Category: CNN Regional

By Austin Turner, Dean Fioresi

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    LOS ANGELES (KCAL, KCBS) — Multiple people were arrested after a “No Kings” rally took to downtown Los Angeles city streets on Saturday, marking the third round of such protests in recent months in which demonstrators voiced their displeasure with policies set forth by the Trump administration.

Organizers said that as many as 50,000 were expected to be on hand in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon. That rally and subsequent march were set for 2 p.m. at Gloria Molina Grand Park, just outside City Hall.

As the rally continued downtown on Saturday, Los Angeles Police Department officers told CBS LA that the city was on “tactical alert” and that a dispersal order was issued just after 5:30 p.m., urging people on Alameda between Aliso and Temple to leave the area within 15 minutes or be subject to arrest.

They said that “multiple demonstrators” failed to disperse and were being taken into custody at around 6 p.m. At the same time, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli also posted on social media to note that federal agents have “started arresting those who assaulted our personnel at the Los Angeles courthouse.”

“To those who were smashing concrete blocks and throwing them at our officers, we have you on video,” Essayli’s post said. “We will find you and arrest you too. You’ve been warned.”

A social media post from the Department of Homeland Security said that two federal officers were hit by cement blocks and required medical care. They also said that two people were arrested for assaulting federal law enforcement, which is a felony.

The tactical alert was lifted at around 8 p.m., after police had cleared most of the demonstrators from the area.

The rallies, which organizers described as choosing “democracy over dictatorship,” began last June and were held again in October. Saturday, the first nationally-planned demonstration since the January killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of federal agents in Minnesota, was expected to be the largest showing yet, organizers say.

“A lot of people want to help, they just don’t know where to start,” said 50501 SoCal organizer Emily Williams. “No Kings is that starting point. It’s about community, about showing up for each other, and about turning concern into real action you can be part of.”

President Trump and other members of Republican leadership have dismissed prior “No Kings” rallies. In October, he told Fox News that he’s simply “not a king,” while House Speaker Mike Johnson referred to the protests as a “Hate America Rally.”

“You’re going to bring together the Marxists, the Socialists, the Antifa advocates, the anarchists and the pro-Hamas wing of the far-left Democrat Party,” he said.

Crews on Friday installed gates on the 101 Freeway on and off-ramps at Los Angeles Street in anticipation of the large-scale march. A Caltrans spokesperson said the California Highway Patrol requested the gates, since the freeway has been impacted by past marches.

“During previous protest activities, this location has seen pedestrians walk onto the highway using these ramps, creating unsafe conditions for pedestrians and motorists,” the spokesperson wrote in an email. “They will be used only as needed to ensure people are out of harm’s way of fast-moving vehicles and motorists can safely use the highway.”

In both previous instances in downtown LA, dispersal orders have been issued well after the scheduled end time for the marches, resulting in numerous arrests.

In a statement to X, Mayor Karen Bass called the planned protest “democracy in action.”

“Peaceful protest is our constitutional right,” she said. “When people come together to make their voices heard, that is democracy in action. Please stay safe and look out for one another.”

Thousands of rallies are planned across the country, including several dozens in Southern California.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Gabriela Vidal, Jesse Sarles

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    DENVER (KCNC) — A Colorado veteran embarked on an unusual walk on Friday in an effort to boost the spirits TSA workers who have been working under difficult circumstances for more than a month.

Air Force vet Big Tony walked from a starting point near I-25 all the way to Denver International Airport, which covered more than 20 miles. He departed during the day on Friday with a large American flag draped over his shoulder and was escorted by a Denver police car for part of the way. He kept at it overnight and didn’t complete the walk until Saturday morning.

“I walk (each) mile to get a feel for what they’re going through,” he said.

When he arrived, he gave those Transportation Security Administration workers donated gift cards, food and other items that he purchased with money he raised through the walk.

TSA workers have been doing their jobs without pay for more than 40 days during a partial government shutdown.

“People don’t understand the magnitude of this shutdown,” said Big T.

The shutdown is still in effect, but late Friday President Trump signed an executive action to pay those workers, saying the situation at U.S. airports that has been going on threatens the nation’s security and rises to the level of an emergency. Workers with TSA will begin to get paid at the start of this current workweek as a result.

Even with that update, Big T says the workers still face numerous challenges.

“Their credit is shot. Once they miss a payment on their car or their house or mortgage, whatever, how are you going to recover a 750 FICO score that’s going to go down into the toilet?” he said.

During his walk, Big T told a CBS Colorado news crew that while it was long, it wasn’t lonely thanks to organizations and businesses who donated to his cause. That includes an auto shop that has been providing necessary service to TSA workers’ vehicles for free.

“As Americans, we hate to see people being taken advantage of,” he said.

Big T said he is raising awareness for the TSA workers’ plight because he knows many used to be in the military prior to joining the agency.

“We’re not going to leave a veteran out there stranded through no fault of their own,” he said.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Ubah Ali

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    MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A University of St. Thomas student was killed in a hit-and-run crash just steps from her home in Minneapolis early Sunday.

Seham Hassen was a 22-year-old senior pursuing a bachelor’s degree in public health. She was set to graduate in May.

Seham Hassen was more than a student. She was a daughter, sister, friend, aunt and someone who touched many lives.

Family and friends say they had just returned home from Eid celebrations when the fatal crash happened. Seham Hassen was known for her kindness, faith and deep love for her family.

“She was a beautiful soul that lived a beautiful life,” said her friend Aisha Yusuf.

According to the Minneapolis Police Department, Hassen had been crossing Marshall Street Northeast near 16th Avenue Northeast just after 3 a.m. when she was struck by a vehicle at high speed.

Police are asking for the public’s help in finding the driver of the vehicle believed to have hit her.

The suspect vehicle is described by law enforcement as a silver or gray four-door sedan. It’s expected to have damage to the front left portion of the vehicle, including a buckled hood, a downward-facing left headlight and a missing driver-side mirror.

“I don’t know what the person [driver] is doing right now, eating, sleeping, living their life while we are in pain, shock and grieving,” said Seham Hassen’s older sister, Gudon Hassen.

Seham Hassen’s roommates say the stretch of Marshall Street in front of their home is known for speeding vehicles. They hope changes can be made to calm traffic and prevent another tragedy.

Hennepin County leaders say there have been several studies to reconstruct parts of Marshall Street to improve safety along the corridor. Officials anticipate construction to start in 2028.

Family and friends say the pain they feel is unimaginable, but they are determined to see justice served.

“We will do everything we can to find justice for her, even if it takes us years,” Gudon Hassen said. “We will never forget.”

The family has started an online fundraiser.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Minneapolis Police Department at 612-673-5845 or email them. Anonymous tips can be made to Crime Stoppers of Minnesota by calling 1-800-222-8477 or through the organization’s website.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Monique John

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    ATLANTA (WUPA) — The start of 2026 has been a series of unfortunate events for Michelle Harris and her family.

In January, the mother of five lost her human resources position at Aldi as the company made massive cuts. Then her husband got a job offer in Atlanta, requiring their family to move from California. That job offer was rescinded right after they relocated.

She says her family has never seen such hard times.

“Never. Never. And we’ve been together for 10 years,” Harris said.

Her husband sprang into action, becoming an Uber driver, making deliveries, and working for a local gym. They’ve both been looking for jobs. However, because nothing has materialized, Harris is making plans to become an egg donor and a surrogate mother. She hopes to make as much as $80,000, just enough to dig her family out of a financial hole.

“It wasn’t even a second thought,” Harris said. “And pregnancy was not easy. And I am a woman over 40, so it really isn’t easy. But they were okay to accept people, I think until 45.”

She said she’s already submitted a request for the program to receive her medical records and see what happens afterward.

“By any means necessary,” she said.

Harris says she’s hardly keeping it together.

“My little kids go to sleep at 7:30, and I can barely make it down the stairs sometimes,” she said.

Harris is just one of many taking big steps to bring in income while being unable to find work, like donating plasma, visiting foodbanks, and using forms of rental assistance.

After reaching out for support in an online moms group, Harris has been overwhelmed by the response. Dozens of people have been messaging her, sharing their own stories of grappling with unemployment. Others have reached out with job leads and offered to share her and her husband’s resumes. She says she’s appreciated the solidarity she’s been forming with other people dealing with hardship.

“Even though I may break down and be overwhelmed, I can still turn to my faith and know that this will be a testimony for me to tell someone else years down the line,” Harris said.

She hopes to be actively donating eggs or serving as a surrogate by this summer.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By John Dias

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    NEW YORK (WCBS) — The “No Kings” protest in New York City on Saturday is drawing demonstrators from across the Tri-State Area, and causing street closures and traffic delays in Midtown Manhattan.

A group started gathering at Columbus Circle and Central Park South before the march at 2 p.m., when they started walking down Seventh Avenue and Broadway, through Times Square and to 34th Street.

The NYPD said Seventh Avenue from 59th Street to 34th is closed to vehicle traffic due to the demonstration. Additionally, 34th Street between Eighth Avenue and Sixth is closed.

The DOT did not announce any weekend road closures prior to the “No Kings” march.

More “No Kings” rallies are being held Saturday in cities across the country, including Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles and St. Paul, Minnesota.

Organizers said they’re planning to protest against the Trump administration’s use of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, amid Congress’s battle over funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

CBS News New York reached out to the White House for a statement on Saturday’s demonstrations in New York and across the country.

“The only people who care about these Trump Derangement Therapy Sessions are the reporters who are paid to cover them,” a White House spokesperson said.

Saturday’s event will mark the third “No Kings” march in New York City after rallies in June and October last year each drew tens of thousands of participants.

Protesters at the most recent march held signs and flags reading “America was built by immigrants,” and “We don’t bow to billionaires.”

The NYPD said over 100,000 people marched peacefully across the five boroughs and reported zero arrests at the October march.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Nicky Zizaza

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    MARYLAND (WJZ) — A Maryland college student is sharing his story after a traumatic crash that nearly cost him his life.

Owen Bell, a 20-year-old Bucknell University wrestler, is now back in school following a long recovery. Months ago, his future was uncertain.

“It was only me in the car. I was about a mile away from my house. I was going to a wrestling clinic,” Bell said.

Near-fatal car crash

On July 28, 2024, Bell lost control of his car while driving above the speed limit.

“I was going 65 in a 40, and I ended up losing control a little bit, and I actually got impacted with a fence post that was on the side of the road,” Bell said.

A fence post crashed through his windshield and struck the frontal lobe of his brain.

“One of the posts went through the windshield and impacted me right on the frontal lobe,” Bell explained.

He was airlifted to the University of Maryland Medical Center, where he underwent hours of surgery to save his life after he suffered skull and facial fractures.

“They did surgeries on me, they pretty much saved my life here,” he said.

Recovering from a brain injury

What followed was a long and difficult recovery that included physical, occupational and speech therapy.

“Pretty much any therapy you can think of,” Bell said.

In the early stages of Bell’s recovery, basic questions were hard to answer.

“Some therapists would ask me what day it was, what the date was. I couldn’t remember any of that,” he said.

Bell said he still cannot fully remember the crash.

“I remember a lot before the accident, that day is a little hard to remember, a lot of that memory is kind of wiped out,” he said.

Lasting impacts

Over time, Bell has made steady progress, though his recovery is ongoing.

“With my brain injury, with the frontal lobe and everything, definitely more impulsive, so there are problems with that,” he said. “I know my family let me know about that; I’m still recovering from that.”

Experts say this is common.

“Brain injuries are as unique as a fingerprint. Where your brain was affected, which lobe, and how that manifests is just as unique as your own personality,” said Samantha Adams, President of the Brain Injury Association of Maryland and a neurotrauma critical care nurse.

Adams said recovery timelines vary and may continue over time.

“Individuals can continue to improve or deteriorate as time goes on,” Adams said.

She also noted that many lasting symptoms of brain injuries are not visible.

“It’s difficult with brain injury because a lot of the symptoms that do last are not necessarily outward,” Adams said. “When it’s difficult to see, it’s difficult to understand by the public.”

Now back at school, Bell said his experience has inspired a new path. He is pursuing a biology degree with the goal of becoming a physical therapist.

“When I went through all that rehab and therapy, I got a passion into physical therapy,” he said. “I recognized that I could be a biology major, and at the end of my schooling, I could have a job as a physical therapist, and I really love that.”

Bell is now using his story to raise awareness by speaking to teens and advocating for brain injury education.

His message is simple: Recovery can take time, and for many survivors, the journey lasts a lifetime.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.