U-Haul drives into Westwood protest for regime change in Iran
People protesting for regime change in Iran demonstrate outside the Wilshire Federal Building in Westwood. A U-Haul truck drove into a crowd of protesters at about 3:30 p.m., injuring at least two people, authorities said. (Chenrui Zhang/Daily Bruin)
This post was updated Jan. 11 at 9:54 p.m.
A U-Haul truck drove into a crowd of people protesting for regime change in Iran outside the Wilshire Federal Building in Westwood at about 3:30 p.m. Sunday, injuring at least two people, authorities said.
Police appeared to take the driver into custody after the truck stopped near the federal building, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. Two people were evaluated and both declined treatment or transport, according to a notice from the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Police tape was set up around the U-Haul truck at about 5:15 p.m., blocking off parts of Veteran Avenue between Wilshire Boulevard and Ohio Avenue. More than 25 LAPD officers, some wearing riot gear and carrying assault rifles or less-than-lethal weapons, were also positioned around the area, redirecting traffic from intersecting streets.
Thousands of demonstrators marched down Wilshire Boulevard and in front of the federal building throughout the afternoon. The protest blocked parts of Veteran Avenue and Westwood Boulevard between Wilshire Boulevard and Ohio Avenue, as well as the entirety of Wilshire Boulevard between Westwood Boulevard and Veteran Avenue.
More than 500 protests calling for an end to the incumbent Islamic Republic of Iran government have taken place in cities across Iran since late December as the country faces an economic crisis, according to the Associated Press.
Iran’s government has violently cracked down on the protests, killing nearly 500 protesters nationwide as of Sunday, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.
Some protesters held banners reading “Woman, Life, Freedom,” a slogan popularized during protests that began in Iran in September 2022 after citizen Mahsa Amini died in the custody of the Iranian morality police. Many wore red “Make America Great Again” hats and held images of Donald Trump and Reza Pahlavi – the exiled son of Iran’s last shah – who have publicized messages encouraging the protests.
Others carried the Lion and Sun flag, a symbol of Iran’s pre-revolution government, alongside American and Israeli flags. Several protesters chanted “Democracy for Iran” and “Freedom for Iran, King Reza Pahlavi.”
Protesters convened outside the federal building at about 3:30 p.m. – hours after they originally gathered – to listen to speeches in Farsi and English. Some demonstrators parked and revved motorcycles in the center of the Veteran Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard intersection, with protesters in yellow vests redirecting eastbound traffic onto Veteran Avenue toward Kinross Avenue.
Armin Myt, a participant in the Westwood protest who is from Iran, said he is grateful for Trump’s support toward people from Iran. Trump said Friday that he would “get involved” if the Iranian Republic killed civilian demonstrators, according to CBS News.
“This will never be forgotten,” Myt said. “President Trump’s name will be glorifying in our history forever.”
Afshin Shojae, another participant in the Westwood protest, said he attended the rally to support children in Iran. Internet and landlines are shut down in Iran, and people are in hospitals as a result of the violence, he added.
A single LAPD car was parked at the Veteran Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard intersection before the U-Haul drove into the crowd farther down the street, with officers not carrying any visible riot or protective gear. Another LAPD officer parked his car in the center of the protest next to the federal building around 2:50 p.m. and shook hands with protesters there.
An LAPD helicopter circled above Westwood throughout the protest. Vehicles from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the LA County Sheriff’s Department were present at the federal building around 4 p.m.
Protesters also drove around the area for multiple hours in cars with flags hanging outside of the trunks and windows. Dozens of people hung out of car sunroofs and climbed onto the top of vehicles – some also scaled large pieces of construction equipment outside the Westwood/UCLA Station construction zone.
Most of the demonstrators dispersed from Wilshire Boulevard before 5 p.m. Organizers gave instructions to the crowd to disperse in both English and Farsi.
“This is a revolution!” one speaker shouted to end his speech. “We will have freedom – freedom for Iran!”
