LOS ANGELES (AP) — Protesters in Los Angeles and Oakland blocked traffic and clashed with police in a day of protests in California against the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. Several people were arrested in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles police said they began making arrests early Monday after about 80 protesters gathered in Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard and an unlawful assembly was declared.
More than 100 police officers converged on the crowd and ordered people to disperse.
Police arrested six people at that and other demonstrations Sunday and early Monday, mostly for failure to disperse and one person for battery on a police officer, Officer Norma Eisenman said. She did not have details.
A handful of people also were given citations, mostly for blocking a street or jaywalking, she said.
No injuries were reported, Eisenman said.
Earlier Sunday evening, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti urged protesters to “practice peace” in a Twitter posting, after groups of people broke off from a large march and walked onto Interstate 10 at Crenshaw Boulevard, shutting the busy freeway for about 30 minutes. Some carried a large poster with a photo of Martin.