Angry nightclub patrons tossed rocks, bottles and other trash at police in response to their closure of the Avalon Hollywood on Vine Street for overcrowding, authorities said.
Los Angeles police started calling in extra officers about midnight to deal with the overcrowding situation at 1735 Vine St., said Sgt. D. Martin of the Hollywood Station.
At one point, several hundred people squared off against about 100 helmeted riot police, a news video cameraman at the scene reported.
As of 1:30 a.m., at least seven people were arrested and no serious injuries were reported, Los Angeles police at the scene told On Scene.
The names of the arrestees and their pending charges were not immediately available.
The venue for Avalon Hollywood, just north of Hollywood Boulevard, is licensed to hold 1,200 guests but there were about 2,000 people there, Martin said.
“Typical Hollywood club strategy to make money,” Martin said.
Officials with Avalon Hollywood could not be reached for comment.
The Los Angeles Fire Department was summoned just after 11 p.m. Friday to do an on-site inspection for overcrowding, an LAFD dispatch supervisor said.
The incident did not rise to the level of a tactical alert or an officer in need of assistance call, Martin said.
