A 53-year-old man was arrested in Hancock Park, Los Angeles County, after allegedly pointing a gun at a protester outside his home. The incident occurred on January 23, when Mark Gallegos, a professional protester, dressed in a clown outfit, began posting leaflets on poles and palm trees near Paul Boettcher’s residence. Gallegos claimed to have been hired by former employees of Boettcher’s vegan restaurant, Real Food Daily, who alleged mistreatment and unpaid wages.
Gallegos, who has been practicing his craft since 2006, stated that he had received reports from employees who claimed they were owed significant amounts of money. In response, he decided to escalate his protest by targeting Boettcher’s neighborhood. Gallegos maintained that he stayed on the sidewalk and did not enter Boettcher’s property, asserting that he was exercising his First Amendment rights.
However, according to Gallegos, Boettcher emerged from his house brandishing a long gun and pointed it directly at him. Gallegos described feeling terrified and believed he was facing imminent danger. Video footage captured by Gallegos’ camera showed Boettcher approaching him with the gun. Gallegos alleged that Boettcher then struck him with a stick, causing him to fall to the ground. Another video showed Boettcher subsequently surrendering to the police.
Boettcher was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and later released on bail. The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office referred the case to the city attorney’s office to consider misdemeanor charges against Boettcher, although no charges have been filed at this time.
Gallegos has since filed a civil lawsuit against Boettcher, accusing him of battery, assault, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. His attorney, Hugo Salazar, emphasized the importance of protecting the right to peaceful protest.
This incident adds to Boettcher’s legal troubles, as he is currently involved in a separate lawsuit against his daughter, Adaline Hobbs. Boettcher alleges that Hobbs and her husband embezzled at least $500,000 from Real Food Daily over a period of 6½ years. The lawsuit claims that the embezzlement has left the business in financial distress, struggling to pay vendors and employees.
