Despite a peaceful protest organized by opponents of federal immigration policies in front of the Los Angeles City Hall on Monday, violence erupted over the past few days, with attacks on law enforcement officers, looting of businesses, arson, and destruction of vehicles occurring frequently. The gathering places of protesters at times resembled battlefields, causing significant concern among local residents for their safety.
Amidst the chaos, dozens of individuals have been arrested by law enforcement. Chinese-American lawyer Longzhu Liu from Southern California, in an interview with The Epoch Times, stated that those engaged in violent behaviors could face heavy penalties once convicted.
During a press conference on Sunday, Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Chief Jim McDonnell condemned the escalation of violence. He remarked that the individuals perpetrating violence were not ordinary protesters one would see during daylight demonstrations.
These individuals often wore hoodies and masks to conceal their identities. McDonnell suggested that they were not occasional participants but experienced individuals engaged in such activities long-term. “They go to great lengths to evade legal consequences, transitioning from one riot to another using nearly identical methods; they are interconnected, and some refer to themselves as ‘anarchists,'” he noted.
“We encounter these individuals in various cities repeatedly; this is their profession,” he said. “Many of those involved in violence come from out of town specifically to harm people and sow chaos.”
• Federal Law Enforcement Officers Attacked
A widely circulated video on social media showed an incident on Saturday around 3:30 p.m. in Paramount, where a federal immigration enforcement officer was driving on duty when a man stood in the vehicle’s path and threw rocks, injuring the officer and damaging multiple vehicles.
The FBI announced a $50,000 reward on that day to gather information and identify the individual involved. Attorney General Pam Bondi revealed that the suspect’s identity, named Reyes, had been confirmed, and law enforcement officers were conducting a search at his residence; “he will be placed on the wanted list.”
• Local Police Officers Also Attacked
A video from the law enforcement social media account “Caught LA” depicted a scene where several Los Angeles police vehicles were parked on the roadway underneath a footbridge of the 10 Freeway near Alameda Street and the Union Station. Individuals on the bridge continually threw items like cement blocks or bricks at the police. These individuals wore masks and crouched low to avoid detection after each attack.
A moving police vehicle was struck, and the windows and windshields of several parked patrol cars were shattered. Several police officers took cover under the bridge, unable to reach the patrol cars. When they attempted to rush out from under the bridge, a police officer’s helmet was knocked off.
• Mounted Police Face Risks as Well
A video released by the online media outlet Townhall showed the Los Angeles mounted police arriving at a protest location, where a coffin placed at the roadside suddenly caught fire, spreading rapidly near the mounted officers, startling them.
• Businesses and Private Vehicles Set Ablaze
More than five Waymo self-driving taxis operating in the Los Angeles area were recently set on fire by radical individuals. According to CBS News, Waymo has relocated vehicles out of downtown and temporarily suspended services in the area, although operations continue in other parts of Los Angeles. In addition to commercial vehicles, several private cars were also set on fire. An English Epoch Times reporter witnessed a scene where an unauthorized individual set a car on fire, engulfing it in flames.
• Stores Vandalized and Looted
Since Friday, multiple incidents of vandalism and looting related to protests have occurred in Los Angeles. Apart from a gas station shop in Paramount being ransacked, an Adidas store at the intersection of 8th Street and Broadway was looted, with some stolen items later recovered by the police; videos also captured the storefront glass door of a T-Mobile store on South Broadway being smashed, with looters coming in and out.
Public outrage in the Los Angeles metropolitan area against these incidents has been intense, with many condemning the violent elements exacerbating the situation. Chinese-American lawyer Longzhu Liu stated that once convicted, individuals engaged in robbery, arson, and assaulting officers could face severe penalties.
Liu believes that throwing stones at law enforcement officers driving vehicles is incredibly dangerous and could lead to catastrophic consequences. According to Section 219 of the California Penal Code, it could constitute a misdemeanor or even a felony.
He explained, “After a stone hits the car window, the driver may lose focus and attempt to evade, potentially colliding with other vehicles. This could result in charges of attempted murder or intent to commit murder, which is a severe offense.”
Moreover, Liu pointed out that individuals assisting attackers by providing them with rocks collected from the roadside could be charged with conspiracy, facing similar penalties to the individual who actually threw the stones.
Regarding setting vehicles on fire, Liu stated that under Section 451 of the California Penal Code, the maximum sentence is nine years in prison, even if it is one’s own vehicle. As for assaulting police officers, based on Section 241(c) of the California Penal Code, individuals could face up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine.