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Waymo suspended robotaxi service in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday after five vehicles were set on fire during protests against President Donald Trump‘s immigration raids in the city.
Photos show Waymo cars covered in anti-ICE graffiti burning in the street, engulfed in smoke.
A spokesperson for Waymo confirmed to Business Insider that five vehicles had been vandalized during the protests. The company temporarily suspended service in downtown LA and doesn’t think its vehicles were intentionally targeted, the spokesperson said. Waymo is working with the Los Angeles Police Department, they added.
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On Sunday night, the LAPD said on X that “burning lithium-ion batteries release toxic gases.” Electric vehicles often use lithium-ion batteries.
The spokesperson told BI that Waymo, which Alphabet owns, operates more than 300 vehicles in LA and is continuing operations in other parts of the city.
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It’s not the first time that Waymo vehicles have been targeted in California. Last year, a crowd in San Francisco set one of the robotaxis on fire during Lunar New Year celebrations amid a wave of distrust about driverless vehicles.
The protests broke out on Friday after an immigration raid in the city. Over the weekend, Trump bypassed California Gov. Gavin Newsom‘s authority and ordered 2,000 National Guard members to the LA area. Despite the dramatic images, the protests have largely been peaceful, according to multiple reports.
The demonstrations have become a political lightning rod between Newsom and Trump, and the governor has announced that he’s suing the administration. They may, however, serve as an olive branch between the president and Elon Musk, who had an ugly falling out last week.
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