Waymo, the robot taxi company, cut off service to the downtown Los Angeles area after protesters set multiple self-driving vehicles on fire on Sunday, sending smoke into the air.
The protests against President Trump’s crackdown on immigration have been largely peaceful, but law enforcement officers have reported that demonstrations have become “worse and more violent” since they began on Friday.
A Waymo spokeswoman said that the company had cut off service to the downtown Los Angeles area and had removed the burned vehicles from the streets. After protesters smashed windows and spray-painted anti-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement messages onto the taxis and set them alight, some protesters threw electric Lime scooters into the flames, the Los Angeles Times reported.
“Burning lithium-ion batteries release toxic gases, including hydrogen fluoride, posing risks to responders and those nearby,” the Los Angeles Police Department said on social media, urging people to avoid the area.
Waymo, which is owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet, has completed more than 5 million rider-only rides, according to the company’s website, and began operating in Los Angeles last year. Waymo’s robot taxis are ubiquitous on San Francisco’s hilly roads.
The driverless taxis operate in San Francisco, Phoenix, Austin and Los Angeles, with prices similar to those of Uber and Lyft. The company plans to soon begin operating in Atlanta through a partnership with Uber.
Jenny Gross is a reporter for The Times covering breaking news and other topics.
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