Unlawful Assembly Declared In Huntington Beach After Protesters Block Traffic On PCH
HUNTINGTON BEACH (CBSLA) — Police declared an unlawful assembly in Huntington Beach Sunday afternoon, as a demonstration to protest the deadly arrest of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Monday drew crowds of more than 500 people.
Huntington Beach police spokeswoman Angela Bennett said protesters started to block traffic on the Pacific Coast Highway as well as began to argue with one another. As a result, police have asked that the crowd disperse.
Despite the order, many of the demonstrators remained on scene for a few more hours. The protest started around 11:30 a.m. Sunday and was declared an unlawful assembly 1.5 hours later. By 4 p.m., most protestors had left the area.
Four people were arrested, according to authorities.
"We're asking people to disperse," Bennett said. "We have to get our people in place and follow through on the order."
Business operators along Main Street were boarding up windows, City News Service reported. However, according to local authorities, no looting had occurred as of 4 p.m.
The protestors in Huntington Beach joined demonstrations in Santa Monica and downtown Los Angeles on Sunday. Cities across Southern California have been experiencing days of unrest since the death of George Floyd.
On Monday, cell phone captured footage of the violent arrest of the 46-year-old Floyd in Minneapolis. The video showed a white police officer with his knee pushed against Floyd's neck has he repeatedly says he cannot breath. He later died in a hospital.
All four officers involved in the arrest were fired Tuesday. The ex-officer shown with his knee against Floyd's neck was identified as Derek Chauvin. On Friday, he was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.
According to CBS Minnesota, the officers had been dispatched to a report of someone using a forged document at a deli. Police initially claimed Floyd resisted officers and was intoxicated.
Video of the arrest spread on social media and has sparked protests nationwide. During violent protests in Minneapolis Thursday night, protesters took over a police precinct and set it ablaze.
For complete coverage of the situation in Minneapolis visit CBSMinnesota.com and stream CBSN Minnesota.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
