Officers had to form a skirmish line to clear a large mob that vandalized a Metro train, a police car and several businesses in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday night.
A Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson confirmed to KTLA that units were dispatched to the 1700 block of Trinity Avenue for reports of a group that was trespassing in the area around 10 p.m.
“The group vandalized a Metro train on Washington Boulevard. They also vandalized some businesses in the area,” the spokesperson said.
Video from the scene obtained by KTLA shows dozens of vandals punching the slow-moving Metro train and spray painting it as it came to a halt.
Several individuals were also seen vandalizing an LAPD squad car – even posing for pictures in front of it, shooting fireworks at it and spray painting it as the officers started to drive away. Many of those who were not actively engaging in the vandalism were recording the chaos on their cell phones.
Multiple area businesses also had graffiti scrawled on them, including a Panda Express, a WaBa Grill, a dialysis clinic and a medical building, among others.
Footage from news stringer service OnSceneTV even shows a firebreather entertaining people on the sidewalk. At least one person was seen scaling a pole to get a better view of the chaos from above.
Officers, who were positioned in the area in riot gear, eventually declared an unlawful assembly and formed a skirmish line. By 1 a.m. Sunday, the group had cleared out of the area, the LAPD spokesperson said.
There was no information indicating any arrests were made as of 12:45 p.m. Sunday.
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