Several demonstrations kicked off Wednesday in Orange County tied to last week’s in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Anaheim police closed several streets around City Hall to provide a safe space for protesters in advance of a 10 a.m. demonstration. By 10:30 a.m. a small, peaceful crowd could be seen gathering in front of City Hall.
About 500 protesters were peacefully marching around the city at about 11:40 a.m., Anaheim Police Sgt. Shane Carringer said.
“It’s completely peaceful,” Carringer said of the gathering. “We’ve had great communication with organizers of the protests and they’ve actually shorted their march route to accommodate the size of the protest, so we’re giving them traffic control to give them the route they want.”
Protesters marched from the Westbound Center Street Promenade to Harbor Boulevard and Lincoln Avenue to Anaheim Boulevard to City Hall, Carringer said.
By 1:30 p.m., the vast majority of the crowd had dispersed, leaving a “vocal but peaceful” group of about 60 to 80 protesters, Carringer said.
A protest in Rancho Santa Margarita drew about 100 people, said Carrie Braun, a spokeswoman for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
Four separate Black Lives Matter protests were scheduled in Newport Beach, and at least another six protests were planned throughout the county, according to Newport Beach Police Chief Jon Lewis.
About 300 to 400 protesters were drawn to the first rally in Newport Beach, city spokesman John Pope said.
The scheduled Newport Beach events were:
— Noon at MacArthur Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway;
— 2 p.m. at the Newport Pier;
— 5 p.m. at San Miguel Drive and Avocado Avenue;
— 5 p.m. at Back Bay View Park, Jamboree Road and Pacific Coast Highway.
The businesses within Fashion Island have decided to close and board up in anticipation of the protests.
And in Garden Grove, a protest against police brutality will be held at 3 p.m. in front of City Hall at 11222 Acacia Parkway.