Man Stabbed 2 Reporters Attacked As Violence Erupts At Los Angeles Anti-Vaxx Rally

A man was stabbed and at least two journalists attacked Saturday as vicious fighting erupted between anti-vaxx protesters, many of them Proud Boys in American flag and Donald Trump MAGA garb, and counterprotesters outside Los Angeles City Hall.

Police didn’t immediately have information about the stabbing victim, who was treated on the scene by Los Angeles Fire Department personnel. They reported no arrests by late afternoon, but an investigation was continuing.

Frank Stolze, a reporter for the National Public Radio station KPCC, was screamed at, then shoved and viciously kicked by anti-mask protesters while he was trying to conduct an interview, The Los Angeles Times reported. He filed a police complaint, the LAPD confirmed.

He later tweeted that he was “mad, but fine,” and noted that he had never experienced anything like that in his 30 years as a reporter.

Something happened to me today that’s never happened in 30 yrs of reporting. In LA. ⁦@LAist⁩ I was shoved, kicked and my eyeglasses were ripped off of my face by a group of guys at a protest - outside City Hall during an anti-vax Recall ⁦@GavinNewsom⁩ Pro Trump rally. pic.twitter.com/6s2Jfm8Xrg

â€" Frank Stoltze (@StoltzeFrankly) August 15, 2021

Journalist Tina-Desiree Berg was also photographed being attacked, and she posted a tweet of being rushed by a group of Proud Boys. It wasn’t immediately clear if she filed a police report.

She identified what appeared to be an orange thermos in one attacker’s hand in a tweet as a “weapon” used by other anti-vaxxers.

This is Capitol rioter Tony Moon (@roofkorean7) attacking reporter @TinaDesireeBerg today and ripping her mask off today DTLA. #IAmTonyMoon [ðŸ"¸ @latimes] pic.twitter.com/MC2hv8HFD0

â€" Chad Loder (@chadloder) August 15, 2021

Critics on Twitter slammed police officers for standing by during much of the violence. Journalist Andrew Kimmel indicated that the paramilitary Proud Boys were responsible for many of the street attacks. He said one of the gang continually pointed him out to others.

“Anti-vaxx” / Proud Boys rally in Los Angeles off to a great start. pic.twitter.com/mMAQxfwfxw

â€" Andrew Kimmel (@andrewkimmel) August 14, 2021

Lmao you let this happen right in front of you. Fuck off https://t.co/pdmeUEzB4w

â€" People's City Council - Los Angeles (@PplsCityCouncil) August 14, 2021

Brawl just broke out downtown at anti-vaccine rally near City Hall. Not entirely sure how it happened but LAPD attending to one person down in intersection of 1st & Spring. pic.twitter.com/kkZsu4E9KY

â€" James Queally (@JamesQueallyLAT) August 14, 2021

Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez blasted the violence.

“These aren’t ‘patriots.’ Not wearing a mask and being anti-vax isn’t patriotism â€" it’s stupidity,” she said in a statement. “We have to be able to have differences of opinions without resorting to violence. Attacking counter-protesters and journalists has no place in a democracy, and certainly no place in Los Angeles.”

I'm not one to want to want to blame police, but damn WTH? These guys are attacking people standing by the side of the road and you are doing nothing? I hear some poor woman who has not done a thing and this man is attacking her while you watch?

â€" Cynthia White â"‹ðŸŽðŸŒ± (@CyntWhite) August 15, 2021

This occurred right outside of LAPD headquarters downtown… so yes.

There were police *everywhere* and they did absolutely nothing to prevent these unprovoked attacks, stop them while happening, or hold any of these violent people accountable.

â€" L🅰️urenNicole ✊🏽🚩✌🏽 (@Lstands4lovely) August 15, 2021

Why are they wearing masks while asking people to take off theirs? pic.twitter.com/5ROIIZHVLb

â€" Frank Marin (@FrankRiveraMar1) August 14, 2021

'Anti-vaxx' / Proud Boys rally in Los Angeles. https://t.co/0J2Q4lNh13

â€" Lotta Dots (@RogerBlumberg) August 15, 2021

These are MAGA Brown Shirts. Thugs, Goons, Fascists. This is political violence. Specifically extreme right wing political violence. There will be more and it will be deadly. https://t.co/Vm3bYeOson

â€" Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) August 15, 2021

Members of the Proud Boys have been descending on school board meetings in some communities to rail against mask mandates to keep students safe and threaten members supporting health precautions in schools.

Anti-mask demonstrators heckle masked people (some of whom are Drs/nurses) leaving 08/10/21 #Williamsoncountytn #schoolboardmeeting following one man to his car and shouting “we will find you” & “we know who you are” @WilliamsonHmPg 1/2 pic.twitter.com/u8wbdfr3Xj

â€" Matt Masters (@formvscontent) August 11, 2021

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