HUNTINGTON BEACH (CBSLA.com) — Huntington Beach Police report a large and unruly crowd is getting into sporadic fighting at PCH and First following the close of the US Open of Surfing.
Police referred to the episode as a “major event.”
It was unclear what touched off the fighting but Lt. Mitchell O’Brien told KCAL9 at 8:20 p.m. Sunday that police hoped to disperse the crowd “within the next half hour.”
A large police presence is trying to break up the large gathering in downtown Huntington Beach but O’Brien called the crowd “less than cooperative.”
The first reports of fighting occurred just after 7:15, said police.
O’Brien said Huntington Beach Police were used to sometimes unruly crowds following the Open and other high-profile, day-long events, but police hadn’t seen anything as big as today’s disturbance “in years.”
HBPD asked for the help of other agencies to help disperse the crowd.
Some in the crowd suggested police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse and control the crowd but police have not confirmed that.
A video on YouTube purported to show police tossing a tear gas cannister.
“We do not have specific information about the number of arrests, number of agencies who have responded, damaged property or injuries at this time,” O’Brien said in a written statement.
Reporting from the scene, KCAL9's Jeff Nguyen said he spoke to witnesses who saw people just going down the street “cold cocking people” without explanation.
An eyewitness reported seeing windows being smashed and at least one store being looted by vandals.
Send your pics or video of the event to StreetTeam@cbs.com.
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