Protester Sam Grocott says he was hit by a silver BMW during a protest march that stopped traffic on Highway 101 in San Luis Obispo on Tuesday.
“I feel like he assaulted me with his car, so I want what can be done about it to be done,” Grocott said.
He says the BMW driver was shouting profanity at protesters, telling them to get off the road and drive down the shoulder of the road.
“And then I decided to hit the ground and that’s when I ended up with his hood gripped next to the windshield wipers as other protesters gathered to stop him, so I didn’t suffer serious injuries,” Grocott explained.
Videos circulating on social media, which KSBY has seen but cannot share due to copyright laws, show part of the incident.
On Wednesday, the California Highway Patrol posted on Facebook, seeking to identify two protesters who investigators said attacked the vehicle.
“One of them jumped onto the hood of the vehicle,” said Capt. Greg Klingenberg, CHP San Luis Obispo area commander. “The other, after the gentleman jumped off the hood of the vehicle, the vehicle had a path to leave the area and when they were leaving, another person took her skateboard and hit the rear window of the vehicle as she was leaving.”
CHP says pieces of glass fell on a four-year-old boy in the back seat.
“As you could certainly understand, having your family in the car, you wouldn’t want to sit there among these people who are taking these kinds of actions,” said Captain Klingenberg.
“I think a car hit me, but I would get a bullet, any day I would get hit by any of these people because this is my family, these are the people I love,” said Grocott. “We need equality. We need justice. We need people to be accountable. We just need things to change.”
The CHP and the San Luis Obispo Police Department told KSBY that they support the peaceful protests, but that Tuesday’s protest was neither safe nor legal.
“These are people that I consider family members and these are people that I love and I am a very protective person and would rather hurt myself than see someone else hurt,” Grocott added.
The CHP continues to investigate the car incident. Officials say the family involved is now receiving threats.
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