The arrest total has passed 300, including 130 in downtown Los Angeles Wednesday night, as mobile demonstrations against Missouri grand jury’s decision not to indict a white police officer who killed an unarmed black man entered their third day.
Los Angeles Police Department Lt. Andy Neiman said the latest arrests, made near the intersection of Sixth and Hope streets around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, included 12 juveniles.
Most of those arrested would be charged with failure to disperse, a misdemeanor, Neiman said. Earlier Wednesday, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said 192 arrests had been made since the protests began Monday night.
Despite the arrest numbers, the demonstrations have been relatively peaceful.
No injuries had been reported Wednesday night, or early Thursday Neiman said.
A man was arrested for felony battery of a police officer for throwing a frozen bottle of water which struck an officer in the head Tuesday night.
Wednesday’s protests began at 3 p.m. at the federal courthouse on North Spring Street, with about 150 people. The group marched to the LAPD headquarters, where protesters circled on the sidewalk.
Protesters then headed north on Main Street, apparently in hopes of reaching the Men’s Central Jail. The group staged a brief sit-in at the intersection of Cesar Chavez Avenue and Alameda Street, then walked along Cesar Chavez Avenue toward the jail complex.
Police met the protesters at Cesar Chavez and Vignes Street, blocking their path and prompting the group to turn around and head west on Cesar Chavez Avenue.
The protesters later sought to reach Staples Center, where the Los Angeles Lakers were playing. Police blocked the protesters’ progress, later declaring an illegal assembly. The protest prompted the closure of Metro Rail’s 7th Street/Metro Station from approximately 8-9:10 p.m.
Nine people were arrested earlier Wednesday for briefly blocking the southbound Hollywood (101) Freeway. The protesters stood in a line across the lanes, stopping traffic.
California Highway Patrol officers closed the northbound freeway as a precaution, and after a few minutes, the protesters were escorted to a nearby bus lane, where they were arrested by LAPD officers.
A tactical alert, which requires all officers to remain at their posts beyond the end of their shifts, was called around 3 p.m. Wednesday and cancelled around 1:15 a.m. today.
