LAPPL Speaks Out Against Looting & Violent Criminal Activity

‘Where are the cops?’ Uncontrolled looting stretches police to limit

The mass protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody have proved a vexing challenge for law enforcement agencies. They have been encouraging peaceful demonstrations, but in recent days watched them devolve as looters and vandals broke off from the peaceful protesters, stealing and setting fires. Craig Lally, of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, said commanders often can get a better sense of a situation by being on the ground, as Moore was, and that officers have been doing an exemplary job given what they are facing. “These officers are taking rocks and bottles, they’re being punched, and yet I think they’re very restrained and professional. They’re also getting tired. They’ve been out there for days now,” he said. He also said that people judging the LAPD’s tactics from the outside looking in should be careful with their words given they don’t have all the facts. “Unless you are there and seeing what’s on the ground, I don’t know how anybody can second-guess anyone,” he said.

LAPD Officer Is Shot In The Leg At Whole Foods Parking Lot In Venice

An LAPD officer suffered a non life-threatening gunshot wound Sunday near the Venice Santa Monica border, an official said. The incident occurred about 4:30 p.m. in the area of the Whole Foods parking lot near Lincoln Boulevard and Rose Avenue. LAPD Assistant Chief Horace Frank said the officer suffered a graze wound to her leg. He added that the incident is being investigated by Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery Homicide Division. Frank said the motive and where the shot came from are unknown.

6 Officers Hurt In LA, 533 Demonstrators Arrested Friday When Protests Over George Floyd Death Turn Violent

At least six officers were hurt and 533 protesters were taken into custody in Los Angeles as demonstrations protesting the killing of George Floyd turned violent. The protests Friday night led officers to declare an unlawful assembly and worked to have the crowd disperse. At least six officers were believed to have been injured. It remains unclear how many protesters, if any, were injured. Images from Friday night showed protesters jumping across police cruisers, tossing feces and other objects at police, and breaking windows in the area. Looting then took place all night long from drugstores to Starbucks to jewelry stores and shoe stores.

2 LAPD Officers Hospitalized, 398 Arrested In LA Saturday Night After George Floyd Protests

Violent protests overnight in downtown LA Saturday, May 30, led to 398 arrests and left two police officers hospitalized. Days of protests have taken place across the country after the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. Floyd, 46, was an unarmed black man who died on May 25 in police custody after a Minneapolis officer kneeled on his neck. The officer was arrested Friday and charged with murder in a case that sparked protests across the United States. Those taken into custody were booked on suspicion of burglary, looting, vandalism, failure to disperse, being a felon in possession of a firearm and numerous curfew violations, Los Angeles Police Department officials said Sunday in a news release. Authorities were working to asses the full extent of the damage Sunday.

Man Shot And Killed In Downtown Los Angeles

A man was fatally shot Sunday night in downtown Los Angeles in what may either be gang related or connected to the police protests. The shooting occurred about 7:30 p.m. near the intersection of Olympic Boulevard and Hill Street, said Los Angeles police Officer Tony Im. The victim died at the scene. His name will be withheld pending notification of next of kin. “The shooting may be gang related or connected to the downtown protests, but we don’t know which it is yet,” said LAPD Officer Mike Lopez. No suspect information was available and a motive for the attack was unknown.

Driver Arrested On Suspicion Of Attempted Murder During Downtown LA Protests

A man accused of driving his car through police skirmish lines during a destructive night of unrest in downtown Los Angeles was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Officers and group of people clashed late Friday during protests over the in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Several buildings and vehicles were damaged in the melee. At about 2 a.m. officers were conducting crowd control near South Broadway and West 6th Street when a man drove through the intersection where officers had established skirmish lines. After narrowly missing officers, the driver went through a second skirmish line. One officer first fired a less-lethal round before another officer fired rounds from his service weapon at the vehicle, police said. No officers were injured.

Man Shot While Seated In Park Vehicle, Expected To Survive Injuries

A man shot early Sunday morning while seated in a parked vehicle in South Los Angeles is expected to survive, authorities said Sunday. The man was seated in a vehicle in the 800 block of East 33rd Street when a suspect drove by about 2:05 a.m. and fired some shots at him, according to Officer Rosario Cervantes of the LAPD’s Media Relations Section. Paramedics took the unidentified victim to an area hospital, where he his wounds were treated. Cervantes said. Police had no description regarding the male shooting suspect or his vehicle.

National Guard Patrols Fan Out Across LA After Protests Shatter Businesses

Armed California National Guard troops on Sunday morning, May 31, were fanning out to patrol parts of Los Angeles, a day after being summoned by L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti to support efforts to quell days of violence amid protests in the city. Those protests — unfurling outrage in the wake of the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer — turned to violent outbursts of looting, vandalism, fires and arrests in downtown L.A. and the Fairfax District on L.A.’s westside that have continued long into the night. It was enough for Garcetti to call on Gov. Gavin Newsom — who had already declared a state of emergency in L.A. city and county — for the Guard, which had been doing work in L.A. County related to the coronavirus response.

Synagogue Vandalized In Fairfax District Amid Protests

A synagogue in the Fairfax District was vandalized with graffiti that read "Free Palestine. F--- Israel," on a day marked by police protests, vandalism and looting in the area. It happened at Congregation Beth Israel at 8056 Beverly Blvd., near Crescent Heights Boulevard, according to the Jewish Journal. "Tell me this ugly hatred is still about #BLM or #GeorgeFloyd?!" Lisa Daftari of the Foreign Desk tweeted, referring to Black Lives Matter and the protests over the in-custody death of the Minneapolis man. The Anti-Defamation League Los Angeles condemned the act in a tweet. "Vandalism is never ok. Antisemitism is never ok. The answer to hate and bigotry is not more hate. We are better than this Los Angeles."

Videos: Tear Gas And Burning Cars In US Cities As Unrest Continues

Tense protests over the death of George Floyd and other police killings of black men grew Saturday from New York to Tulsa to Los Angeles, with police cars set ablaze and reports of injuries mounting on all sides as the country lurched toward another night of unrest after months of coronavirus lockdowns. The protests, which began in Minneapolis following Floyd's death Monday after a police officer pressed a knee on his neck for more than eight minutes, have left parts of the city a grid of broken windows, burned-out buildings and ransacked stores. The unrest has since become a national phenomenon as protesters decry years of deaths at police hands. The large crowds involved, with many people not wearing masks or social distancing, raised concerns among health experts about the potential for helping spread the coronavirus pandemic at a time when overall deaths are on the decline nationwide and much of the country is in the process of reopening society and the economy.

Public Safety News

LA County Reports Another 1,379 COVID-19 Cases, 25 Additional Deaths

Los Angeles County officials reported another1,379 cases of COVID-19 and 25 additional deaths on Sunday, bringing the county totals to 54,996 cases and 2,362 fatalities. "Through these difficult times, we mourn with all of you who have lost someone you love to COVID-19. We are deeply sorry for your loss, and wish you healing and peace," said Barbara Ferrer, county public health director. "If you are returning to work or are visiting re-opened spaces and businesses, please remember that the actions we all take today will affect the numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths several weeks from now. This virus has not changed and is still easily transmitted among people in contact with each other."

Gov. Newsom Declares State Of Emergency In LA On Fourth Day Of Protests

In the fourth day of protests in Los Angeles, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in LA after things turned dangerous Saturday with multiple police cars set on fire and city buses overtaken. Several Southern California cities also announced curfews to calm the chaos. Los Angeles police officers in tactical gear and protesters clashed Saturday afternoon near Fairfax Avenue and 3rd Street in the Fairfax District. Several police vehicles were set on fire, sending plumes of black smoke over the area. Messages were written in spray paint on police cars, at least two of which had windows smashed out. By 9 p.m., an hour after the curfew went into effect, people could be seen looting from stores on Melrose Avenue, and firefighters were battling a fire that was consuming several stores. At a Saturday news conference, Mayor Eric Garcetti had planned to discuss Friday night’s protest and violence. Instead, he pleaded for peace.

Local Government News

New City Program Allows Restaurants To Expand Outdoor Dining To Sidewalks, Private Parking Lots

As Los Angeles County continues to relax its Safer at Home Order, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced a new initiative allowing local restaurants to expand outdoor eating to sidewalks and private parking lots. “We have been working on this for weeks, and now that we’ve gotten the green light from the state and county, we’re really excited,” Garcetti said. The temporary program, named L.A. Alfresco, streamlines the requirements and approvals process for restaurants to set up outdoor dining options to enable them to serve additional customers while still complying with physical distancing rules. And while it will start with sidewalks and private parking lots, Garcetti said the city was gauging interest in expanding the program to street parking space and potentially closing off streets to allow for in-street dining.