A demonstration in support of the Iranian people held on Sunday in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles ended in chaosafter a terrorist drove a U-Haul truck through a crowd of protesters. The incident occurred during a peaceful march organized in solidarity with the protests that for weeks have been shaking Iran against its clerical regime.
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) reported thattwo people were evaluated by paramedics at the scene, although both refused additional medical care and hospital transport.
The authorities indicated thatno further injuries were identified and that the crowd began to disperse voluntarily. The driver of the vehiclewas arrested by the police, and it was revealed that he belongs to an extreme left-wing Islamic terrorist group.
Videos shared on social mediashow the truck moving at high speed through a dense crowd, while attendees screamed and tried to get to safety.
In the footageseveral protesters can also be seen hitting the driver and trying to pull him out of the vehicle, whose windows were smashed. On one side of the truck there was a banner with political messages related to Iran,including slogans against the "shah" and references to the 1953 U.S. intervention.
The incident comes in a context of growing tension within the Iranian diaspora and of accusations about the influence of organized groups that seek to take advantage of the protest movement. Among them is the nefarious"Organization of the Mujahideen of the People of Iran" (PMOI), also known as"Mojahedin-e-Khalq" (MEK), a group that has been the subject of strong criticism.
