National Guard Activated As Looting Spreads In Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, CA — Declaring a state of emergency over rioting in Los Angeles, Gov. Gavin Newsom activated the National Guard as protests in Los Angeles, again, turned violent Saturday night. Looting broke out in Beverly Hills, the Fairfax District and The Grove shopping center. Police cars and buildings were vandalized and set ablaze, and police brought in large military-like vehicles to break up the rioting.

Demonstrators protested police brutality in the wake of George Floyd’s killing, and though many marched peacefully, some were bent on destruction.

A Los Angeles Police Department substation at the Grove shopping center was set on fire during protests. Looting broke out at the Alexander McQueen clothing store on Rodeo Drive as protesters chanted “Eat the Rich.” A synagogue in the Fairfax District was vandalized. Vacant buildings in the Fairfax District were set ablaze as were a Porsche and a minivan on La Cienega Boulevard. The Beverly Grove Target and several other stores at the shopping center were looted, and several businesses were set on fire.

Throughout the city, firefighters battled flames and protestors who hurled objects at them as they attempted to douse the fires popping up in the wake of demonstrators.

The killing of a handcuffed black man in Minneapolis sparked protests across the nation. Los Angeles, a city with a long history of rioting and tension between police and minority communities and Black Lives Matter activists, braced for the worst as protests continued for days, growing increasingly violent.

During the day, officials were out in force across Los Angeles Saturday, trying to hold the peace amid multiple protests. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti issued a citywide curfew from 8 p.m. Saturday to 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning, in an attempt to keep the peace from protests. The overnight curfew went out across phone and email alert systems, notifying the public that anyone outside after 8 p.m. who is not on their way to their home would be arrested.

"This is no longer a protest, this is vandalism, this is destruction," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told NBC4.

In Beverly Hills, protesters vandalized police vehicles in the area of Santa Monica Boulevard and Rodeo Drive. A police cruiser was set on fire, according to reports from the scene.

With less than 10 minutes remaining before the citywide curfew went into effect, protesters looted several stores, and others were set fire. Looters entered the Target at the Beverly Grove shopping center and were seen running in and out of the store with armfuls of items, then driving away from the scene. Law enforcement officers were at the scene.

Metro transit agencies suspended all bus and train services in all protest areas, according to Chief Executive Officer Phillip A. Washington. The suspension of service would last until 5:30 a.m. Sunday, per the citywide curfew.

Saturday's unrest followed a previous round of protests Friday night in downtown Los Angeles, which turned violent as multiple businesses were looted, and hundreds of protesters were arrested.

In the Fairfax District Saturday afternoon, thousands of demonstrators converged, with many taking over the intersection of Third Street and Fairfax Avenue, shutting down traffic. At the nearby intersection of Third and Edinburgh Avenue, several police cars were vandalized, and rubber bullets were fired to try to control the crowd.

As of 3 p.m., police were trying to hold the line against further advancement and could be seen engaging in scuffles with some protesters, with some officers using their clubs.

It got real on Fairfax today. Took a bottle to the head but it was worth it. pic.twitter.com/AY2q757O0J
— Travon Free (@Travon) May 30, 2020

The gathering followed a noon demonstration at Pan Pacific Park, at 7600 Beverly Blvd. A handful of similar demonstrations were planned for other areas of the city Saturday, including a 3 p.m. event in Boyle Heights.

Massive protest growing at 4th and La Brea near Pan Pacific Park in the Fairfax district of LA, @FOXLA pic.twitter.com/OF3VK8QKEu
— Mario Ramirez (@MarioFOXLA) May 30, 2020

A total of 533 people were arrested during Friday's protests, according to the LAPD. All but 18 have been released on their own recognizance.

Protesters set fire to patrol cars and looted several downtown businesses including the Target store at Seventh and Figueroa streets, a Rite Aid store at Seventh and Hope streets, the Sixth Street Market and the Starbucks on Sixth Street between Broadway and Main Street and jewelry stores near Sixth Street and Broadway. Fires were set near the intersection of Hill and Seventh streets, one in the intersection, another south of the intersection on Hill Street and a third on a sidewalk near a building. A KNX reporter and several officers were attacked by protesters, and at least four officers were hurt.

The protests were among several at major cities around the nation, and authorities in Los Angeles are braced for ongoing demonstrations. City leaders, Police Chief Michael Moore and Gov. Gavin Newsom have called for the demonstrators to remain peaceful, vowing unity and reform efforts.

An official with the Los Angeles Police Department told City News Service the LAPD has a plan in place for keeping the peace during Saturday's events, but was not releasing further details.

Saturday's events are scheduled to begin at noon, with a demonstration calling for justice for Floyd and immediate safe release of prisoners in the Men's Central Jail and Twin Towers Correctional Facility. Demonstrators are scheduled to meet on the corner of Alhambra Avenue and Vignes Street, then caravan to the jail facilities and end with a rally at LAPD headquarters. That event is organized by the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

Also at noon, Black Lives Matter Los Angeles will hold a rally at Pan Pacific Park, 7600 Beverly Blvd., to call for an end to police brutality against unarmed black Americans and for justice in the death of Floyd and for "the 601 people murdered by police in L.A. County."

Another protest, hosted by the Coalition for Community Control Over the Police, is set for 1 p.m. outside LAPD's Southeast Station, 145 W 108th St. and will include a march to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's office at 1310 W. Imperial Highway.

People took to the streets Friday for the third consecutive night to demand justice for Floyd, who died Monday after being handcuffed and pinned to the ground by a white Minneapolis Police Department officer, Derek Chauvin, who pressed his knee on the 46-year-old man's neck for several minutes while three other officers looked on.

Video footage of the arrest, in which Floyd is heard saying "I can't breathe," spread widely online, and all four officers were fired.

Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter on Friday.

The LAPD was placed on tactical alert at 2:20 p.m. as a precaution ahead of the protests, according to Officer Tony Im.

"While the vast majority of individuals in Los Angeles have expressed those views in a peaceful manner, we have witnessed an increasing level of violence and property damage committed by a small number of detractors," the LAPD said in a statement issued Friday afternoon.

"The violence involved dangerous projectiles directed at our people as well as some property damage to businesses in the area. While isolated, if left unchallenged we face the potential of those actions expanding and hurting innocent individuals."

Moore added: "We stand with our communities and rebuke any instance of police brutality as well as acts of violence or property damage."

The issuing of a tactical alert requires all on-duty personnel to remain on duty, Im said.

"We're going to have more people on-duty because staff is not going home... For example, all the day watch people stay on and the night watch people have started, so we have double the amount of staffing," Im said.

As Los Angeles firefighters arrived to extinguish the flames, someone in the crowd grabbed a department fire hose and tossed it into the fire burning in the intersection.

At least one Los Angeles Police Department cruiser was tagged with graffiti.

Police set up skirmish lines throughout the downtown area and, in at least one instance, fired non-lethal ammunition as they pushed a crowd out of the area, some in the crowd stopping to hide behind vehicles to throw objects at officers.

Arrests were reported. A person answering the phone at the Metropolitan Detention Center could not give an exact number of arrests, but stated it was a "busload."

The looting came about four hours after several people were detained shortly before 7 p.m. near Fifth and Olive streets for allegedly throwing objects at officers and damaging police cars that were parked near the intersection, according to broadcast reports from the scene.

A protestor was seen on video spraying a fire extinguisher at officers, then running through the crowd spraying fire retardant.

"I'm sorry that L.A. failed tonight," LAPD Chief Moore told reporters Friday night. "Our ability to have a demonstration, express our views, our anger, our disgust unfortunately turned into an unruly situation with officers being injured, property damage occurring."

An officer was put in a choke-hold and kicked by some protesters in the Pershing Square area, according to broadcast reports from the scene. It was not clear if this was the same officer who was sent to a hospital with injuries from a confrontation with demonstrators.

LAPD Capt. Gisselle Espinoza told reporters it was disappointing to see protestors attack the officer.

"This was not what we wanted," Espinoza said. "We wanted it to be peaceful. We want people to exercise their First Amendment right to assemble, for speech and we wanted this to be peaceful. We want peoples' voices heard and that's not what's happening."

No arrests have been made in connection with the attack on the officer, Espinoza said.

At least two other officers were injured, including one who was struck in the face by a flying object, according to KNBC4.

Shortly before 7:30 p.m., a group of about 100 blocked traffic on the Harbor (110) Freeway, near the James M. Wood Boulevard exit. They were cleared from the freeway, but re-entered near Fifth Street at 8:20 p.m.

KNX Newsradio reporter Pete Demetriou was attacked during the protests, he said on Twitter. About five people punched him before others came to his aid, and a woman grabbed his microphone and yelled obscenities into it, but he was able to push her away.

Photos posted by Demetriou showed items confiscated by officers, including brass knuckles, knives, bottles of urine, spray paint cans and a gun that fires pepper balls.

A photo also circulated on Twitter of an KABC7 van tagged with illegible graffiti.

Demonstrators initially gathered at 5 p.m. outside City Hall and marched south on Spring Street, then north on Figueroa Street.

The protest was declared an unlawful assembly shortly before 9:30 p.m. due to "repeated acts of violence and property damage," according to the LAPD.

People were advised to get off the streets and businesses were told to close in the downtown area from the Santa Monica (10) to the Santa Ana (101) freeways and the Harbor (110) Freeway to Alameda Street.

A helicopter announced that those left protesting could be arrested.

Mayor Eric Garcetti sent a message on Twitter at 10 p.m. Friday calling for calm.

"I believe in our city. L.A. is strong enough to stand for justice and walk in love," Garcetti said.

"We respect every Angeleno's right to protest, but violence and vandalism hurts all. Let's remember why we march, protect each other, and bring a peaceful end to a painful night."

City News Service and Patch staffers Nick Garber and Ashley Ludwig contributed to this report.