Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Anaheim police try to shoo away protesters - The Orange County Register


REPORT: Anaheim About 20 minutes before Tuesday's 5 p.m. City Council meeting, a 200-strong crowd tried to get inside packed City Hall.

They were rebuffed by police officers, who citing fire standards, would not let anyone else into the crowded Council Chambers, where the council held its regular meeing and talked about what the crowd was upset about: two police shootings over the weekend.

A half-dozen officers blocked City Hall's entrance, while the crowd gathered around and hurled obscenities. As the crowd pressed closer, two dozen officers with helmets and batons came out the front door and pushed the protesters back, angering them.

After several minutes, some protesters called for everyone to hit the street.

For the next four-hours-plus, the tug-of-war between protesters and police persisted.
The crowd marched along Anaheim Boulevard to Lincoln Avenue, going into the street and blocking traffic.

Some pounded traffic signs and pulled trash cans into the street, while others pulled back the cans. One man, with a bullhorn, shouted how the protest was to be peaceful. A boy spray-painted a utility box. Some protesters grabbed sand from flower beds, and a traffic cone, and threw then at officers, who showed restraint.

READ REPORT HERE

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