After the incident involving an armed man allegedly claiming to be a U.S. Marshal, Mr. Kennedy Jr. renewed his call for Secret Service protection.LOS ANGELES—An armed man was arrested by police at an event attended by Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Photos provided to The Epoch Times show the man, who was wearing a shirt with “EMS” on the back, being held in handcuffs by police officers outside the event venue in Los Angeles on Friday afternoon. Multiple police vehicles were at the sceneA man is taken into police custody outside an event where Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was scheduled to speak at Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles on Sept. 15, 2023. (Provided to The Epoch Times)
Mr. Kennedy Jr. was scheduled to speak at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre, located at 4401 West 8th Street, to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. The event was held at 4–8 p.m. PT.
The Los Angeles Police Department told The Epoch Times it received a call at around 4:30 p.m. reporting that a male was in front of the event venue with “a badge on their lapel, a gun, and a shoulder holster, and claimed to be a U.S. Marshal.”
A spokesperson for Mr. Kennedy Jr. confirmed the incident to The Epoch Times. Mr. Kennedy Jr. had not arrived at the venue yet when the incident occurred.
According to the LAPD, the man reportedly claimed to be employed for the event, but he wasn’t recognized by the security staff.
A written note provided by an LAPD officer on the scene to a representative of the campaign, and obtained by The Epoch Times, states: “Male imp. fed. agent w/ handgun and ammo exposed … claimed to be employed for event, but wasn’t recognized by sec.”
An LAPD spokesperson further told The Epoch Times Friday night that the FBI might take over the investigation and that further details of potential charges are unavailable until the suspect is officially booked.
Mr. Kennedy Jr. expressed on Friday night his gratitude for the prompt action taken by the event’s security team and the police to ensure his safety.
“Armed GDBA team members moved quickly to isolate and detain the man until LAPD arrived to make the arrest. I’m also grateful to LAPD for its rapid response,” he wrote.
Requests for Protection
In July, Mr. Kennedy Jr. said his request for Secret Service protection was denied by the White House.
“Since the assassination of my father in 1968, candidates for president are provided Secret Service protection,” Mr. Kennedy Jr. wrote on social media platform X, formerly Twitter. “But not me.”
The U.S. Secret Service, according to its website, only provides protection to presidential candidates starting 120 days prior to the general election, which means Mr. Kennedy Jr. won’t be eligible for protection until July 2024.
Mr. Kennedy Jr.’s father, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, was assassinated in 1968 at a hotel during his presidential campaign in Los Angeles. After the assassination, the U.S. Secret Service expanded its protection coverage to presidential and vice presidential candidates, according to its website.
