LAPD investigates Larry Elder’s homeless attack in Venice

The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating an altercation Wednesday in Venice involving a group of homeless people and supporters of Republican candidate Larry Elder.

No charges have yet been filed, but the department’s robbery and homicide division is investigating the incident, according to LAPD officer Lizeth Lomeli. Lomeli said the case was attributed to this unit “because it gets so much media coverage”.

Elder’s visit to Venice began with a handful of Gold’s Gym clients who gathered outside his black and red campaign bus to cheer on the candidate as he got off.

The heckling began minutes later, as members of the Venice Neighborhood Council’s public health and safety committee walked with Elder on Sunset Avenue.

The confrontation with Elder escalated as the group turned to 3rd Avenue, lined with encampments, with a handful of people circling the group, shouting curses at Elder and yelling at him to “fuck you here” .

After the group turned the corner to return to Hampton Drive, what appeared to be an egg was thrown at Elder.

Campaign staff member Larry Elder faces off in Venice on Wednesday.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

“It kind of glanced at her head,” an Elder campaign staff member said of the item.

A woman wearing a gorilla mask riding a bicycle threw the small white object past the elder’s head, as seen in a video posted on Twitter by Spectrum News reporter Kate Cagle.

The woman appeared to be white, Elder is black. Characterizations of monkeys have been used as a racist trope for centuries.

Moments later, the woman kicked a man who appeared to be on Elder’s team. The man was hit by at least one other rowdy just before Elder was escorted into a white SUV.

A homeless man yells at a staff member of Republican gubernatorial candidate Larry Elder.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

“Today I launched the Recall Express bus tour”, Elder tweeted wednesday evening. “Before I even left Los Angeles, my security guard was physically assaulted, shot with a pellet gun and hit with projectiles. The intolerant left will not stop us. Gavin Newsom will be remembered. We will save California.

Elder continued to campaign on Wednesday and had several appearances scheduled for Thursday.