Los Angeles Riots: News Crew Attacked, Violent Zimmerman Verdict Protest Footage Emerges [Video]
Los Angeles riots in the Crenshaw area on Monday night turned violent, including an attack on a KCAL/CBS reporter Dave Bryan and his cameraman. It was the third day of protests in Los Angeles after a six-member Florida jury found George Zimmerman “not guilty” on all counts in the shooting death of unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
You can see aerial footage of some of the rioting taken by an ABC 7 Eyewitness News helicopter that allowed their team to capture an overhead view of the small group of rioters who attacked vehicles, buildings, and even the KCAL news van.
Los Angeles Times reporter Ruben Vives also tweeted some of the events, and I’ve included some of his messages below. L.A. police chief Charlie Beck said that there were 13 arrests, but there were from 100 to 150 people who broke away from a peaceful protest in Leimart Park to cause the problems in Crenshaw.
A KCAL report said that shortly before 10 PM, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) was forced to declare an unlawful assembly and disperse the crowd.
Mayor Eric Garcetti, Police Chief Charlie Beck, and others held a press conference shortly after 11 PM to discuss the new Los Angeles riots. He recognized the majority of peaceful protestors and then added: “The Martin family was very clear that…The best way to honor their son and their loved one is in a non-violent manner.”
NBC Los Angeles further quoted Garcetti as saying, “The Martin family didn’t ask anybody to break car windows. They didn’t ask anybody to take little kids’ scooters. They didn’t ask anybody to attack businesses. And they certainly didn’t say to take over traffic in the streets.”
Beck said that because of Monday night’s riots in Los Angeles, LAPD would have to be much stricter on Tuesday to prevent a recurrence of the violence.
Both Dave Bryan and his unnamed cameraman were attacked in the assault on the KCAL news van, but only one man was taken to the hospital. The full details haven’t yet been reported on who it was or how badly he was hurt.
#GZtrial RT @anblanx:BREAKING: LAPD -reporter Dave Bryan, cameraman attacked by rowdy youths.Person taken to hospital w/ concussion per LAPD
— Corey Dade (@CoreyDade) July 16, 2013
.@NBCLA live stream (http://t.co/L275G6poc2) shows ambulance near KCAL van. Not clear what happened. #Zimmerman pic.twitter.com/cHvwadlclo
— Kate Mather (@katemather) July 16, 2013
Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck: we're disappointed with 150 individuals who decided to break off from this peaceful protest.
— Ruben Vives (@LATvives) July 16, 2013
Police say they will be out in force tomorrow. "The illegal actions of the few have affected the rights of the many."
— Ruben Vives (@LATvives) July 16, 2013
We’ll bring you more details as we get them about Bryan’s condition and the Los Angeles riots.
UPDATE: Reports are coming in that both men were hurt in last night’s Los Angeles riot but they will both recover.
#LAPD lt. says someone threw "hard object" that hit KCAL photog in head & reporter Dave Bryan was apparently hit by camera. @cbsla @knx1070
— Claudia Peschiutta (@ReporterClaudia) July 16, 2013
[peaceful 2012 Los Angeles protest still photo by RoidRanger / Shutterstock.com]
