Riot Police Intervene As Pro, Anti-Trump Gatherings Hills Turn Chaotic

A large pro-Trump demonstration in Beverly Hills turned violent as a group of black-clad counter-protesters harassed a man holding an American flag, punching, kicking and beating him with a metal pole, forcing police to intervene.

The incident apparently began when a person wearing a helmet with ACAB painted on the side tried to take the flag from one of the Trump supporters, according to a video posted on Twitter by photographer Shane Murphy. Ironically, although the man was beaten and kicked by at least half a dozen counter-protesters, police had to pull him off one of the assailants after dispersing the other attackers.

Beverly Hills police directed a line of traffic through an open lane in the crowd at one point then closed off the street to traffic. When counter-protesters arrived, police in riot gear formed a line blocking them. Once violence flared, police declared the counter-protest an unlawful assembly.

The counter-protesters moved a line of temporary fence sections in front of the line of police but apparently walked back toward Roxbury Park once officers moved toward them.