Man in custody after driving U-Haul into anti-Iran regime rally, one injured

One person was struck after a U-Haul truck drove through a crowd of demonstrators during a protest in Los Angeles on Sunday in support of anti-regime protesters in Iran. According to local authorities, the driver was taken into custody and is being detained pending further investigation. Protesters attending the event attacked the driver and vehicle as it was going through the rally, but it was not immediately clear why the truck was there. 

The incident occurred around 3:30 pm along Veteran Avenue near the Federal Building in the Westwood neighborhood, according to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). Hundreds of people had gathered in the area as part of a march backing protesters in Iran. “At approximately 1530 hours, the driver of a U-Haul truck collided with individuals marching along Veteran Avenue in the area of the Federal Building,” the LAPD said in a statement. Police confirmed that one adult male was struck by the vehicle but did not sustain significant injuries. A rescue ambulance treated the individual at the scene, but no one was transported to the hospital.

Videos on social media showed the truck speeding through a crowd as people screamed and scattered. In one clip, a person can be seen hanging onto the side of the vehicle and banging on a window as it continued moving. A banner on the truck read, “NO SHAH. NO REGIME. USA: DON’T REPEAT 1953. NO MULLAH.” A person could also be seen on the roof of the truck.

Additional video footage shows people attempting to pull the driver from the cab, with some punching him as the truck came to a stop. Authorities have not yet released the identity of the driver. The LAPD said the investigation is ongoing.

The protest comes amid widespread unrest in Iran, where demonstrations that began over the economy have expanded nationwide and evolved into a direct challenge to the Ayatollah. At least 583 people have been killed since the unrest began two weeks ago, according to various human rights organizations.

Protests supporting Iranian demonstrators have also taken place in major cities around the world, as well as outside the White House in Washington, DC.