- 2 p.m., a rally is planned for Chaparral Park, 1770 W. Broadway, in Anaheim;
-- 3:30 p.m., a march in Costa Mesa will begin at Schiffer Park, on Bear Street, south of the San Diego (405) Freeway;
-- 4 p.m., a rally at Westminster Park, 14402 Magnolia St.;
-- 4 p.m., a rally at El Toro and Trabuco roads.
Photo: Getty Images
On Friday, thousands of residents gathered for rallies at the Venice Pier, Los Angeles City Hall, LAPD headquarters, in West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Northridge and Santa Monica. There were no reports of violence or confrontations with police.
In Lakewood, however, deputies used tear gas on a large group of protesters outside Lakewood City Hall sometime before 4 p.m. Sheriff's Lt. Michael Shaw said an unlawful assembly was declared due to some people in the group allegedly throwing objects at deputies.
There were no immediate reports of injuries.
Lakewood Mayor Todd Rogers wrote on his Facebook page that “deputies deployed pepper ball rounds and inert smoke adjacent to the suspects they identified as assaultive and it eventually succeeded in dispersing the crowd. One suspect was arrested. I am told that no tear gas was used.''
Rogers also wrote that he was “not reporting from an eyewitness account, as a critical family matter required that I be at another location at the time the incident occurred'' and was relying on “information I have been able to piece together.''
Beginning early Friday morning in downtown Los Angeles, a drive-up protest was held, sponsored by Justice L.A. Organizers encouraged residents to drop off roses -- both real and paper -- at the Hall of Justice, 211 W. Temple St. The demonstration was held in memory of the first person to die from COVID-19 in Los Angeles County jail, the eight people who died in sheriff's department custody in 2019, the 941 people who died at the hands of police in the county since 2000 and the 12,000 people in Los Angeles County jails.
Hundreds of people also took part in a march from Long Beach City College to Lakewood, where protesters collectively sat in a street, peacefully holding signs and listening to a series of speakers.
About 100 protesters gathered again in Santa Clarita early Friday afternoon, a smaller version of a peaceful gathering that took place in the same location Thursday.