HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — Black Lives Matter and other anti-racism protestors appeared at a California beach pier Sunday to counter "White Lives Matter" rally goers, multiple news organizations reported. In all, 12 arrests had been made and an unlawful assembly had been declared.
The Huntington Beach Police Department declared an unlawful assembly shortly before 3 p.m., "in order to disperse an unruly crowd," according to police Lt. Brian Smith.
The Los Angeles Times reports that several hundred people appeared at the plaza around the Huntington Beach Pier Sunday afternoon ahead of the "WLM" rally set to start at 1 p.m. local time.
The Black Lives Matter protesters occupied Pier Plaza to prevent any demonstrations by the WLM group, KNX reported. The BLM crowd numbered about 200 people. Huntington Beach police arrested several people for noise violations, interference with police and one for alleged weapons possession.
Protests that began at 11 a.m. were largely peaceful, but arguments between the two sides started to break out after 2 p.m.
The WLM rally was part of a nationwide group of protests planned in a handful of cities across the country to combat what organizers see as the threat to the white race from multiculturalism and what they term as the "anti-white" bias in media, government and education.
The group was promoting the events though the social media platform Telegram. Attendees were encouraged to wear masks "for anonymity."
In the days leading up to the rallies, Huntington Beach police and Orange County sheriff's officials said they would be out in force to keep the peace in the event of a potential square-off between attendees on both sides.
In all, 12 people were arrested for suspicion of various charges ranging from municipal code violations to fighting in public, and various weapons offenses, Smith said.
Things began to grow heated after 1 p.m., with many people carrying American flags and signs supporting former President Donald Trump getting into profane verbal exchanges with the BLM supporters.
Many counter-demonstrators chanted "Nazis go home!"
At least one WLM supporter was surrounded and violently pushed by several anti-racism demonstrators, according to video posted on Twitter.
Huntington Beach was prepared for the event, he said.
"The Huntington Beach Police Department deployed significant resources throughout Downtown Huntington Beach," Smith said. "This included uniformed officers and mounted officers from the Orange County Regional Mounted Enforcement Unit, who were supported by the Huntington Beach Police Department helicopter, unmanned arial surveillance drones, and various support personnel.
Carrie Braun, a spokeswoman for the Orange County Sheriff's Department, said the sheriff has pledged his mounted patrol units to help with crowd control and law enforcement. Investigators were also monitoring online chatter to see if there will be similar protests elsewhere, Braun said.
The events come at a time when anti-Asian bigotry is on the rise during the pandemic and local communities including Newport Beach, Huntington Beach and Villa Park have been papered with fliers advertising the Ku Klux Klan.
Huntington Beach Interim Police Chief Julian Harvey posted the following statement on Facebook Wednesday:
"The Huntington Beach Police Department is aware of the planned events in Huntington Beach on April 11, 2021, and is taking measures to ensure public safety while preserving the participants' ability to exercise their Constitutional rights regardless of the message or ideology.
"We hope events such as this will serve as an opportunity for unity rather than a platform to spread hate, bigotry and division. The City of Huntington Beach proudly stands by the values of diversity, equity and inclusion.
"Toward this end, the men and women of the Huntington Beach Police Department will professionally and impartially perform their duties. I can assure you, we will not tolerate any acts of violence or criminal behavior meant to intimidate others."
On Saturday, the Orange County NAACP issued a statement clarifying its opposition to the counter protest planned by Black Lives Matter, with some of its supporters citing concerns about potential violence.
"The Orange County NAACP does NOT support the upcoming Huntington Beach Counter-Protest to the White Lives Matter Rally on Sunday, April 11, 2021," the statement said.
"While the OC NAACP applauds the efforts of peaceful protest nationwide, we do not sanction this particular event and seek to make our position clear on this issue. Our prayers are for the safety of all individuals, and we would never impede on anyone's right to freedom of speech. The recent articles linking our organization to this event are factually incorrect."
