U-Haul driver plows through LA protesters calling for change in Iranian government

U-Haul truck plows thru protesters

A U-Haul truck drove into a crowd of protesters demanding change in Iran.

LOS ANGELES - Shocking video on social media showed a U-Haul truck driving into a crowd of demonstrators in Los Angeles' Westwood area.

The Los Angeles Police Department responded to a call of the U-Haul truck crashing into a crowd of people marching near the Federal Building around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, January 11.

In the video, shared by @Shangoolans on social media, showed the U-Haul truck plowing into people flying Iranian flags, with screams heard in the background, people running out of the way, and a few people trying to retaliate by hitting the vehicle with flag poles.

FOX 11's Matthew Seedorff reports the incident left at least one person hurt, which ended up being the U-Haul driver.

LAPD announced later in the evening that the driver had since been detained.

The backstory:

According to event organizers prior to the incident, a demonstration was staged in Westwood as part of renewed calls for political change in Iran. Leading up to the scheduled Sunday demonstration, organizers said these rallies give Iranian Americans a chance to speak up and amplify voices for those demanding change in Iran – which includes calls for offsetting the country's economic crisis and ending human-rights violations.

What we don't know:

As of Sunday, officials are investigating the U-Haul driver's motive. Witnesses at the scene believe the suspect was there to counter the demonstrators.

Officials have not released the identity of the driver.