HUNTINGTON BEACH – A “Make America Great Again” march in support of President Trump drew about 2,000 people to Bolsa Chica State Beach on Saturday, March 25, including a group of about 30 protesters whose presence triggered a violent melee at the start of the event.

As the marchers, many in MAGA hats or carrying American flags, walked down the bike path from Pacific Coast Highway and Warner Avenue, about a dozen protesters wearing black masks formed a wall blocking them.

The situation got ugly and lasted for about a half hour; after much yelling, shoving, pushing and punching, some protesters pepper-sprayed a group of marchers.

Four protesters were arrested, California State Parks Police Capt. Kevin Pearsall said.

But the march went on.

March organizers said they had been hoping for peace. Many had brought their children.

“I’m not just here in support of Trump, but our vets, military, police officers and emergency responders,” said Darlene Savord of Tustin, one of the organizers.

She later called the event “a huge, huge success,” and dismissed the violence.

“We had a lot of Trump supporters here, which shows that we are united,” she said.

Several marchers stopped to talk to protesters. Some of those conversations were loud and angry; others were peaceful.

Eric Sewell, who supports Trump, said he attended the march to have a dialogue with the dissenters.

“I wanted to come here to talk, not to have fights on the street,” Sewell said. “Not everyone on the right is a hater.”

Some of the protesters wore black masks to avoid being identified on social media. But Christian Cole of Irvine removed his mask to talk to Sewell.

“I came here to hold a sign, play some music and win some hearts,” Cole said. “Fighting was not on my mind.”

The march, among several held around the nation, extended along a two-mile stretch of the bike path.

The melee left Trump supporters like 54-year-old John Beaman of Tustin disheartened.

“This is frustrating because we are trying to claim the higher ground here,” Beaman said.

Jordan Hoiberg from Newport Beach said he saw a protester wield pepper spray in self-defense.

“We were expecting it to be more peaceful,” said Hoiberg, a member of the Socialist Party USA, one of the protest organizers. “We were not about to start something when we are 10 people and they are a thousand. That would be suicidal.”

The Trump-resistant Indivisible OC 48, meanwhile, released a statement saying they would not join any counterprotest to the MAGA march at Bolsa Chica.

“Indivisible OC 48 believes that the most effective way to combat an agenda built on discrimination and divisiveness is to focus on our own positive and peaceful political actions, and not to engage in confrontations with other citizens exercising their rights to free speech,” the group said.

The Indivisibles have been calling on Republican Congress members nationwide to hold town hall meetings so they can express concerns with Trump’s policies and appointments.

At the Bolsa Chica event, some marchers carried a banner displaying swastikas, and another man held a sign containing an anti-semitic slur. Some of the protesters jeered them.

Pro-Trump marcher Tim Morris of Northridge said he cringed when he saw the swastikas. “These guys don’t represent all of us,” he said.

Those pepper sprayed included Jennifer Sterling, one of the march organizers.

In all, three male protesters were charged with felony illegal use of pepper spray while one woman was booked on suspicion of misdemeanor assault and battery, he said. Two other protesters were detained but not arrested, Pearsall said. Their names were not released.

Two people suffered small cuts that didn’t require any treatment, but no other injuries were reported, he said.

OTHER MARCHES

The local march coincided with a nationwide effort with marches in about 40 cities across 33 states.

In Hollywood, about 100 pro-Trump marchers waded down Hollywood Boulevard to rally around Trump’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star. At least one kneeled to kiss the brass “Trump” etched in the sidewalk terrazzo.

A fistfight broke out along the sidewalk when a man grabbed a Trump supporter’s hat. Los Angeles police on bikes arrested two men for possible assault.

In Philadelphia, the march was delayed by two hours by protesters, but a few dozen Trump supporters eventually marched near Independence Hall, The Philadephia Inquirer reported.

In the Jersey Shore, the rally drew more than 2,000, and was mostly peaceful except for a brief scuffle with protesters who showed up with signs opposing the president’s proposed border wall, The Associated Press reported.

In Lubbock, Texas, the march was peaceful with participants walking from the city’s Civic Center to the County Courthouse, according to the news website EverythingLubbock.com.

About 250 people rallied in downtown Phoenix, the Arizona Republic said.

SUPPORTERS SPEAK OUT

Some marchers in Huntington Beach, like Andrea Casella, said they came to support Trump because he fights for the causes in which they believe.

“For eight years I sucked it up,” the Long Beach resident said, referring to Barack Obama. “And now we actually have our president.”

She was unfazed by the investigations into the Trump administration’s ties with Russia, calling it a “smokescreen.” And in her view, Trump is respectful to all groups, including women.

“He has more women in high positions than anyone else,” she said.

Some MAGA marchers wore t-shirts saying, “Deplorable lives matter,” a reference to a description Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton used to refer to Trump supporters during the presidential campaign.

“We need balance in our country and the best way is to unite under one leadership,” said Irvine resident Mario Medina, who was wearing a Trump t-shirt. “He’s not a politician, that’s what I like about him.”

Medina and others said they were not discouraged by the administration’s health care defeat. Republicans on Friday pulled the bill meant to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

“There’s going to be bumps along the road,” he said. “Obamacare is going to go down and ruin a lot of lives. If anyone is going to fix Obamacare, President Trump is the man to do it.”

Here’s how the events shaped up around the country: