Pepper spray seems to be the weapon of choice for the anti-Trump left in California since the election.
Anti-Trump agitators pepper-sprayed Trump supporters attending a Milo Yiannopoulos event in Berkeley last month, and a “Make America Great Again” march in Huntington Beach turned violent in similar fashion on Saturday, leading to four arrests.
The march drew about 2,000 Trump supporters — many of them wearing MAGA hats and waving American flags, according to the Orange County Register.
After about a dozen agitators wearing black masks formed a wall blocking the marchers as they made their way down to Bolsa Chica State Beach, the situation got ugly with a lot of yelling back and forth and at least one person — a female march organizer — getting pepper-sprayed.
Via the L.A. Times:
A group of flag-waving Trump supporters tackled the man with the pepper spray, who was wearing a black mask, and started punching and kicking him, according to witnesses. Several other fights also broke out between demonstrators.
Violence erupting at Trump rally when pro and anti Trump protestors collide. #MAGAMARCH in Huntington Beach pic.twitter.com/MDxGhX2GoO
— Cindy Carcamo (@theCindyCarcamo) March 25, 2017
The crowd chased the masked man, who jumped over a fence and started running along Pacific Coast Highway, where he was detained by California Highway Patrol officers.
Man in black mask chased onto PCH, marchers said he pepper sprayed them #MAGAMARCH in #HuntingtonBeach pic.twitter.com/ZPNWJaVYol
— Ben Brazil (@benbrazilpilot) March 25, 2017
A handful of counter-protesters fled the scene.
Travis Guenther, whose wife was also pepper-sprayed, said he was among those who chased the masked man and struck him with a flag that said, “Trump, Make America Great Again.”
“I hit him five times with the flag over his head,” said Guenther, who yelled at the man as he was detained by law enforcement officials.
Jennifer Sterling, the organizer who was pepper-sprayed, said the purpose of the patriotic rally was not only to show support for Trump, but to celebrate first responders, military veterans, and the vice president.
Darlene Savord, another organizer, said that the event was “a huge, huge success,” and dismissed the violence. “We had a lot of Trump supporters here, which shows that we are united,” she said.
Four people — all agitators — were arrested following the brawl that lasted about a half-hour. Three were arrested for alleged illegal use of pepper spray and a fourth person was arrested for alleged assault and battery, Capt. Pearsall said.
The anti-Trumpers were trying to stop the march by creating a “human wall.” As Fox News reported, they “appeared to be looking for trouble.”
Agitators have been “looking for trouble” (also known as “bird-dogging”) at Trump rallies for well over a year now.
The rally in Huntington Beach was one of about 40 affiliated events that were scheduled nationwide Saturday. The rest of the rallies were reportedly not marred by anti-Trump violence.
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