Police, Protesters Clash During Abortion Rights Demonstration In Los Angeles

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Demonstrators surround a police officer in his vehicle near Pershing Square in Los Angeles on Tuesday night after protesting outside the U.S. Courthouse in response to leaked draft of the Supreme Court's opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade. — Demonstrators surround a police officer in his vehicle near Pershing Square in Los Angeles on Tuesday night after protesting outside the U.S. Courthouse in response to leaked draft of the Supreme Court’s opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade.

A Los Angeles protest over the leaked U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion that would throw out Roe v. Wade briefly turned into a skirmish with police, who say one officer was injured.

A citywide police tactical alert was declared after a Tuesday night confrontation near downtown’s Pershing Square.

Authorities say about 250 people had been marching peacefully for abortion rights before the clash. LAPD Chief Michel Moore says some demonstrators threw rocks and bottles at officers. One officer was struck with a baton.

Receiving update on protest @ Pershing Square. A segment of the group began to take the intersection. We attempted to communicate, clear and provide dispersal order to the group. Crowd began to throw rocks and bottles at ofcrs . We have one ofcr injured( Unk extent). https://t.co/nYMbwTUsxj

— Chief Michel Moore (@LAPDChiefMoore) May 4, 2022

There was no immediate word of any arrests and the crowd mostly dispersed after a large police presence was called in.

It was the only violence reported among demonstrations held around the country. About 1,000 people gathered outside the Supreme Court in Washington D.C. Smaller gatherings were held in Atlanta; Austin, Texas and in Manhattan, where New York state Attorney General Letitia James announced that nearly two decades ago, she “walked proudly into Planned Parenthood” and had an abortion.

Source: huffpost