1,000-Person Riot Breaks Out in L.A. … Over a Twitter Invitation
- Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:12am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — An overcrowded theater and an invitation to a block party ended with an out-of-control crowd swarming Hollywood Boulevard outside a film premiere, leading to a clash with police in riot gear and closure of the famous street.
Some people threw bottles, vandalized cars and several hundred refused orders to disperse after they were forced to leave Grauman’s Chinese Theatre for a screening of a documentary about an electronic music festival Wednesday night, authorities said.
The turmoil erupted after a Los Angeles Fire Department inspector determined the theater was overcrowded, department spokesman Brian Humphrey said.
Police estimated about 2,000 people were inside the theater to catch the premiere of a documentary about the Electric Daisy Carnival rave. An unknown number of people were pushed out into the streets, joining a growing crowd that may have been drawn to the event from a Twitter message by a popular DJ known as Kaskade who said there’d be an accompanying block party.
Officers ordered hundreds of people to disperse, but the crowd refused and began throwing objects, Officer Karen Rayner said. Additional officers were called to the scene and were able to control the crowd several hours later.
“There were people trampling all over the police cars, smashing the windows,” said Greg Magda, who works at a coffee shop on Hollywood Boulevard.
Two people were arrested for investigation of felony vandalism; three police cars were damaged, Rayner said. No injuries were reported.
A section of Hollywood Boulevard was shut down and a subway station under the famous theater and the next-door Hollywood & Highland entertainment complex was closed during the disturbance.
Kaskade, who in featured in “Electric Daisy Carnival Experience” and has more than 90,000 followers on Twitter, posted a tweet Wednesday afternoon inviting fans to the party.”Today(at)6pm in Hollywood (at)Mann’s Chinese Theatre. ME+BIG SPEAKERS+MUSIC(equals)BLOCK PARTY!!! RT! `’ He also posted a photo of a flatbed truck with giant speakers that he was riding in to get to the block party.
He pulled up about 6:30 p.m., an hour before the premiere was set to begin, the Los Angeles Times reported, drawing a crowd that filled the middle of the street.
He later sent tweets urging peace.
“Everybody CHILL OUT!!! The cops are freaking out. BE SAFE AND LET’S HAVE SOME FUN!” he wrote. The DJ was scheduled to appear at a party after the screening.
Eyewitness video posted on Twitter showed police in riot gear firing non-lethal beanbags to tame the crowd.
Pasquale Rotella, whose Insomniac Events promotion company puts on the annual electronic music festival, said the block party had nothing to do with the film premiere.
“The crowd issues that arose were a result of individuals responding to social media information, which mistakenly led them to believe they could see artists perform,” Rotella said in a statement.
He said the street closure caused him to miss the premiere of a film that he produced.
Elvin Romero said he came to listen to Kaskade after he saw the event listed on Facebook.
“There were just people chilling in the street,” Romero said. “It all just got out of hand. Police tried to clear them out and that’s when the trouble happened.”
Ryan Hoepfner, 14, of Gainesville, Texas and his stepfather Mike Cooper watched the disturbance unfold across the street, from the eighth floor of the Roosevelt Hotel.
Hoepfner said there were several hundred people in the street, some wearing lingerie and elaborate chandelier hats when it appeared that a fight broke out.
“There was a fight in the middle. Then … people started throwing stuff,” Hoepfner said.
The rave was the focus of controversy in Los Angeles after a 15-year-old girl died of a drug overdose at the two-day event held in June 2010 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The death prompted officials to issue a brief moratorium on raves. Insomniac moved the event to Las Vegas this year.
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Comments (183)
Speak without Fear
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:39amI had no idea what a ELECTRIC DAISY CARNIVAL was….had never heard of it….so I looked it up. Looks like a 2011……Drop some ACID….and be a freak Carvnival.
No wonder there were riots.
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:54amYeah, all I had to read was “ELECTRIC DAISY CARNIVAL” and “DJ Kaskade” to know it was a bunch of mush-heads kids. Put them together and someone always starts fights and destroying property, courtesy of the LA liberal public education system.
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 11:08amJust think what’s going to happen when they get their welfare check cut off…Better hope they shut down twitter when they stop mailing the checks to those LOSERS.
Report Post »El Paco
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 11:43amAs a huge fan of DJ Kaskade and electronic music in general, I have to say this was “likes to riot guy” getting starting something.
I always enjoy my electronic music in the comforts of my own home, drug free. Electronic music is great for me due to the great flow I can visualize. It helps me when I’m trying to de-stress…. kinda like a zen-esque thing.
I always avoid these types of gatherings for fear of this happening. Too many people use this event as an excuse to get drugged up and start something.
WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »snidley-whiplash
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 11:58amOh forgot the DJ should be arrested for inciting a riot !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »Marci
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 2:28pmWelcome to the new U.S. where so-called “civil disobedience” is encouraged. Maybe these morons do not understand what civil disobedience is….a peaceful resistance to an unjust law. It’s like Greece- and our community agitators and community agitator in chief urge this kind of behavior against police. I’ll bet the police acted “stupidly”.
Report Post »jcannon98188
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 3:25pm@Snidley
Report Post »Because “Everybody CHILL OUT!!! The cops are freaking out. BE SAFE AND LET’S HAVE SOME FUN” is totally inciting a riot. You just want people being arrested. For what exactly? If you throw a party, and someone does something illegal, is it not YOUR fault because you threw the party? No it was the person who did something illegal.
IntheKnowOG
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 4:43pmLet’s not blame the music for the stupidity of the morons. You hate it when the libbys blame guns for shooting people. You’re doing the same thing. This was a location issue, LA, really? Bet it wouldn’t have happened in a conservative state.
Report Post »IntheKnowOG
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 5:33pmSnidely, Kaskade did not incite a riot. He planned the party in advance. The spillout from the movie premier combined with the partiers. Some douchebag started a fight and all hell broke loose.
Report Post »jhaydeng
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 7:54pmEvery generation has a group!
Report Post »obamanation
Posted on July 29, 2011 at 3:28pmI haaaaate ravers!!! God they’re dumb!
Report Post »mikem1969
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 11:43pmIs there anything these morons in commiefornia won’t riot over? God forgive me, but please let a 12.0 hit cali and drop it in the ocean.
Report Post »Kitsune
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:39amIt seems like people look for any excuse to riot, anymore.
Report Post »Mil-Dot
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:55amWhy not, if you knew that nothing was going to happen to you no matter what you did, you would do whatever you wanted as well.
Report Post »HumbleCitizen
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 10:10amThere’s Ms. Piven’s “riots in the streets” she froths at the mouth to encourage.
Report Post »Your Name Here
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:39amAs Bill Engvall woud say, “Here’s your sign.”
Report Post »http://www.mikechurch.com/Today-s-Lead-Story/welcome-to-libtardia-t-shirt-a-poster.html
jim
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:38amSomething about… “L.A.” + “summer” + “mob riot”… always go together. Electric Daisy Carnival looks more like the Unemployed Sleazy Carnivore tour.
Report Post »Truthbeliever2
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:47amSo true.
Report Post »cessna152
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 10:04amSomething about… “L.A.”+California+ all the time = Nut job crazy wackos.
The warm climate attracts some weird people!
Report Post »bullcrapbuster
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:37amLA is starting to look like part of mexico. What a hell hole.
Report Post »Edct
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:44amIt used to be a good place to visit, but I would never go there now, it is like a third world country of brown cockroaches not speaking English….the country is going to hell just like nobama wants so he can take it over for socialism and the murdering cult from hell islam.
Report Post »TNYJ
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:55amAgreed. Seems like an easy place for punks to spill into. My wife and I drove through, last Spring. Both of us agreed, no reason to ever go back. We couldn’t understand why anyone would want to live there. I know a few people that live out there and they both are tired of it, so I hear.
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 10:06am@Edct
so right….and Texas is right behind them as far as no one speaking English.
Report Post »Countrygirl1362
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 10:14amLooks like some one turned a lot of animals out of their cages.
Report Post »jiba
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 11:00pmNo ****
Report Post »Brents Torts
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:31amThese people are desrespectful freaks. Wait and see what happens when the government checks stop showing up.
Report Post »pmacres
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 10:02amget a job,,nothing is for free,,
Report Post »I_Object
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:28amHey i wonder how many of these rioters are also tax-payers? I mean if they paid taxes then they might think twice about vandalizing cop cars and having to have riot police called in because THAT costs the taxpayer extra money… I dunno – maybe this nanny state thing California is gunning for is a bad idea? They don’t seem to appreciate the property of the state… Also – whata bunch of losers. Cops tell you to disperse and u throw trash and destroy stuff? You stay classy LA.
Report Post »dmforman
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 10:09amEven if they paid taxes they aren’t smart enough to realize that when they vandalize a car that it costs them money. You’re giving them too much credit.
Report Post »Hisemiester
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 2:36pmWhen protesters turn to rioters and begin to destroy public and private property, The real bullets should be used by the cops and or property owners who’s property is being destroyed.
Report Post »Hemingway in Cuba
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:27amOh no! A bunch of people exercised their constitutional right to peaceable assemble, for free music no less, and it was against some government red-tape regulation. The “violence” didn’t even happen until the police showed-up. We all know how squeaky clean the LAPD are.
One man managed to bring 1,000+ people to a shopping district in LA. They should give him a big thank you. What if 1,000+ people came to a sale at Saks 5th Ave – do we start arresting people?
Report Post »I_Object
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:30amAs long as they don’t start vandalizing everything in site and generally making a mess and causing a scene that prevents everyone from being safe and havin a good time, sure. I mean ya LAPD aren’t the squeekiest of cleanest but the people there are a bunch of a-holes too… LA is full up on A-holes… It’s a statistical fact.
Report Post »Bluefish49
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:34amDon’t cops in LA carry firearms? If so why didn’t they use them….what a waste of good target practice time…..
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:34amNo, they will actually Pay for what they will buy with their OWN hardearned money.
Report Post »Truthbeliever2
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:35amThese are the animals that vote democrat.
You can always find the democrats by following the path of vandalism and destruction these animals leave behind.
Report Post »Hemingway in Cuba
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:40amThe Constitutional right to assembly even applies to “a-holes.” No doubt California is full of a bunch of whack-jobs, but nothing happened here.
Why are Blaze readers so quick to side with the government when it is against Liberals and not apply their conservative/libertarian principals to everyone in all cases? You don’t have to like their politics or their music to recognize that they are free to do as they want as long as no one is hurt.
This is a case of what happens in a Police-state. This is wrong on so many levels.
Report Post »Truthbeliever2
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 10:00am@ Hemingway in Cuba
Nothing happened here. Why b/c you say so.
The video and pics say it all. When your kind gather in large numbers they tear the place apart and leave piles of trash in their wake.
So go ahead and defend these slugs of society.
May you be caught in the middle of one of these outbreaks one day. Trampled to death by your own kind.
Report Post »ecurbyy
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 10:15amMost likely these folks came to shop lift. Not shop. If a thousand people go to Saks 5th Ave. most of them probably have some money. I don’t think they cash welfare or unemployment checks at Saks.
Report Post »65Mustang
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 10:50amStop making excuses for moronic behavior.
Report Post »I_Object
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 11:05am@hemingwayincuba
Report Post »p.s. – this isn’t about their right to free-assembly dude. You‘ve missed the point entirely if that’s what you think it is. It’s “right to PEACEFUL assembly” that is protected. The minute people start trashing the place and vandalizing it is no longer peaceful assembly. So it’s not about their rights to assemble. You shoot it through that constitutional prism and it makes you look desperate to defend these a-holes. They (some, not all) are punks and aren’t there for anything but peaceful assembly. In fact, they’re there to get wild and party. Again… Not protected under the constitution.
I_Object
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 11:08amThey (some, not all) are punks and are there for anything but peaceful assembly… (Fixed it)
Report Post »this is all your fault beatnik
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 11:21amYou blame the authorities and gov’t redtape for the situation. The fire code for buildings exists for a reason – public safety. Had there been a fire and several hundred were trampled or burned to death how would you feel about gov’t redtape then. My guess is you would blame the authorities for any outcome other than you getting exactly your own way. At least a communist has an ideology and a thought process – anarchist are incapable of thought and will be the first ones to hit the floor if everything fell apart.
Report Post »Ookspay
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 1:26pmKeep making excuses for terrible behaviour and it will continue… Hey by the way, didn’t Hemmingway commit suicide? He lost touch with reality, sounds a lot like you.
Report Post »Hemingway in Cuba
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 3:53pmIt is amazing how vicious and hateful people on here can get when someone has a slightly different take on the situation.
@Truthbeliever2: Nothing happened; at least a riot didn’t happen, because the video and picture show it. A riot would involve burning buildings, broken windows, and overturned cars. The trash on the street…does this constitute a riot to you? You don’t like their culture, music and the way they dress. That doesn’t make them “animals.”
@this is all your fault beatnik: Anarchist, which I am not, is not what you think it is. Look it up. Some very intelligent people are anarchist. It does not mean violence in the street.
@Ookspay: Personal attack? Really? You don’t know me. Hemingway did commit suicide because of depression, not because he lost track of reality. My moniker points to an American literary hero who fled Cuba because of the US government‘s insistence that he would be labeled a traitor if he didn’t. He committed suicide one year later in Idaho. Many point to Uncle Sam strong arming him to leave his personal island paradise as a reason for his further depression. He believed in the people of Cuba and felt like he betrayed them by leaving.
@I_Object: Thanks for being civil and actual bringing something to the conversation.
Report Post »Ookspay
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 4:58pmI stand by my previous comment… Police state? Right to assemble? Really? Realty calling… hullo hullo hullo?
Report Post »DVL
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 5:09pmThe right to assemble is not without it’s constraints and individual rights do not trump the general welfare. Generally a permit for such a large assembly is required to aid the police and fire departments which have a responsibility to manage public safety. Rather than the 1,000 people you cite the report stated the theater had about 2000 people in it, which was deemed unsafe by the fire inspector. There were an undetermined number of people out in the street already.
Being that we were not there we do not know what the existing tone of the crowd was or what level of professionalism the LAPD employed. But at the end of the day, if the report is accurate, responding to an order to disperse with violent riot is not defensible.
Report Post »TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:26amCool….Battlefield LA!!!!! Sooooo glad I’m in Colorado! And rockin’ on http://www.1530kcmn.com
Report Post »An AmericanMom
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:25amWow……the new voters for Obama what their free stuff and they WANT IT NOW!!!!!!
Report Post »I_Object
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 11:23amlike those JG Wentworth commercials. Man… Am I ever glad i cancelled my cable as soon as Glenn left Fox.
Report Post »Carolina Infidel
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:25amSocialists love a good riot apparently. Canada, France, Greece, California.
Report Post »Idle hands and minds, you know?
Can’t wait till we are all socialist.
Hemingway in Cuba
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:31amWhere was the rioting? It is conjured up by the media. What was the worst damage to a “black and white” (cop car)? A broken windshield. 1,000 people “rioting” don’t just break a windshield.
This was sensationalized by the local media and blown out of proportion by the police.
Report Post »randy
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:24ampopular DJ known as Kaskade who said there’d be an accompanying block party should be arrested and fined for any damage…….
Looked like a gathering of La Raza
Report Post »Deport them all
13th Imam
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:23amFree Cheese Free Cheese
Report Post »Now thru til Nov 2012
1600 Pennsylvania Ave
Washington, DC
cemerius
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:21amThe animals are controlling our youth!!!!!
Report Post »NotFooled
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:20amObama’s youth corp. and the future (D) leftist peaceful voters.
Report Post »HKS
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:31amWhat else would one expect from people that think everybody owes them something.
Report Post »Realman30
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:20amWhat else would one expect from a bunch of illegal mexicans!
Report Post »UlyssesP
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:20amAll that rioting – you would think they were handing out obamabucks.
Report Post »Dr. Insane O
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:20amLooks like a bunch of mexicans to me.
I wonder how many are here legally
Report Post »Jack2011
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:19amA lot of them are laughing.
Most of them are STANDING around watching the destruction and chaos and NOT leaving.
SHEEPLE
Report Post »I_Hate_Libs
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:19amJust think those rioting Democrats and the officers standing voted for the same president.
The horror of the Democrat mind.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:18am.
Report Post »All those Tweet‘s should have been Taz’ed………….
Servant Of YHVH
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:17amOnly 2 were arrested? What was this? Did most of these weirdo’s have friends among the cops? I would have arrested as many as I could and since all they probably would have gotten was a fine, that would have meant increased revenue for LA. Not that they deserve it.
Report Post »cemerius
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:23amRemember these are the “people” that celebrated/rioted when the Lakers won the championship?
They are also the ones that will celebrate/riot if Obama wins or loses in 2012!
Report Post »Hemingway in Cuba
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:35amArrest for what? What the raw video. Nothing is happening.
Report Post »I_Hate_Libs
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:17amThis is what happens when a group of Democrats get together.
The horror of the Democrat mind.
Report Post »Infidelephant
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 3:28pmHow could you possibly know the political affiliation of 1000 un-named people?
The horror of an uninformed, ignorant, hate-spewing (like your name) mind.
Report Post »mrsmileyface
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:17amSee this is where if the police wanted to use deadly force I would side with them on that decision. What a bunch of idiots.
Report Post »Meyvn
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 9:15amAnd people wonder why the cops beat the hell out of unruly people? The people who rioted are idiots.
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