Demonstrations Against Police Brutality Continue Across Southland; Looting Reported In Hollywood, Van Nuys
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Protesters took to the streets throughout the Southland again on Monday in response to the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis Police one week ago.
For complete coverage of the situation in Minneapolis visit CBSMinnesota.com and stream CBSN Minnesota.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti addressed the city Monday evening calling for calm and for Angelenos to follow local curfew orders.
"We will not stand for violence, for looting, for arson, not today, not ever, no exceptions," Garcetti said. "Not only because it's wrong, not only because our businesses are barely starting to stand up ... but we also know the danger to human lives."
And Council President Nury Martinez said the City Council has been discussing how to better invest in communities across the city of Los Angeles.
"How are we going to invest in communities of color and show these young people that we want to take care of them," Martinez said. "We can't just talk about it, we have to be about it."
Largely peaceful protests in Van Nuys were soured late Monday afternoon when a band of looters hit a number of local businesses on Van Nuys Boulevard, just blocks away from a group of demonstrators that held the attention of police. At least 30 people were arrested in Van Nuys Monday, police told CBSLA.
The main protest continued on, briefly spilling out onto the streets before moving back onto the sidewalks, as dozen of officers responded to the scene with an envoy of police SUVs.
Protesters also gathered in Granada Hills, chanting "No justice, no peace," as they peacefully marched down surface streets.
"There's been a lot of police racism, and we just want a difference," a 14-year-old protester said. "We ain't gonna stop if you guys don't stop."
The crowd of demonstrators disbanded shortly after 5 p.m. as local curfew orders loomed.
RELATED: LIST: SoCal Cities, Counties Issue Curfews As Unrest Continues
In Hollywood, hundreds of people marched along Hollywood Boulevard, chanting and carrying signs, including a lead banner that read, "Say Their Names," in reference to other people killed by police.
Shortly after 6 p.m., looters began targeting area businesses, including a Rite Aid store, 6130 Sunset Blvd., in Hollywood's Gower Gulch Plaza. Police put out a warning shortly before 10:30 p.m. for people to stay away from the area as reports of looting continued.
More than 150 people were arrested in Hollywood on looting and curfew violations.
The National Guard was reportedly providing extra security in West Hollywood Monday night where there was currently no protest activity. San Vicente Boulevard, between Santa Monica Boulevard and Melrose Avenue, will be closed until 6 a.m. Tuesday.
In downtown Los Angeles, hundreds of protesters gathered in front of Los Angeles City Hall, briefly marching to Los Angeles Police Department headquarters before returning to City Hall.
There were no immediate reports of looting of violence from this group either.
In West Los Angeles, another group of protesters gathered outside the Federal Building on Wilshire Boulevard near Westwood. Some members of that group marched onto the 405 Freeway at Wilshire, briefly blocking the northbound lanes.
Police quickly responded to the scene and the crowd retreated from the freeway, continuing to march on surface streets.
Hundreds also gathered in downtown Riverside to peacefully protest, sitting in the streets after curfews went into effect while surrounded by Riverside County sheriff's deputies.
After the county's curfew order went into place, deputies declared the demonstration an unlawful assembly and began sweeping the streets in an effort to get protesters to return home. At least two demonstrators were detained.
A largely peaceful demonstration in Anaheim in Orange County was also declared an unlawful assembly after the local curfew order went into effect and crowds split into smaller groups walking around the downtown area, allegedly throwing fireworks at officers.
Police said they made more than 20 arrests Monday night, mostly for curfew violations, with four arrested on suspicion of looting.
A number of protesters, who started marching at 5 p.m. and did not stop until 9:30 p.m., said they avoided police, because they did not want conflict.
The demonstrations came after a day of destructive protests in Santa Monica and Long Beach.
Police agencies in Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Long Beach combined reported nearly 1,200 arrests during those protests, many of them misdemeanors for violating curfews.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
