The LAPD chief acknowledged that his officers “are overwhelmed” by the violence and damage on the third day of protests in the city as rioters set self-driving cars on fire and at least 2,000 anti-ICE demonstrators seized over a key highway in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday.
According to the LAPD, at approximately 4 p.m. local time, the large group of people walked onto the 101 Freeway, obstructing traffic.
According to the LAPD Central Division on X, the demonstrators blocked both lanes of the freeway, halting traffic while riot-garbed police formed a line under a bridge to stop them from continuing.
The demonstrators were forced off the interstate when riot-clad California Highway Patrol officers arrived and pushed the mob onto an exit ramp. Officers were saw distributing gas canisters.
According to the LAPD Central Division, two motorcycle riders tried to crash through the line of skirmishes during the confusion. Both motorcycle riders were taken into custody after two officers were hit and hurt.
A little over an hour later, the roadway was once again available to automobile traffic. Around 7:30 p.m., however, it was closed to traffic once more after rioters started throwing objects into the southbound lanes, damaging many police cars, according to the LAPD.
In other incidents, protesters damaged unoccupied, autonomous Waymo taxis by destroying their windows, burning at least five of them, and spray painting them.
Photos taken at the scene show a shirtless vandal standing atop a spray-painted Waymo and brandishing a Mexican flag while smoke and flames rose nearby.
According to the LAPD, the burning electric cars discharged harmful fumes from their lithium-ion batteries, alerting nearby residents and closing blocks surrounding the burning autos.
After the vandalism, Waymo, the ridesharing service owned by Google’s parent firm, shut it down. One autonomous vehicle is expected to cost at least $150,000.
As the audience grew, the protests lasted well into Sunday night. Several participants brandished banners denouncing ICE and wore other international emblems, such as Palestinian and Mexican flags, while cries of “Quit your job!” echoed through the streets.
Fireworks were allegedly thrown at officers by one group.
“We are overwhelmed,” LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell stated. “We had individuals out there shooting commercial-grade fireworks at our officers. That can kill ya.”
While some protestors attempted to deter participants from further upsetting the police, others began throwing glass bottles and even pieces of concrete that had been broken off of bollard posts at cops attempting to maintain crowd control.
Preliminary data from the LAPD indicates that at least 10 persons were arrested on Sunday, but the actual number is likely to be higher.
While disputing Trump’s assertions that the ICE raids exclusively targeted foreign nationals with a criminal record, LA Mayor Karen Bass called for nonviolent demonstrations on Sunday night.
“What we’re seeing in Los Angeles is chaos that is provoked by the administration. When you raid Home Depot and workplaces, when you tear parents and children apart, and when you run armored caravans through our streets, you cause fear and you cause panic,” Bass stated.
The escalating protests, which focused on federal buildings in downtown Los Angeles where ICE authorities were holding immigrants for deportation, prompted President Trump to call 2,000 National Guard troops to intervene on Saturday. Just three hundred had come by Sunday.
“A once great American City, Los Angeles, has been invaded and occupied by Illegal Aliens and Criminals,” Trump stated on Truth Social Sunday. “Now violent, insurrectionist mobs are swarming and attacking our Federal Agents to try and stop our deportation operations — But these lawless riots only strengthen our resolve.”
“I am directing Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Attorney General Pam Bondi, in coordination with all other relevant Departments and Agencies, to take all such action necessary to liberate Los Angeles from the Migrant Invasion, and put an end to these Migrant riots,” he added.
“Order will be restored, the Illegals will be expelled, and Los Angeles will be set free. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
