Officer injured as police try to break up crowd of protesters filling downtown LA streets

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – An officer has been injured as police in riot gear attempt to break up a crowd of about 200 protesters who are filling Los Angeles streets during downtown’s monthly Art Walk,

LAPD spokeswoman Karen Rayner says there have been several arrests, and at least one officer injured, but had no further details.

The group started filling streets at about 8:40 p.m. PDT Thursday, and police, who were caught off guard by the protest, were still trying to restore order nearly two hours later.

Rayner says some began throwing rocks, bottles and other objects at officers, and police were on citywide tactical alert.