U-Haul Truck Drives Into Crowd at Los Angeles Iran Protest

A U-Haul truck drove through a crowd of pro-Iran protesters in Westwood, Los Angeles; police detained the driver and one person was struck but did not suffer significant injuries.

A U-Haul truck drove through a crowd of people marching in support of antigovernment demonstrations in Iran on Sunday afternoon in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. Police detained the driver after the vehicle hit one person, who did not suffer significant injuries, the Los Angeles Police Department said. Videos shared with The New York Times and posted on social media show the truck moving through a packed crowd holding Iranian flags and signs. Officials said it was unclear whether the driver intentionally sought to harm the crowd or was trying to move through it. Key facts: - Several thousand people had gathered for the protest in Westwood, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. - Police detained the driver after the truck stopped; no formal arrests had been announced that evening and the driver remained in custody pending further investigation. - One person was struck by the vehicle and was reported not to have suffered significant injuries, according to Capt. J. Michael Bland of the LAPD. - Videos show some protesters breaking a window of the truck and some members of the crowd punching the driver as officers removed him. - West Los Angeles is home to a large Iranian community; of an estimated 400,000 Iranian-born people in the United States, more than a third live in the Los Angeles region. Summary: The incident disrupted a large pro-Iran demonstration in a neighborhood with deep ties to the Iranian diaspora and contributed to tensions at the event. Authorities said the driver was in custody pending further investigation and no formal arrests had been announced that evening. Investigation into the circumstances remained ongoing.