SANTA ANA (CNS) – Six men and one woman have been charged in connection with a clash between Ku Klux Klan members and counterprotesters in Anaheim in February, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced today. All of the defendants were identified as part of a group of protesters who showed up at a Klan rally in Pearson Park on Feb. 27. An Orange County chapter of the Klan publicized its plans to hold a rally in the park, but only seven of its members showed up. They were met by a group of 50 counterprotesters, some of whom immediately attacked the white supremacists, prosecutors alleged.
As some of the Klan members exited a sport-utility vehicle, Alexis Solis, 23, who is homeless, hurled a bottle at the SUV, prosecutors allege. Armando Ortiz, 22, of Santa Ana, is accused of pushing one Klan member down and kicking at him, prosecutors said. Solis allegedly punched that victim in the head, prosecutors said. Ortiz is also accused of attacking another Klan member, who was holding a small pocket knife, prosecutors said. Guy Harris, 20, of Anaheim, allegedly jumped into the attack on the Klan member, who was punched multiple times in the head, prosecutors said.
The knife-wielding victim stabbed Ortiz once under his armpit in a move prosecutors said was self-defense. Harris wrestled the victim to the ground and sustained a cut in the arm as he tried to yank the knife away, prosecutors alleged. Another suspect, who is still at-large, allegedly ran up to the victim and punched him in the head, prosecutors said. Another Klan member, who was using a flagpole to keep his accused attackers at bay, had a sign thrown at him by a counterprotester, prosecutors said.
The SUV’s driver sped off with the Klan member who had the flagpole chasing after it, trailed by the counterprotesters, prosecutors said. Randy Felder, 26, of Lakewood, allegedly shoved the man to the ground, and as the so-called mob surrounded him the unidentified suspect kicked the victim in the head, prosecutors said.
A bystander helped the Klan member to safety as unified police joined plainclothes officers at the scene to restore order, prosecutors said. Mark Liddell, 26, of Los Angeles, is accused of punching one Klan member in the head and knocking him down, prosecutors said. Nicole Schop, 24, of Los Angeles, and Hugo Contreras, 28, of Hawthorne, were accused of running away from police and refusing to surrender, prosecutors said. The defendants are all charged with various misdemeanors. An arraignment date was set for July 28 for Contreras, Felder, Liddell and Schop. Arrest warrants have been issued for Harris, Ortiz, and Solis.