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HUNTINGTON BEACH — A “Make America Great Again” march in support of President Donald Trump drew about 1,000 people to Bolsa Chica State Beach, including protesters.

The event was a sea of American flags and the red MAGA hats popular in Trump’s campaign. At one point, a fight broke out and a few marchers were pepper sprayed by a protester. Several people were arrested. But the incident was over quickly and the march resumed.

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“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, adding, “I don’t blame Trump for the failure of the health care bill.”

The march was billed as a kid-friendly family-oriented event. But it was held at a time when strong disagreements have led to confrontations between Trump supporters and detractors.

Eric Sewell, who supports Trump, was more interested in having a dialogue than a heated dispute.

“I wanted to come here to talk, not to have fights on the street,” he 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,” he said. “Fighting was not on my mind.”

The march, one of several around the nation, began at Warner Avenue and PCH, and extended along a two-mile stretch of the bike path.

At one point, about 10 organizers stood across the bike path, creating a human wall to stop the march. The marchers either pushed through or walked around them.

The clash was immediately documented on social media.

John Beaman, a 54-year-old Trump supporter from Tustin, said he and other marchers were trying to peacefully proceed when things got heated.

He said a masked protester pepper sprayed a woman. Soon after that, Beaman said, a crowd bearing American flags chased the protester into a parking lot. The protester jumped over a fence and was arrested.

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

Jordan Hoiberg from Newport Beach said the protester wielded the 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 counter protest 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.

Andrea Casella of Long Beach, one of the marchers, said Trump fights for every cause she believes in.

“For eight years I sucked it up,” she 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 said he’s not discouraged by the administration’s health care defeat.

“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.”

The local “Make America Great Again” march coincides with a nationwide effort.