Trump Supporters Clash With BLM Protesters In Beverly Hills

BEVERLY HILLS, CA — Police Sunday said a 39-year-old man was cited and later released in connection with a demonstration in Beverly Hills that included supporters of President Donald Trump and Black Lives Matters protesters.

The man was identified as Benjamin Patino of Los Angeles, who was cited and released sometime Saturday night, said Lt. Max Subin of the Beverly Hills Police Department. Subin said that Patino was arrested later in the afternoon for battery, after the victim denied medical help and asked that Pinto be charged.

About 200 pro-Trump activists gathered in front of several dozen BLM supporters at Beverly Gardens Park at around 2 p.m. Saturday. According to Deadline, the confrontation may have been started as a result of Black Lives Matter street art at Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue, right near Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. On social media, Trump supporters discussed creating a MAGA mural nearby, which sparked calls to “protect the sign.”

Trump supporters have been gathering each Saturday at Beverly Gardens Park since late July for “Freedom Rallies”, which have drawn hundreds of attendees. In recent weeks, Black Lives Matter protesters, who have held rallies at the same location since late May, began to show up.

News footage showed men cloaked in American flags chanting, as well as BHPD officers in gas masks, carrying nonlethal weapons, with people carrying "Q" and "SAVE THE CHILDREN" signs in the background.

Those refer to conspiracy theories tied to the QAnon movement, which alleges a widespread child trafficking scheme involving high-level officials and celebrities.

A massive “Trump Unity” float, which signs to “Make America Great Again” and “Build the Wall” drove around the perimeter of the park.

Though police set up barricades dividing the two sides, members of both dueling groups were still able to shout at each other, which eventually led to shoving and at least four fist fights, according to Deadline.

Subin said that it was impossible for police to arrest everyone involved in physical altercations.

"Due to numerous physical altercations between the two groups, it was not feasible for law enforcement to intervene," he wrote Patch in an email.

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UPDATE: Yesterday's pro-Trump rally in Beverly Hills.

From the vid, you can see multiple fights broke out between Trump supporters & counterprotesters in span of mins as police stood by, feet away.

Police spokesperson says 1 person was arrested for battery (not on an officer) pic.twitter.com/yhw0cxAMAV

— Josie Huang (@josie_huang) August 23, 2020

href="similar" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://patch.com/california/n... event took place in Sunland-Tujunga Friday afternoon, although in that instance the anti-Trump crowds far outnumbered the pro-Trump ones. Two people were arrested there, and police deployed rubber bullets to prevent fights. Subin said that protesters used pepper spray, but is not aware of any smoke bombs going off, like they did in Tujunga.

Police deemed the event an "unlawful assembly" at around 6 p.m. In mid-June, Beverly Hills announced an emergency ordinance to pass an indefinite curfew banning gatherings in residential areas between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m., after protesters walked through residential areas chanting and playing music. This new curfew has since led to a number of arrests of protesters in the city.

Subin said that a protest becomes an unlawful assembly once violence occurs.

Beverly Hills Police reported on Facebook that crowds had dispersed just before 7 p.m. Subin said that protesters complied, and no arrests were made for failure to disperse.

— City News Service contributed to this report.