Rowdy crowds flooded the streets of Los Angeles following the Dodgers' World Series victory, leading to a bus being set ablaze, stores being looted, and firecrackers being detonated. Police reported a dozen arrests early Thursday morning.
Video footage captured individuals hurling objects at police in Los Angeles as sirens wailed and officers instructed them to vacate the area after the Dodgers triumphed over the Yankees in Game 5 in New York. The footage also showed revelers atop a bus brandishing a Dodgers banner and people sprinting from a barricaded Nike store clutching armfuls of sneakers before tossing the merchandise into parked cars.
"As we celebrate this accomplishment tonight and in the days ahead, violence will not be condoned," Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass stated. The mayor announced that the Los Angeles Police Department will remain on high alert throughout the week to safeguard communities and businesses in the city, which has previously experienced unrest following championship victories by both the Lakers and the Dodgers.
Police noted several "unruly, and at times violent and hostile celebrations," including acts of vandalism such as the torching of a Metropolitan Transit Authority bus. Arrests were made on charges including failure to disperse, receiving stolen property, or commercial burglary.
"Metro is disheartened and angered by the senseless act of vandalism on one of our buses following the Dodgers' World Series win earlier this evening," the transit authority stated in a message to the Los Angeles Times.
A spokesperson for the LAPD said, "Less-lethal munitions were utilized for crowd control amidst several hostile and violent gatherings." Detectives will be conducting investigations in the coming days to identify those responsible for the aforementioned crimes.
The Dodgers are set to celebrate their World Series championship on Friday with a downtown parade followed by a gathering at Dodger Stadium. The team announced on Wednesday that due to logistical, traffic, and timing constraints, fans will not be able to attend both events.
Source link: https://www.theguardian.com
