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JAN. 2, 2018, 2:13 P.M.

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Governor's race

JAN. 14, 2018, 2:45 P.M.

Protestors gather at Gavin Newsom town hall event in Los Angeles

Phil Willon and

Marcus Yam

A small group of protesters gathered outside a Gavin Newsom town hall event in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday where they banged on a door and demanded to be let in.

Arthur Schaper, a well-known agitator who frequently leads pro-Trump protests outside the speaking engagements of Democratic elected officials, was among the protesters. The Los Angeles Police Department was called to control the crowd.

Newsom campaign spokesman Nathan Click said the event, which was hosted by several area Democratic clubs, was not organized by the lieutenant governor’s gubernatorial campaign. Campaign volunteers at the event said the protesters had bullhorns and were criticizing those inside for aiding immigrants who entered the country illegally, he said.

“The Democratic event where Gavin is speaking was disrupted by Trump and anti-immigrant protesters, but we aren’t going to apologize for supporting ‘Dreamers,’ ‘sanctuary’ protections or our immigrant families,” Click said.

The protesters confronted Newsom when he left the event around 3:20 p.m. and walked toward a waiting SUV. Newsom climbed inside and was driven away.