Black Lives Matter rallies held throughout SoCal, freeway blocked

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (FOX 11 / CNS) - Rallies and protests were held this weekend throughout Southern California in response to the the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile - as well as the Dallas police shootings.

Hundreds of Black Lives Matters protesters marched in Inglewood, blocked an intersection and stopped traffic on the San Diego (405) Freeway, but dispersed after midnight with little police intervention, authorities said.

The protesters shut down traffic at the intersection of Manchester and La Cienega boulevards at about 9:30 p.m. Sunday, according to broadcast video.

They then moved across both sides of the San Diego Freeway.

At about 10:40 p.m., the protesters who blocked the onramp from Manchester Boulevard to the southbound San Diego Freeway were directed by California Highway Patrol officers to leave the ramp and they returned to the
intersection.

The numbers of protesters declined when television cameras were turned off around midnight, and the demonstration ended shortly after that, said Inglewood police Sgt. Brian Poor.

The only police presence at the intersection was CHP officers blocking the freeway ramps so protesters could not return to the freeway, Poor said.

"We never contacted them,'' the Inglewood police sergeant said. "We looked at it as a peaceful protest.'' No injuries were reported, Poor said.

About 250 people also attended a peaceful Black Lives Matter rally at Pan Pacific Park near the Grove and others marched in Santa Ana.

The Los Angeles chapter of Black Lives Matter held its monthly meeting in Inglewood.

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