Police in Los Angeles were forced to deploy less-than-lethal force and other measures against violent Antifa black-bloc counter-protesters outside a Korean L.A. spa in a third week of demonstrations following an alleged transgender disrobing that took place in a female-only area at the facility.
According to videos posted to social media, officers wielding batons at times are seen battling Antifa demonstrators who pelted and sprayed them with objects.
“Police clash with Antifa counter-protesting at the Wi Spa, after several smoke bombs & water bottles were thrown at protesters across the street,” independent journalist and protest chronicler Brendan Gutenschwager wrote in one video posted to Twitter.
Police clash with Antifa counter-protesting at the Wi Spa, after several smoke bombs & water bottles were thrown at protesters across the street #WiSpa #LosAngeles pic.twitter.com/fRoXWtmAng
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) July 17, 2021
“Police push the crowd of counter-protesters away from the Wi Spa, giving orders to leave the area after declaring an unlawful assembly,” Gutenschwager noted in another video showing a line of LAPD officers moving protesters back down a street.
Police push the crowd of counter-protesters away from the Wi Spa, giving orders to leave the area after declaring an unlawful assembly #WiSpa #LosAngeles pic.twitter.com/00TGQW8CYa
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) July 17, 2021
Officers arrested several people and later discovered discarded weapons including a stun gun, pepper spray, and knives, the LAPD noted.
At a protest near Wilshire Bl & Rampart Bl, 2 groups clashed. Smoke bombs/projectiles were thrown at ofcrs & a dispersal order was issued. Several dozen people were arrested. Numerous items in violation of 55.07 LAMC were found discarded including a stungun, knives, pepper spray pic.twitter.com/exk7vvTfRm
— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) July 17, 2021
Other videos posted online show an LAPD officer striking a protester with a baton after the person allegedly spits in the officer’s face.
Another video shows an officer shooting someone with a less-than-lethal rubber bullet at close range after it appears the protester sprayed the officer with something.
LAPD officer responds with less than lethal munitions against a black bloc rioter who sprayed what appears to be silly string at the officer pic.twitter.com/rKzQO6qapk
— Elad Eliahu (@elaadeliahu) July 18, 2021
WI SPA LA: LAPD Officer OBLITERATES 2 ANTIFA Militants at ONCE with his club after one pulls their mask down to SPIT in the officers FACE
Full story coming soon on @RealAmVoice https://t.co/1SkQLWsghr pic.twitter.com/HcVtvfzKt5
— Drew Hernandez (@DrewHLive) July 18, 2021
The protests stem from an incident that allegedly occurred at the spa in late June. A woman became irate and completed to Wi Spa staff after she says she witnessed a biological male disrobe in a women’s-only section of the facility.
In a viral video, the woman demanded to know if the spa’s staff were okay with such incidents while also pushing back on claims about clients’ preferred sexual orientation.
“What sexual orientation? I see a d**k. That lets me know he’s a man…he is not a female,” the woman says in the lobby of the facility as she went on to insist that other females in the area were equally offended by the alleged display.
“So Wi Spa is in agreement with men that just say they are women, and they can go down there with their penis, and get into the women’s section? Is that what you’re saying?… So women can go into the men’s with their breasts?” she said.
“There’s no such thing as transgender. He has a d**k…as a woman, I have a right to feel comfortable without a man exposing himself…that’s traumatizing to see that,” she added.
After the incident, the spa ownership issued a somewhat contradictory statement claiming that under California law the business cannot discriminate against transgendered people while also noting that the management does not condone lewdness.
“As a spa located in Los Angeles, Wi Spa complies with California law prohibiting discrimination by a business, including the Civil Code provision set forth above,” said the statement. “Like many other metropolitan areas, Los Angeles contains a transgender population, some of whom enjoy visiting a spa.
“Wi Spa strives to meet the needs and safety of all of its customers, and does not tolerate harassment or lewd conduct by any customer, regardless of their sex, gender, or other characteristic,” the statement continued.
Protests began the following weekend and have continued in what has become the latest culture war battle involving clashes over a person’s biological sex and claimed gender.
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Jon@bizpacreview.com
Jon is a staff writer for BizPac Review with 30 years' worth of reporting experience, as well as an author and U.S. Army veteran. He has a BA in political science from Ashford University and an MA in national security studies/intelligence analysis from American Military University.
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