A man was charged with the attempted murder of Los Angeles police officers during a protest against the Roe v Wade decision on Friday night, the New York Post reported, citing police.
30-year-old Michael Ortiz is accused of throwing a makeshift flame thrower at a police officer, who was later treated for burns.
A young woman, 23-year-old Juliana Bernado, for her part, is accused of trying to steal an officer's baton.
“I condemn the violence against officers that occurred last night and into today... Individuals participating in such criminal activity are not exercising their 1st Amendment rights in protest of the Supreme Court decision. Rather, they are acting as criminals...The Department will vigorously pursue prosecution of these individuals," Chief Michel Moore said, quoted by the New York Post.
On Friday, the US Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade decision which granted women the right to abortion. Now, abortion rights will be determined by each state individually. This sparked mass protests in different parts of the country, with people expressing their outrage over the court's decision which, according to many - including President Joe Biden - "has moved the nation back 150 years".