It's That Time Again in Anaheim

It seems every couple of years, or even multiple times per year, something riles up the people who have nothing better to do than assault, destroy, block traffic, and whine. Anaheim is a big city, and they do have these clownish agitators, taggers, and gangs, too.

Let's take a look at what is going on. The Orange County Register had a report about an incident partially recorded on smartphone video.

YouTube videos surfaced Wednesday that purport to show a Tuesday altercation in Anaheim with several juveniles and an off-duty Los Angeles police officer who discharged a firearm during the scuffle.

It is important to note that this is NOT an Anaheim police officer, This is an off-duty LAPD officer who was in Anaheim.

The confrontation began over ongoing issues with juveniles walking across the officer's property, Wyatt said.

STAY OFF OF PRIVATE PROPERTY WHERE YOU AREN'T INVITED. No trespassing, no confrontation. Simple!!!

In the Tuesday confrontation, a 13-year-old boy is accused of threatening to shoot the off-duty officer, at which time the officer attempted to detain the boy until Anaheim police arrived, Wyatt said.

That led to a physical confrontation between the officer and several other juveniles, Wyatt said. At that time, the officer, who hasn’t been identified, discharged his gun once.

It appears from watching the video that the shot (which was into the dirt, NOT aimed at anyone) didn't happen until AFTER the man was physically attacked while being hounded by multiple teens. My point is not to say that the man handled this situation wisely or legally. The legal part remains to be seen. My point is people need to respect private property. I know that can be difficult when people don't respect national borders, but both borders and private property matter.

The 13-year-old was booked at Orange County Juvenile Hall for criminal threats and battery. A 15-year-old boy was arrested for assault and battery and released to his parents.

Good.

The altercation may have started because of a misunderstanding between the 13-year-old boy and the officer, said Gregory Perez, 16, who witnessed the incident.

“The little kid said, ‘I’m going to sue you,’ and then the guy thought he said, ‘I’m going to shoot you.’ That’s when he started grabbing the little kid.”

Let's assume this is correct. Notice that attitude. The kid, who is trespassing, is going to sue. And a 13 year-old is a "little kid"?

In a nearly 9-minute video, the officer then grabs hold of the 13-year-old boy’s hoodie and pulls him across the yard as at least a dozen teenagers crowd around. Then, several boys rush the officer and push him over a hedge.

Those boys are fortunate that California is not Florida.

It was unclear if the officer identified himself as a policeman, but at least one of the teenagers in a video seems to indicate that he had.

Again, LAPD, not Anaheim.

The officer, in plain clothes, reaches into his waistband, pulls out a handgun and fires a shot while continuing to hold onto the boy; it appears he shot toward the ground. No one was hit.

Good.

Those living in the neighborhood said a confrontation with teenagers who often gather along West Palais Road wasn’t unexpected, because there are often loitering teens, some disrespectful. However, they were surprised that an off-duty officer resorted to firing a gun to settle a dispute.

Yes.

"He may have felt threatened," said Richard Bjorklund, who has lived in the neighborhood for 25 years.

The neighborhood has had problems with teenagers crossing streets outside of crosswalks, blocking traffic, cutting through lawns and applying graffiti to homes, Bjorklund said.

This is a short distance from Disneyland, mind you.

The Anaheim Police Department has received hundreds of phone calls from across the country from people wanting to express their feelings, so the agency has set up a special line: 714-765-7990.

Good for them.

Then, last night, people decided to break more laws. Here's another report from the Orange County Register. Some of the pictures are interesting.

Chaos erupted Wednesday night after what started as a peaceful assembly on the street where a shooting happened the day before involving an off-duty LAPD officer.

Of course.

The assembly turned into a protest involving as many as 300 people and a few hours later, two dozen people were arrested, including six minors, police said early Thursday.

Arrest anyone who unnecessarily blocks traffic, or vandalizes, or assaults.

There were reports of several residential and vehicle windows being broken during the protest along with other acts of vandalism, he said.

And when these people get arrested, how many of them complain about "brutality" by the police?

Protesters gathered Wednesday night in the neighborhood of the shooting, eventually making their way to the officer’s home.

Not acceptable.

The calm ended when someone with a can of red spray paint began writing profanities about police on a garage door of the officer’s neighbor. Chants of “No justice - no peace,” "Killer cops, off our streets!" "Don't shoot our kids!" and profanities directed at police dominated the group’s evolving message.

Fake outrage.

Dozens of protesters spilled onto the officer’s driveway – kicking his garage, banging on his front door shouting and climbing atop an unoccupied pickup truck before others coaxed them back into the street.

Some began throwing trash and hard objects at Anaheim police officers observing the demonstration across the street. Protesters then took to Euclid Street, blocking traffic and marching north toward Ball Road, where they congregated in the intersection for several minutes.

They're lucky more shots weren't fired and that someone wasn't plowed into by a vehicle.

Police began arresting protesters around 11:30 p.m.

Too bad they didn't start earlier.

Go check out the pictures. In addition to the things described above, you'll see:

• obscene gestures and masking identity
• blocking traffic and kicking cars
• some people smiling like they are just there to goof around rather than genuinely upset
• climbing onto, and riding on, the back of someone else's truck
• a sign depicting the USA and Mexico equally even though this is in the USA and has nothing to do with Mexico
• broken windows
• a sign that reads "Kids cant walk home without getting shot at! 'They have the authority to kill a minority' Shooting children isn't justified BC you're an off duty officer" even though nobody was shot and it wasn't a matter of "walking home" but of trespassing
• a sign that reads "Stop police abuse" even though the incident had nothing to do with police duties
• a punk hitting a public transit bus with a skateboard
• young kids out on a school night at an event where they could get hurt

Saying that the trespassers and those who threatened and attacked the man are "just kids" ignores the fact that there are kids this age in California who are vandalizing private property, committing grand theft, and murdering.

So here we go with more protests. People have a right to PEACEFULLY protest, not block traffic, vandalize, or assault. It doesn't mean they have a valid point, but they can chant and make signs all they want. Any protestor who is there because they think the man shot AT anyone or they think this was a police action or that he has no right to keep trespassers off his private property is ignorant.