Protesters Attack Multiple Drivers in Los Angeles: Police

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TURNER, Ore.—Smoke from the West Coast wildfires has tainted grapes in some of the nation’s most celebrated wine regions with an ashy flavor that could spell disaster for the 2020 vintage. Wineries in California, Oregon, and Washington have survived severe wildfires before, but the smoke from this year’s blazes has been especially bad—thick enough to obscure vineyards drooping with clusters of grapes almost ready for harvest. Day after day, some West Coast cities endured some of the worst air quality in the world. No one knows the extent of the smoke damage to the crop, and growers are trying to assess the severity. If tainted grapes are made into wine without steps to minimize the harm or weed out the damaged fruit, the result could be wine so bad that…

Several drivers were attacked by protesters in Los Angeles late Thursday, police officials said. One of the drivers struck a protester.

Just after 7 p.m., a group of over 300 marched through Hollywood, eventually making its way onto Sunset Boulevard.

About two hours later, a driver maneuvered a blue pick-up truck through the crowd, which was blocking traffic, “and became involved in an altercation,” the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said in a statement.

“As the driver attempted to get away from the situation, he struck a protester standing in the street,” police officials said.

The person who was hit was taken to a nearby hospital with injuries described as minor.

Video footage captured the truck hitting the person. Immediately after, the crowd began beating on the truck before the driver sped away. It wasn’t clear if the driver was attacked before hitting the person.

Just moments later, a white Prius attempted to maneuver through the crowd, and also became involved in an altercation.

The driver of a black pickup truck, which was leading the protest, chased down the Prius and pinned it in, forcing the driver to come to a stop. The driver of the Prius then backed up in an attempt to flee and ran into a green mustang, which was also pursuing and part of the protest.

The drivers of the truck and mustang “attempted to extract the driver of the Prius from his vehicle,” police said, adding: “However, that driver was able to get away from the scene.”

A police official told a reporter on the scene that the Prius driver was detained but not arrested.

Following his description of what happened during the first altercation, the official said: “The white Prius, similarly, was attacked by several protesters who pried his door open and punched him several times while he was inside of his Prius.”

“He stepped on the gas to try to escape from that attack and may or may not have struck several protesters,” he added.

No injuries have been reported from the second incident.

All of the drivers and victims have been identified and the investigation is ongoing.

Focus News: Protesters Attack Multiple Drivers in Los Angeles: Police

DOJ: More Than 300 Charged With Crimes Committed Near or at Protests Since May

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