Thousands Protest Peacefully In Orange County Saturday

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — Thousands of people took to the streets in Orange County to protest the in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the killing of Breonna Taylor in a police raid of her Louisville apartment, among others.

A curfew was implemented at 10 p.m. Saturday until 5 a.m. Sunday in Santa Ana, where about 30 people peacefully gathered about 8 p.m. in front of Santa Ana College, at 1530 W. 17th St. and marched west on 17th. A group of several dozen people circled back to their starting about 10 p.m. and blocked the intersection at Bristol Street, violating the curfew and blocking traffic.

In Costa Mesa about 400 demonstrators gathered in the afternoon at Shiffer Park, on Bear Street south of the San Diego (405) Freeway, and the crowd grew to about 700 as the people marched to Carl Thornton Park at 1801 W. Segerstrom Ave. in Santa Ana for speeches, then on to Memorial Park, on Flower Street, and back to Shiffer, where the event ended about 8:45 p.m. Saturday, Costa Mesa police said.

In Westminster, a demonstration started with about 200 people at Westminster Park on Magnolia Street and grew to 2,000 as participants marched to the Westminster Civic Center at Westminster Boulevard and Jackson Street, and ended just before 8 p.m. Saturday back at Westminster Park, said Westminster police.

Surfers paddled out at the Huntington Beach Pier and demonstrators continued into the afternoon with protesters from Black Lives Matter squaring off with Pro-President Donald Trump counter-protesters. At least two arrests were reported.

Huntington Beach resident and Chargers defensive end Isaac Christopher Rochell, who played college ball at Notre Dame, shared on Twitter that he was unjustly questioned Sunday morning as a potential looter due to the color of his skin.

I just got asked IN MY OWN APARTMENT COMPLEX if I am a resident, what my unit number is, and if I’m a looter. Being black shouldn’t be an accusation. THIS IS WHY PEOPLE ARE PROTESTING AND ASKING FOR CHANGE.
— Isaac Christopher Rochell (@Isaacrochell90) June 6, 2020

"I just got asked in my own apartment complex if I am a resident, what my unit number is, and if I'm a looter," he wrote on Twitter. "Being black shouldn't be an accusation. This is why people are protesting and asking for change."

About 1,500 protesters gathered at Commonwealth and Highland avenues then moved to Fullerton City Hall, where they were joined by a group of 150 demonstrators who marched from La Palma Park in Anaheim, according to Fullerton police. About 300 then marched to Chapman Avenue and Lemon Street and back to La Palma Park. All events concluded by about 4:30 p.m. Saturday, police said.

In Irvine, demonstrators marched from University High School, 4771 Campus Drive, to Northwood High School, 4515 Portola Parkway. In Newport Beach, protesters marched from Newport Harbor High School, 600 Irvine Ave. to the Back Bay.

Afternoon demonstrators at Chaparral Park, 1770 W. Broadway and at Sycamore Park, later marched to Eucalyptus Park in east Anaheim.

—City News Service