Protesters arrested for using pepper spray on Trump supporters during march
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- A scuffle broke out on a Southern California beach where supporters of President Donald Trump were marching when counter-protesters doused organizers with pepper spray, authorities said Saturday.
The violence erupted when the march of about 2,000 people at Bolsa Chica State Beach reached a group of about 30 counter-protesters, some of whom began spraying the irritant, said Capt. Kevin Pearsall of the California State Parks Police.
Sometime after 12:30 p.m. confrontations and scuffles occurred between pro-Trump and anti-Trump protesters, CBS Los Angeles reported. Three people were arrested on suspicion of illegal use of pepper spray, Pearsall said.
There were several other arrests, and two people suffered minor injuries. But Pearsall said he did not immediately have further details.
The
Live @5 #CBS2 from Rally that literally ran into protest. #BeachBrawl @CBSLA #CBSLA @CBSLAElsa @CBSLAPeter pic.twitter.com/ISZ4X06aB8
— Greg Mills (@GregMillsTVNews) March 25, 2017
that an anti-Trump protester who allegedly used the eye irritant was kicked and punched in the sand by a group of Trump supporters.
Counter-protesters said before the march began that they planned to try to stop the march’s progress with a “human wall.”
Earlier this month, a rally in Berkeley, California, in support of Trump turned violent, and his supporters clashed with counter-protesters in several fights that led to the arrest of 10 people and left at least seven people injured.