Police clash with unruly crowd outside film premiere in Los Angeles

At least two people were arrested on suspicion of vandalism and three police vehicles were damaged in the disturbances, which began at about 5:40 p.m. local time, when an unruly crowd, initially estimated at 1,000 people, were barred from attending a screening of "Electric Daisy Carnival Experience," a documentary about the music carnival of the same name, authorities said.

Several hundred people were throwing bottles and other objects outside the premiere of the rave film at the theater, police said.

Police shot at the crowds with bean bags and fires were lit by the crowd, but no injuries were reported, Los Angeles Police Department officer Karen Rayner said.

At 9 p.m. local time, police were still struggling to control the crowd and additional units were dispatched to the scene, she said.

Police closed Hollywood Boulevard between Highland and Orange avenues,Rayner said.

Insomniac Inc., the organizer behind the movie screening, issued a statement saying they were "disappointed that a small group of people would try to mar a private documentary screening."

The film event "was designed to highlight one of the largest and most prestigious music festivals in the world," said Pasquale Rotella, the chief executive officer of Insomniac.

"Unfortunately, a small group of people chose to disrupt the film's premiere due to their mistaken belief that a block party with a popular artist was going to occur," Rotella said.

See www.xinhuanet.com for full story.