A U-Haul truck drove through a street packed with demonstrators during an anti-Iran regime rally in Westwood on Sunday afternoon, scattering people and triggering a frantic chase before officers stopped the vehicle several blocks away and detained the driver, authorities said.
The incident unfolded outside the Westwood Federal Building during a regularly permitted demonstration that had drawn hundreds of people. Witness videos showed the box truck pushing into a crowd as marchers scrambled onto sidewalks. Fire crews evaluated at least two people at the scene; both declined hospital transport, officials said. Los Angeles police issued a dispersal order as tensions spiked when some protesters surrounded the truck after it stopped. The motive was not immediately known, and investigators said they were reviewing footage, interviewing witnesses and examining the truck as part of a criminal probe into possible assault with a deadly weapon using a vehicle.
Witness clips posted online captured the U-Haul edging, then surging forward into a lane occupied by marchers near Wilshire Boulevard and Veteran Avenue shortly after the rally turned into a march. People banged on the sides of the truck and waved at the driver to stop as others jumped clear. The truck’s windshield and side mirrors appeared damaged by the time officers boxed it in on a nearby side street. “No serious injuries were reported; the driver has been detained and the investigation is ongoing,” police said. By late afternoon, officers guided remaining demonstrators away from the intersection and reopened traffic on nearby blocks.
Officials said one person was struck and treated at the scene. Two people were evaluated by paramedics and declined additional care. The driver, whose name was not released, was taken into custody for questioning. Police did not immediately say whether alcohol or drugs were suspected. As officers set up crime-scene tape, investigators collected debris and photographed tire paths along a corridor where marchers had been walking within minutes of the incident. The demonstration—organized by members of Los Angeles’ large Iranian diaspora—had been peaceful until the truck appeared, according to participants who remained on the sidewalk as first responders arrived. A flyer for the rally listed the federal building as the staging site, and organizers used bullhorns to keep people back while police formed a skirmish line to prevent clashes around the stopped truck.
Los Angeles hosts frequent rallies tied to unfolding events in Iran, where rights groups and activists have documented deadly crackdowns on dissent over the past several years. Westwood, home to UCLA and the federal complex, is a common gathering point for the area’s Iranian American community. Sunday’s crowd brought national slogans and flags; some participants carried placards naming detainees and victims. The truck drew immediate attention not only because of its size but also because it moved into an area demonstrators believed was protected from through traffic during the rally. Afterward, city staff said the Department of Transportation and LAPD would review the traffic-control plan and whether additional barricades or officers had been requested for the march segment.
Police commanders said the investigation would focus on the driver’s route into the crowd, any verbal exchanges captured on video, and the moment the vehicle accelerated into marchers. Detectives planned to pull security video from nearby buildings, review social media posts and trace the U-Haul’s rental records to identify who leased it and when. Investigators will also examine whether objects thrown by bystanders contributed to the smashed glass or whether damage occurred as the crowd tried to stop the truck. As is standard in cases involving vehicles and pedestrians, collision investigators will create a diagram showing distances, speeds and line-of-sight factors. If intent to harm is established, prosecutors could consider felony assault with a deadly weapon; if negligence is found, lesser counts could apply. No charges had been filed as of Sunday evening.
Most of the rally took place along the north side of Wilshire Boulevard near the federal building lawn, with volunteer marshals guiding crosswalks. Marchers said they were turning east toward Westwood Boulevard when the truck entered the flow of people. After the driver was detained, officers issued a dispersal order to cool tempers when several dozen people surrounded the truck, shouting as they recorded. The crowd thinned quickly. By about 5 p.m., roughly 100 people remained in the area as police reopened intersections in stages and traffic crept past barricades. Ambulances were staged nearby but left without transports once evaluations were complete, according to the fire department.
Large-vehicle incursions at demonstrations are rare but draw a heavy response when they occur, both for public safety and to prevent clashes that can follow. Los Angeles has updated crowd-control practices in recent years to include more fixed barriers on arterial streets and to coordinate lane closures with march organizers. On Sunday, officers directed motorists off Wilshire while the investigation got underway, then escorted a tow truck to remove the U-Haul for evidence processing. City engineers will review whether additional hard closures would have prevented a vehicle from entering the route where marchers traveled between curb lines. The review typically results in a memo circulated among police, transportation officials and event organizers before future rallies at the same location.
Organizers spent the evening checking on participants and sharing incident numbers for those who planned to give statements. A volunteer marshal said groups had designated water stations and legal observers before the march began and used handheld radios to coordinate when the truck appeared. Nearby businesses reported a brief surge of people seeking shelter as the U-Haul rolled through the intersection; some huddled in doorways until the all-clear. A manager at a corner café said the shop locked its door for several minutes while the skirmish line formed, then reopened once officers moved the remaining crowd to the sidewalk. The manager said normal business resumed by sunset as traffic returned to Wilshire.
As night fell, detectives remained at the scene marking scuff points, collecting fragments of glass and mapping where the crowd had been standing. The detained driver was expected to be booked or released pending further investigation after an interview with detectives. Investigators asked witnesses to preserve original video files and said they would coordinate with media outlets that captured clearer angles of the truck’s movements. Officials did not release the driver’s age or hometown and said they were not immediately aware of prior police contacts. The rally’s organizers said they would announce future events after a debrief and expressed relief that injuries were limited.
By late Sunday, police said the street had reopened and the crowd had dispersed. The investigation continued into the driver’s actions and intent, and the department said it would provide updates on any arrests or charges at a briefing early this week.
Author note: Last updated January 11, 2026.