'We'll Save California': Larry Elder Attacked on the Street by Woman in Gorilla Mask

California's Republican gubernatorial candidate Larry Elder had to cut his campaign event short in Venice after a woman was seen hurling an egg and slurs at him in a gorilla mask as he toured a homeless encampment on Venice Beach on Wednesday.

Elder was chased from a Venice homeless encampment after a group of homeless people confronted him. Videos of the incident show a first egg flying through the air and nearly hitting Elder.

Angry Crowd of Homeless People

'Get the hell out of here!' an unidentified, gorilla mask-wearing woman yelled at Elder and threw the small white object past Elder's head, as seen in a video posted on Twitter by Spectrum News reporter Kate Cagle. A second egg was also thrown towards Elder and his team.

According to the New York Post, when the woman was confronted by a member of Elder's security team, she told him to "take your hands off me, motherf—er! Touch me again! Touch me again!" The woman appeared to be white.

Multiple people also became physically aggressive towards Elder's team, including the woman in the gorilla mask who appeared to slap a staffer in the face, reported Fox News.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Sarah Duke, a pregnant homeless woman who lives in the encampment the candidate was visiting told that Elder "has no business down here."

"If you ain't going to help us, move ... on," Duke added.

Hasty Exit

Elder made it only 12 minutes at the encampment on 3rd Avenue. The tour was cut short, and he was escorted to a waiting vehicle, reported ABC News. One man could be heard calling Elder a "piece of s**t" as Elder was escorted into his vehicle.

He later tweeted about the incident, writing: 'Today I kicked off the Recall Express bus tour. Before we even left Los Angeles, my security detail was physically assaulted, shot with a pellet gun, and hit with projectiles. The intolerant left will not stop us. We will recall Gavin Newsom. We will save California.'

The woman is still not identified and the LAPD confirms it is looking into a report that a driver and security team member for Elder were struck but not seriously injured around 10:45 a.m. on Melrose Avenue, reported ABC News.

Elder, who would be the first Black governor of California if elected, is widely considered the leading Republican challenger to Gov. Gavin Newsom in this month's recall election.

Social Media Reactions

Some netizens supported the leading GOP candidate while others asked, "One egg scares him off? So, what is his plan for homelessness in Los Angeles?"

One Twitter user said, "Where are the Black Lives Matter? They should support him. Aren't they fighting against racism?" Another wrote, "This is why California needs Larry Elder, there are too many homeless on the streets that are mentally unstable and need serious help and are a threat to society. Gov. Newsome failed them and the people of California."

One comment read, "As usual in Newsom's California no arrests were attempted or made since the eggs thrown cost less than required to qualify as a crime. The eggs were shoplifted from a nearby supermarket."

One person shared, "Elder tucks tail & runs when he meets people that don't like him."