Rock Concert Disturbance Quickly Dispersed

September 4, 2001

 
Hollywood: On Monday, September 3, 2001, at 4:00 p.m., a free promotional rock concert took place on Schrader Avenue between Sunset Boulevard and Hollywood Boulevard. The event’s organizer, Phillip Blaine, reported that he planned for 1000 attendees and that there was a street closure authorized by street use. It has still not been determined if an actual permit was issued. Instead of 1000 people, 10,000 people arrived and began to disrupt the event through damaging property and violent behavior. The size and disposition of the crowd created a threat to public safety and many of the attendees were becoming more destructive and unruly. An unlawful assembly was declared and a dispersal order was broadcast via the public address system.
The crowd refused to disperse and instead, took the stage and proceeded to destroy thousands of dollars of equipment.
Crowd control tactics were deployed to gain control and restore order. Less than lethal munitions were utilized in designated areas where violent and destructive activity was occurring. It was necessary to call a City-Wide tactical alert in an effort to obtain the additional personnel resources required to quell the disturbance and restore order to the streets of Hollywood. 160 police officers were required for perimeter and crowd control tactics.
There were a total of six arrests; (3) Assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer, (2) Battery on a police officer, and (1) Receiving stolen property. Order was restored quickly and effectively and there was no damage to the neighboring businesses.
Above information was received from Captain Michael Downing, Commanding Officer of Hollywood Community Police Station.
This press release was prepared by Public Information Officer Jason Lee, Media Relations Section, 213-485-3586.