More police cars are arriving. These are unmarked, new Lincolns, each carrying four men. They turn on the cross street, stop, open the trucks to take out equipment. There are plenty of gas grenade launchers in view. Face shields are down, batons are up.
Shotguns are at the ready.
An unmarked car, a brand new black Lincoln sedan, zips down Figueroa past the hall entrance, makes a U-turn. Arianna and her staff end the Gore Vidal chat in the truck and direct people back inside the building. A central corps of officers suddenly yells and thrusts hands in the air. The yell is repeated. So are the hand signals.