San Bernardino police made 11 arrests during unrest Thursday night that kicked off during a protest organized in opposition to the George Zimmerman verdict in the death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin, and they were preparing for two more protests Friday night north of Redlands and Loma Linda.
The protests July 19 were anticipated at San Manuel Stadium at 280 South E St., and at Base Line and Waterman Avenue, according to Denise Guerrero of the San Bernardino Police Department.
Police described violence that broke out during a Trayvon-Zimmerman protest Thursday on Base Line as civil unrest.
About 8:45 p.m. July 18, police responded to multiple reports of people "committing various acts of vandalism" in the 200 block of East Base Line, San Bernardino police Sgt. T. Walker said in a statement.
Some of the individuals had been a part of a protest march that ended in the 300 block of East Base Line, Walker said.
"Officers encountered a group of approximately 120 subjects in the parking lot of a restaurant at this location," Walker said. "Without provocation, subjects in the crowd began throwing rocks and bottles at passing motorists, police vehicles, and police personnel."
Police ordered the crowd to disperse, and the majority of the crowd began to leave, Walker said.
But about 50 people allegedly sought cover behind cinder block walls and began throwing rocks and bottles at officers, Walker said.
"Officers were able to clear out the business areas preventing additional acts of vandalism," Walker said. "Shortly after dispersing the crowd, officers responded to a report of a subject who had been physically assaulted by one of the protesters."
Police found a suspect in the assault, chased him and took him into custody. He was identified a Byron Thomas, 22, a parolee.
The 11 arrests included charges of assault with a deadly weapon, battery, assault on a police horse, assault on a peace officer and vandalism, Walker said. One police car was damaged by a thrown rock.
Numerous protests staged by supporters of Trayvon Martin have turned violent in the days since a Florida jury found Zimmerman not guilty of second-degree murder in the teen's death.
On Friday, President Barack Obama spoke for several minutes in the Nation's Capital about Trayvon Martin's death, and he discussed why African-Americans are upset about last week's acquittal of Zimmerman.
"Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago," Obama told White House reporters. A White House video of the President's perspective is attached to this report.
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