Police Close Venice Beach After Fight

Police in riot gear and on horseback swept through Venice Beach early Sunday evening, clearing out dozens of battling gang members and closing the popular beach to thousands of sun-worshipers, party-goers and boardwalk cruisers, police said.

After a fight broke out among rival gangs on the beach, then spread along the picturesque boardwalk, patrol officers called for reinforcements, and about 90 officers swept an area from the beach inland toward Pacific Avenue, said Los Angeles Police Officer Don Cox.

No one was injured, and no arrests were made. Cox said officers confiscated some weapons, but he did not have details.

“They (police) just marched in from Ocean Front Walk and cleared the whole beach. They emptied it out. It was literally like a sweep,” said Mark Williams, 32, who lives at the beach.

It took police four hours to clear the two-mile stretch of beach, Cox said.

Gangs routinely stake out turf along Venice Beach on weekend afternoons, Cox said, but the fighting Sunday quickly got out of hand, endangering tourists and residents. After trying--and failing--to disperse gang members, officers decided to close the area.

“It was getting more and more and more violent, and at some point you have to draw the line,” said an officer in the Venice Beach substation, who did not give his name. “We drew the line today.”

“We had seen enough out there--it was getting dangerous for everybody, including the police,” he added. “We decided to nip it in the bud before it got out of hand.”

The fighting among the groups police identified as gang members began near a weightlifting platform and spread along the beach. When officers used pepper spray to break up the crowd of about 50, they moved to another intersection, police said, and reinforcements were summoned.

Within minutes, about 90 LAPD officers, some on horseback, others in riot gear, marched down the beach and boardwalk to force the combatants to leave, Cox said.

Most bystanders and gang members obeyed police orders, Cox said. Boardwalk businesses were asked to close; some remained open nonetheless.

“I’ve never seen anything like this before--the beach is completely empty, and you know how it usually is on a Sunday afternoon,” said Williams, who watched the action from his window. “There were zillions of people, wall to wall, and now it’s pretty calm.”

As darkness fell, police remained stationed along the boardwalk, witnesses said. After the battling groups were swept from the beach, rumors rippled through the restaurants and stores along the boardwalk.

“I’ve heard everything from one shooting to a whole bunch of gang members pulling Uzis out at a restaurant,” said Josh Haden, an employee at Small World Books.

Police said they may have to clear the beach regularly if gangs continue to disturb the peace.