7 Officers Hurt by Bottle-Throwing Rock Fans

Seven officers received minor injuries early Saturday morning when punk rock fans leaving a concert at the Olympic Auditorium pelted them with bottles, police said.

After a concert featuring such groups as the Agnostic Front and the Exploited ended about 12:30 a.m., some of the estimated 700 in attendance began throwing bottles at passing cars. “When officers moved in to stop people from attacking innocent bystanders on Grand Avenue, the punk rockers changed their target to the police officers and the battle was on,” Sgt. Robert Griffin said.

Two people were arrested in connection with the incident. The most serious injury sustained by a police officer was a broken finger; the others received minor cuts, Griffin said.

Police were on the scene because of an earlier bottle-throwing incident during the concert. “When the crowd was let out it continued and escalated,” Griffin said.