By Police1 Staff
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Community members and activists are calling for an investigation into how the Anaheim Police Department handled a Klu Klux Klan rally in February that ended with 13 arrests and three stabbings, Los Angeles Times reported.
Activists are calling on the city council to investigate and claim officers did not intervene early enough to stop the violence at the Feb. 27 rally.
“Top brass are trying to cover up the fact that Anaheim police did not do their job correctly,” Activist Duane Roberts told the publication.
The incident occurred during a KKK gathering when dozens of protesters showed up to demonstrate. When rally attendees arrived, protesters rushed the group, setting off several fights on the block.
A protestor who was stabbed during the event, Tom Bibiyan, said police did not follow up on the attack.
“The person who did this is walking free,” Bibiyan told council members during a meeting April 26 attended by the news site.
However, police said Bibiyan was stabbed after attacking a KKK member. Officers contacted him at the hospital for an interview but Bibiyan refused to comment, asking for a lawyer, Sgt. Daron Wyatt told the publication.
“My understanding is that he was interviewed later by a detective and he admitted that he initiated an assault upon one of the KKK members, at which time he was stabbed,” Wyatt said. “He was ultimately tackled by an officer as he was trying to get back at one of the KKK members and continue the assault.”
A KKK member was responsible for all three stabbings of anti-KKK protesters.
“When you look at the video, it’s clear that that person was either acting in self-defense, or defense of his other friends that were being attacked,” Wyatt said. “Everybody is up in arms about why didn’t the KKK people go to jail.... They arrived and were immediately attacked. Anybody has the right to self-defense when they’re attacked.”
Police conducted an investigation and concluded “there was clear and convincing evidence that all of the KKK people were truly victims,” Wyatt said.
Seven protesters could face charges, along with a handful more who were not arrested because they were hospitalized immediately following the event.
Mayor Tom Tait told the publication those calling for an investigation have a right to present their case, and if warranted, the council will look into the incident.