Anyone that disrupts the vaccination operations at the Dodger Stadium will be arrested, the Los Angeles Police Department said days after far-right protesters and anti-vaccine activists stormed one of the nation's largest coronavirus vaccination sites.
Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said Wednesday that they will no longer tolerate the same actions and those that attempt to disrupt the vaccination program again will be arrested immediately.
"Our action is to be immediate and swift in the sense of holding them accountable for that unlawful activity," Moore said.
The LAPD said that it respects the people's First Amendment rights, which is why they have set up an area where they can protest near the stadium's entrance. Moore said that they will no longer be patient with protesters that stray away from the designated area, similar to what happened at the weekend.
On Saturday, several mask-less protesters entered the stadium and roamed through the long queues. Some of them reportedly harassed and intimidating people on the queue, delaying vaccinations on the site.
More than 60 demonstrators were present during that day, most of which were holding signs denouncing the wearing of masks, lockdowns, and vaccines. Some people were also shouting baseless claims and conspiracy theories to those lining up to get vaccinated.
The Los Angeles Fire Department arrived at the scene to control the crown and seal the main entrance for an hour. Local officials were outraged at the incident and called on law enforcement to act quickly to prevent it from happening again.
"It's my expectation and direction that ... individuals will be arrested, they'll be cited, and their actions will be caused to be ceased. This going forward is a means of ensuring that the lines will stay open, that the vaccine sites will be unhindered," Moore said.
Commission President Eileen Decker praised the LAPD for enforcing the law and in imposing measures to stop the protesters. Decker described the attempts of the protesters to stop the vaccinations as "sad" and "tragic."
Decker said that people do have the right to protest and express themselves but stopping people from getting life-saving vaccines is "beyond reprehensible."
