From ABC7.com: WESTWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Chaos erupted after a driver allegedly plowed a U-Haul into a crowd during an anti-Iranian regime rally near the federal building in Westwood on Sunday afternoon.
As AIR7 arrived at the scene shortly before 3:30 p.m., a large group of people was seen surrounding the U-Haul. Some protesters were seen smashing windows, with tensions quickly escalating.
Eventually, law enforcement at the scene pulled a man from the U-Haul and appeared to take him into custody. As police walked the man away, some protesters were seen trying to punch him and hit him with flag poles.
Eyewitness News later learned that the man allegedly drove the U-Haul into the crowd during the planned protest. Video from the ground shows the moment he drove through, angering the crowd.
A sign is seen attached to the side of the U-Haul truck that reads, “NO SHAH, no regime. USA, don’t repeat 1953. No Mullah.”
Iranians reportedly want exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi to take over as leader of their country. He is the son of the former Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
As to the 1953 reference, Wikipedia writes: On 19 August 1953, Prime Minister of Iran Mohammad Mosaddegh was overthrown in a coup d’état orchestrated by the United States (CIA) and the United Kingdom (MI6). A key motive was to protect British oil interests in Iran after Mossadegh nationalized and refused to concede to western oil demands.
NOW 🔴
A U Haul truck drove into Iranian protesters in Los Angeles, injuring several people pic.twitter.com/XkVqcFUQfb
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) January 11, 2026
The angry crowd tried to take care of the U-Haul driver themselves, and at least one person was seen jumping up on top of the hood and smashing the windshield.
The U Haul driver who rammed Iranian demonstrators in Los Angeles pic.twitter.com/kGc6brKBWg
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) January 12, 2026
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, there were no major injuries, and no ambulances were called. Police said two people were evaluated at the scene but declined medical treatment.
Police took the driver into custody, but have not yet released his identity.
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U-Haul drives into crowd during anti-Iranian regime rally in Westwood, LAPD says
https://t.co/RiOBmARaaD— Greg Todd 🗳️ (@GregTodd_) January 12, 2026
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