U-Haul Driver Claims No Intent to Harm During Protest Incident

The driver of a U-Haul truck, which drove through protesters in Los Angeles against the Iranian regime on Sunday, stated that he waved at police but had no intention of injuring anyone. Karol Madanesht, aged 48, was taken into custody by the Los Angeles Police on charges of reckless driving following the incident.

“I never meant to hit anyone,” Madanesht asserted and expressed that he thought he was being directed to join the protest. However, he alleged that members of a pro-Shah group began to attack him.

“I really feared for my life,” he shared, mentioning that some protesters helped create a path for him to escape in his vehicle. “As you can see in the video, they told me, ‘Go, go,’ and they cleared the way.”

Online footage appeared to show the U-Haul speeding through a crowded area while people were seen yelling. A banner on the truck proclaimed, “NO SHAH. NO REGIME. USA: Don’t Repeat 1953. NO MULLAH.”

Madanesht emphasized, “All I want is peace and human rights for all Iranians and minorities.”

When he stopped the vehicle, Madanesht claimed he was attacked, showing visible wounds including a bandaged hand, a cut on his ear, and bruises on his face.

Another video snippet displayed a crowd surrounding the truck, with individuals shouting at him and even attempting to smash the windows. One protester allegedly struck the truck with a flagpole.

During an interview, two male protesters recounted the event. “They kept beating him,” one man named Mehdi stated. “They broke the windows and beat the truck. He has a right to free speech.”

One individual doubted Madanesht’s assertion that a police officer had waved him onto the streets filled with protesters.

Yet, in his defense, Madanesht maintained that his aim was peaceful involvement in the protests and expressed gratitude towards the police for their presence. “I came peacefully and collaborated with the LAPD, and I’m truly thankful to them,” he said. “They deserve high praise for risking their lives to save me.”

The protests develop amid ongoing tensions in Iran, where demonstrations sparked by economic issues have escalated into a wider challenge to the clerical regime. According to reports from the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), over 18,470 arrests have been recorded alongside 2,615 confirmed deaths as a result of human rights violations in Iran, including 2,435 protesters, among whom were 13 children.