Multiple businesses in downtown Los Angeles were damaged and looted on Sunday night, escalating towards more violent crimes following protests against federal immigration enforcement in the city. The Los Angeles police reported receiving complaints from several businesses about looting, and videos circulating on social media showed storefronts being smashed and swarmed by a large group of people.
According to the LAPD Central Division post on social media early Monday, some stores were being looted at the intersection of Sixth Street and Broadway, and police were dispatched to investigate the situation. The area mentioned in the post is located in downtown Los Angeles.
Authorities urged all business owners and residents to report any intentional acts of destruction, damage, or looting to the LAPD Central Division for official documentation. They also advised documenting evidence of intentional damage and destruction before cleaning up.
On Sunday, the National Guard arrived in Los Angeles to quell the unrest, following President Trump’s order. The protest against federal immigration enforcement in the city began last Friday night after the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency conducted raids targeting locations suspected of harboring undocumented immigrants, leading to the arrest of at least 45 immigrants believed to be residing illegally in the U.S. The Department of Homeland Security stated that these locations were suspected of employing undocumented workers.
However, the protests quickly turned into violent demonstrations, prompting President Trump to sign a memorandum last Saturday directing the deployment of the National Guard to assist in restoring order in Los Angeles.
As of early Monday morning, the protest crowds had mostly dispersed, but several streets remained closed. Numerous law enforcement personnel were deployed around federal buildings in downtown, where National Guard soldiers were stationed.
Many businesses had their storefronts vandalized, including the Los Angeles Times building, with damaged stores spanning multiple blocks. One video captured after midnight showed individuals smashing the glass door of a T-Mobile store on South Broadway, followed by looting inside.
Police also received reports of looting at an Adidas store near the intersection of Eighth Street and Broadway, prompting a response from heavily armed officers who recovered some stolen goods from the shop, stacking them in police vehicles.