U-Haul driver plows through LA protesters demanding change in Iran in Westwood

LOS ANGELES – Shocking video on social media showed a U-Haul truck driving into a crowd of demonstrators in Los Angeles’ Westwood area.

The Los Angeles Police Department responded to a call of the U-Haul truck crashing into a crowd of people marching near the Federal Building around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, January 11.

In the video, shared by @Shangoolans on social media, showed the U-Haul truck plowing into people flying Iranian flags, with screams heard in the background, people running out of the way, and a few people trying to retaliate by hitting the vehicle with flag poles.

FOX 11’s Matthew Seedorff reports the incident left at least one person hurt.

LAPD announced later in the evening that the driver had since been detained.

The backstory:

According to event organizers prior to the incident, a demonstration was staged in Westwood as part of renewed calls for political change in Iran. Leading up to the scheduled Sunday demonstration, organizers said these rallies give Iranian Americans a chance to speak up and amplify voices for those demanding change in Iran – which includes calls for offsetting the country’s economic crisis and ending human-rights violations.

What we don’t know:

As of Sunday, it is unknown what prompted the U-Haul driver to do what they did. Officials have not released the identity of the driver.