'Leave!' Protesters Follow, Swear At Cops In Fairfax

LOS ANGELES, CA — Though Los Angeles was mostly peaceful last night, a demonstration around Beverly Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue - near some of the worst rioting and looting on May 30 of last year - grew tense as some protesters began harassing police officers and yelling at them to leave the area. As protesters began marching east toward Pan Pacific Park, LAPD officers armed in riot gear pulled out of the area as the crowd hurled profanities at them.

At around 9:45 p.m. Tuesday, in front of a squadron of LAPD officers in forming a line across the street, about 75 protesters blocked off at the intersection of Beverly and Fairfax to kneel in silence for nine minutes and 29 seconds, the amount of time videos show Chauvin kneeling on George Floyd’s neck before his death.

After the kneeling, protesters began yelling at police. Twitter footage from Beverly Hills Courier reporter Samuel Braslow shows numerous protesters yelling at police. “This starts peacefully, until you guys show up and escalate it! That’s all you guys know how to do!” one protester shouted at the line of police.

“Address the line,” an officer says to his colleagues.

“How about you address your actions?” the protester screamed.

Cops form a line and take out batons pic.twitter.com/0LmtBxgT8P
— Samuel Braslow (@SamBraslow) April 21, 2021

The group began marching towards Pan Pacific Park. Officers broke the line and retreated, according to Braslow’s footage and description. Some walked backwards, while others got in the cars and drove away. As they retreated, protesters continued to scream at them.

“Look at these murderers in the face as you enjoy your dinner!” one protester shouted to outdoor diners at a nearby restaurant as her group followed the officers down Beverly Boulevard. “How do you spell murderers? L.A.P.D.!”

As one police car slowly drove away in front of Erewhon Market on Beverly Boulevard, a protester leaned her head into the window and shouted, “This is an unlawful assembly! Leave the f--ing area, b--!”

A woman yells at a retreating police cruiser, “This is an unlawful assembly...leave the area, bitch!” pic.twitter.com/BibwqpZ464
— Samuel Braslow (@SamBraslow) April 21, 2021

Footage also shows the crowd chanting, “All cops are bastards!” as they marched down the street.

The crowd reportedly dispersed once they reached Pan Pacific Park. Despite a tense situation, the LAPD said that no arrests were made, and an unlawful assembly was not declared. LAPD spokesperson Officer Cooper told Patch that while demonstrations were also reported around Mayor Garcetti’s residence in Hancock Park and the intersection of Florence and Normandie avenues in South L.A. - reported to be the spot where the 1992 riots broke out - no arrests or unlawful assemblies were documented.

Aside from a bomb threat late Monday night that prompted a partial evacuation, no activity was reported in nearby Beverly Hills, despite the city’s careful preparation. Neither the city nor the police department issued any statement on the verdict, though BHUSD Superintendent Michael Bregy issued a statement that: “Many people in our community have strong feelings about the verdict and I encourage you to reach out to your school site leaders if you or our students are in need of any additional support. The events over the past year have provoked important conversations about racism.”

“The way each and every one of us responds to the verdict today will likely be different depending on the journey we have walked in our own life experience,” Bregy continued.

Related coverage:

Beverly Hills Calm As Chauvin Verdict Announced | Beverly Hills, CA Patch

BHPD HQ All Clear After Bomb Threat Evacuation | Beverly Hills, CA Patch

Ahead Of Chauvin Verdict, Beverly Hills Braces For The Worst | Beverly Hills, CA Patch

LA Braces For Unrest While Awaiting Derek Chauvin Verdict | Los Angeles, CA Patch