LA Trump Protest Rallies Continue into Saturday - Hundreds Arrested

LOS ANGELES, CA - Los Angeles police were monitoring the downtown area Friday watching for new protests over Donald Trump's election as president.

The Los Angeles Police Department updated figures from the protests that took place Thursday night and carried over into this morning, noting that 226 people were arrested for blocking a roadway and failure to disperse and that 23 of the arrested were juveniles for curfew violations, said Los Angeles Police Officer Tony Im.

The officer injured in an assault during the demonstration was released from a hospital, Im said. The suspect was also injured and police said he was arrested.

While most protesters on Thursday were regarded as peaceful by police, officers gave dispersal orders to an aggressive group that refused to budge from the area around Olympic Boulevard and Olive Street around midnight, he said.

The protests prompted Metro to detour some buses off Spring Street.

LAPD Officer Norma Eisenman said there were reports of vandalism and graffiti in downtown but did not specify where.

"We're here to protect everybody's right to free speech but not when it impedes everyone else and not when it puts people in harm's way," said LAPD Public Information Director Josh Rubenstein.

Mayor Eric Garcetti said the right to free expression is "one of our greatest privileges as Americans," but added that unlawful, dangerous behavior won't be tolerated.

A large anti-Trump rally and march is scheduled to begin at MacArthur Park at 10 a.m. Saturday. Protesters plan to gather in the park and march to the downtown federal building.

City News Service; File photo from May protest by Alex Nguyen