BEVERLY HILLS—After unrest from activists, the Beverly Hills Police Department released 27 individuals who were arrested on Friday, June 26, during a protest in the city.
The demonstration that led to the arrests started around 7:30 p.m. between Alpine and Rexford Drive, north of Santa Monica Boulevard. Approximately 100 protestors sat at the intersection of N. Santa Monica Blvd. impacting traffic in the area. At 11:40 p.m., officers from the BHPD declared the protest an unlawful assembly.
Authorities reported around 1:00 a.m. on June 27, that the unlawful assembly ended and that arrests were made.
All 27 protestors were released without bail enhancements and are facing misdemeanor charges of unlawful assembly and failure to disperse. Police reported the protestors ignored orders to disperse and disassemble.
An additional individual was arrested by police for suspicion of arson after attempting to start a fire, according to Beverly Hills police Sgt. Thomas West in a statement to City News Service. The suspect tried lighting a flag on fire that hung from a commercial building.
Following the arrests, activists voiced their concerns over how long the police kept the individuals arrested in custody. Some were still in jail until late Saturday afternoon. The National Lawyers Guild issued a statement calling for the immediate release of those arrested. Authorities indicated that the long wait for the individuals to be processed was due to the high number of arrests made that night.
Beverly Hills banned nighttime gatherings of 10 or more people on June 13 after protests in the area disturbed the “tranquility” in the neighborhood.
