Fatal shootings of two Hispanic men by police sets off four days of near-riots in Southern California city of Anaheim.
California authorities were on alert after protesters angry over deadly police shootings set fires, smashed windows and threw rocks at officers in a fourth day of violent protests, ending with 24 arrests and several injuries.
As many as 500 demonstrators and 250 police from several Orange County cities were involved in several hours of confrontations that ended early on Wednesday, said Sargent Bob Dunn.
The latest clashes followed an Anaheim City Council meeting on Tuesday in which city leaders voted to ask the US attorney's office to investigate weekend officer-involved shootings that killed two men and
prompted a $50m civil rights lawsuit.
The council chambers were packed with people, and about 100 protesters were unable to get inside, Dunn said.
When some people pushed on the
windows, police pushed them back, Dunn added.
Violence didn't erupt until police detained a demonstrator who reportedly had a gun, he said. It turned out the man did not have a weapon.
About five people were hurt in the
protests, including a police officer, two members of the media who were struck by rocks and protesters who may have been injured by police or by fighting, authorities
said.
FBI review
The family of Manuel Diaz sued the city and the police department Tuesday, claiming Diaz was shot and killed on Saturday while running away, lawyer James Rumm said.
Anaheim, home to Disneyland, has seen ts Hispanic population grow to more than 50 per cent in 2010, according to census figures. Latino activists say they want federal officials to investigate the shooting.
The second shooting occurred on Sunday when officers spotted a suspected gang member in a stolen sport utility vehicle.
A brief pursuit ended when three people jumped from the vehicle and ran. Joel Mathew Acevedo fired at an officer, and the officer shot and killed him, authorities said.
Five shootings by officers this year have been fatal.
Last month, Anaheim decided to look into hiring an independent investigator to review police shootings amid protests by relatives of those killed.
The police union issued a statement
defending the officers involved in the shootings and said both men killed were gang members who had criminal records.
The FBI is conducting a review to
determine whether a civil rights
investigation is warranted, agency
spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.
Culled from Aljazeera
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