There's often a hefty amount of "Why didn't the police do anything?" talk when footage of the latest sideshow comes out, and police frequently respond that unruly crowds can get dangerous for officers, especially lone officers, when they try to intervene on the party without backup.

Such was the case with a rowdy sideshow crowd and a lone San Jose Police Officer who was trying to get to a reportedly injured sideshow participant Saturday evening. The incident was captured and video and shared by KTVU's Henry K. Lee, and it shows multiple young people in masks stomping the hood and windshield of the officers SUV as he tried to tell them to clear the path through a loudspeaker.

In a statement, SJPD Acting Chief Paul Joseph described the incident, which took place around 6:55 pm in West San Jose.

"Yesterday, around 6:55 PM, dispatch received multiple reports of sideshow activity throughout the city. One of those sideshow events occurred in a populated area of west San Jose, where a spectator was struck by a reckless sideshow vehicle," Acting Chief Joseph says. "A reserve officer working in the area was flagged down about the injured person and responded to assist, when his patrol car was overrun by spectators who prevented him from providing aid to the injured spectator. The patrol vehicle was severely damaged and the officer sustained minor injuries.

Joseph adds that the crowd dispersed before additional units could make it to the area. And, he says, "This conduct is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our city. Detectives and Crime Analysts from our Real Time Intelligence Center are actively following up to identify all those responsible."

"To see one of our officers attacked by an out of control mob while in the process of trying to help a seriously injured person is truly deplorable!" Joseph added in a separate statement.

It is unclear yet whether any arrests have been made.

Photo: Shotbyyshiesty/Instagram