http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-m ... story.htmlProtests rage outside Trump rally in Orange County; 17 arrested, police car smashed
Hundreds of demonstrators filled the street outside the Orange County amphitheater where Donald Trump held a rally Thursday night, stomping on cars, hurling rocks at motorists and forcefully declaring their opposition to the Republican presidential candidate.
Traffic came to a halt as a boisterous crowd walked in the roadway, some waving American and Mexican flags. Protesters smashed a window on at least one police cruiser, punctured the tires of a police sport utility vehicle, and at one point tried to flip a police car.
"Dump the Trump," said one sign. Another protester scrawled anti-Trump messages onto Costa Mesa police cruisers.
"I'm protesting because I want equal rights for everybody, and I want peaceful protest," said 19-year-old Daniel Lujan, one of hundreds in a crowd that appeared to be mostly Latinos in their late teens and 20s.
"I knew this was going to happen," Lujan added. "It was going to be a riot. He deserves what he gets."[So you wanted a peaceful protest, but you knew it was going to be a riot and, you're just fine with that?]
Video footage showed some anti-Trump demonstrators hurling debris at a passing pickup. One group of protesters carried benches and blocked the entrance to the 55 Freeway along Newport Boulevard, with some tossing rocks at motorists near the on-ramp.
By 10:15 p.m., the bedlam had largely subsided and Lt. Mark Stichter of the Orange County sheriff's department said no major injuries were reported.
Costa Mesa police confirmed that a total of 17 people -- 10 males and 7 females -- were arrested on suspicion of unlawful assembly. Details on the ages and names of those arrested were not released.
The violent demonstration was underway after Trump concluded his speech before a crowd of thousands.
"This is the anger people have against Trump," said Jose Cruz, 21, as he pointed to the protesters running in the middle of the street.
"It's not because he's white -- it's because of what he's said."
Several echoed the comments, saying they were drawn to the streets to counter Trump's stated policies on immigration and his inflammatory remarks about Mexicans.
The billionaire developer has drawn fierce criticism by claiming Mexico was sending rapists over the border. Later, he called for “a total and complete shutdown of Muslims” entering the U.S.
Along Newport Boulevard outside the fairgrounds, officers clad in riot gear and mounted horseback lined up across a roadway and slowly pushed the crowd down the street. Helicopters circled overhead.
Gee, I can hardly wait to see what happens when he gets to the Bay Area...
What smashing a police car and throwing rocks randomly at passing motorists has to do with expressing displeasure with Donald Trump's policies is not immediately apparent to me...
I'm sure there were plenty of folks who were genuinely there to protest peacefully, (unlike the idiot quoted in the article claiming he wanted a peaceful protest, but also saying that he was perfectly happy with a riot...) but as so frequently happens, (especially in this state) a group of hell-raising thugs used the protest for cover just to raise mindless hell...
Good thing there wasn't a liquor store nearby; it would certainly have been looted...
Trump is going to make so much hay out of this it won't be funny...These morons did him a huge favor. This is just the kind of thing he needs to energize his supporters, show how they and he are the victims, and stir up fear amongst average people sitting at home watching this crap on TV...
