IMMIGRATION ACTIVISTS CLASH IN WESTWOOD.

Byline: Marni McEntee Daily News Staff Writer

Violence broke out in Westwood on Thursday at rival protests over illegal immigration, leaving at least nine people injured when demonstrators pelted each other with wooden placards and full soda cans.

The clash began about 9:30 a.m. in front of the federal building on Wilshire Boulevard when members of several groups protesting illegal immigration traded angry taunts with counterdemonstrators rallying for immigrant rights, said Los Angeles Police Department Sgt. Glen Hees.

Suddenly, some demonstrators struck others with their fists, picket signs and soda cans, and attacked each other with pepper spray, said Hees, of the West Los Angeles Division.

``I was holding a flag and I got hit over the head and knocked to the ground. This was totally unexpected,'' said Bob Schwarz, 69, an anti-illegal immigration demonstrator, who wore a blood-stained pink shirt and a bandage over a gash on his head.

The melee moved into the middle of Wilshire Boulevard, even as cars whizzed by, Hees said.

There were no arrests. Los Angeles Police Lt. Anthony Alba said 150 law enforcement officers responded to quell the fighting.

Alba said demonstrators on both sides of the illegal immigration issue committed violence, but it was not clear who struck first.

He identified members of the communist Progressive Labor Party as among the pro-immigrant rights demonstrators who were responsible for violence. No one from the group was available for comment Thursday.

Alba said demonstrators favoring Proposition 187, the 1994 voter-approved measure that would deny education and welfare benefits to illegal immigrants, also were responsible for attacks.

One injured demonstrator was hospitalized at UCLA Medical Center, Alba said. The person's identity and condition were not available. Three others were treated in the hospital's emergency room, said hospital spokesman Kent Brown. Paramedics treated five people at the scene for cuts and bruises, said Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Jim Wells.

Many of the anti-illegal immigration demonstrators were members of the Sherman Oaks-based Voices of Citizens Together. The group is the architect of the California Civil Rights Initiative, a measure on the Nov. 5 ballot that would end race- and gender-based preferences in hiring.

The protests started with about 50 people but swelled to about 500 by late morning, Hees said. It was not clear how many people were involved in the fighting.

Federal police on the scene at the time violence broke out were unable to control the fighting. Reinforcements arrived from the LAPD, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, California Highway Patrol and the UCLA Police.

Most of the counterdemonstrators were part of a planned event in opposition to a scheduled protest against illegal immigration.

Counterdemonstration organizer Steve Zimmer said his group was not responsible for violence. Voices of Citizens Together President Glenn Spencer was not available for comment.

Among the counterdemonstrators were members of the Asian Pacific Islanders for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment, the Central American Resource Center, and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles.

``The purpose of this demonstration is to stop the attacks on the people in the state who are most vulnerable now,'' among them immigrants who could face loss of educational and medical benefits, Zimmer said.

``It was to celebrate the idea of liberty and justice for all,'' he said.

After the violence ended, anti-illegal immigration demonstrators rallied on the south side of the federal building.

Two hours later, they marched back to Wilshire Boulevard. Police permitted them to position themselves across Wilshire from the counterdemonstrators. The two groups chanted and traded insults for nearly 45 more minutes.

Police in riot gear and holding batons stood in line, two rows deep, preventing demonstrators from moving toward each other.

As protesters from Voices of Citizens Together waved American flags and sang ``God Bless America,'' counterdemonstrators, some dressed in Mexican Indian garb, beat on drums and danced.

Some anti-illegal immigration protesters wore paper badges bearing U.S. Border Patrol insignia and carried signs reading, ``Muchas Gracias Sucker'' and opposing the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Counterprotesters wore badges reading, ``You're illegal, pilgrim,'' and carried banners that said, ``Defend America from Racist Mobs.''

``They could round up about 100 of them,'' said Elizabeth Char, waving her hand toward the counterdemonstrators on the other side of Wilshire Boulevard.

``Who's paying for these cops? They are protecting them from us while the rest of the illegals are running around and terrorizing the city.''

Small groups of protesters skirted police and faced off on the sidewalk, yelling and pointing fingers at each other, while television news cameras and photographers captured the scene.

Counterdemonstrator Armando Broncas of Los Angeles, who had argued heatedly with several anti-illegal immigration protesters, said he was drawn to the event because of ``500 years of cultural genocide.''

``People should be able to go where the work is and feed their families,'' Broncas said.

The melee resulted in the nearly four-hour closure of the eastbound exit of the San Diego Freeway onto Wilshire Boulevard, and Wilshire Boulevard between Sepulveda Boulevard and Gayley Avenue.

A garlic festival taking place near the clash was not affected, officials said.

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

PHOTO (1) Bob Schwarz, 69, was bloodied during a fight b etween immigration groups Thursday in Westwood.

(2) Counterdemonstrators line the north side of Wilshire Boulevard.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News