LOS ANGELES – One day after downtown Los Angeles was rocked by fiery protests over federal immigration enforcement, the streets bore the stark remnants of chaos and unrest.
Along Los Angeles Street, typically alive with traffic and commerce, police presence stretched for blocks. Black-and-white patrol vehicles from surrounding cities such as Montebello, Campbell, and Alhambra lined the curbs. Graffiti condemning U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) covered downtown buildings in bold, defiant colors. Messages ranged from “Return the Homies” to a quote from Thomas Jefferson: "When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty."
Shattered glass littered sidewalks near the Los Angeles Police Department’s Metropolitan Detention Center and a nearby federal building. Most jarring was the sight of five self-driving Waymo vehicles, burned out and smoldering. Onlookers passed by, some pausing to snap photos with their phones—a surreal scene capturing the city's raw unrest.
These events unfolded amid rising tension following the June 8 arrival of National Guard troops sent to subdue growing demonstrations against President Donald Trump’s intensified immigration crackdown. The resulting clash left many Angelenos shaken and questioning what lies ahead.
‘A Group of Bad Seeds’
Raymond Delgado, a local photographer, returned to the scene to document the damage—particularly the five destroyed Waymo vehicles.
“I didn’t expect them to still be here. I thought they’d be reduced to ashes. What’s left are just skeletons,” Delgado, 38, said.
Delgado witnessed the unrest firsthand, describing a small group of aggressive protesters as the ones who instigated the violence. He recounted seeing these individuals throw rocks, deface property, and ultimately torch the Waymo cars.
“A couple of younger kids, just demolishing stuff—breaking things for the sake of it,” he said. “It’s frustration, anger, fighting back against the system. But it makes us look bad. That’s not what most of us want.”
Delgado, who was struck by a rock and narrowly avoided rubber bullets and tear gas, said a peaceful protester he met suffered a likely broken finger from a rubber bullet.
“I hate it,” he said. “I actually hate it. I fear it’s going to get worse.”
‘Pretty Mesmerized at the Level of Destruction’
Kate Williams, a visiting artist and photographer, walked the same streets the day after the protests, capturing what remained.
“I’m pretty speechless,” Williams said as she viewed the scorched Waymo vehicles. “To see that much destruction—so deliberate and so aligned—it’s mesmerizing and disturbing.”
Police officers near the ICE building had warned her to stay inside that evening, suggesting the unrest wasn’t over. Barricades were being installed near City Hall as a precaution.
“These are strange, intense times,” she said.
‘They Just Lit ’Em All on Fire’
Diana Doo, a nonprofit worker and activist who lives near downtown, recalled watching as protesters turned on the Waymo vehicles.
“I saw three at first, then five. I thought, ‘Please don’t burn them,’” she said. “Then it started—one, then the next, until all of them were on fire.”
The sight was both surreal and unsettling, she said.
Museums Targeted
Damage extended beyond vehicles and government buildings. The Chinese American Museum and the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles both suffered vandalism.
“Our building is historic,” said Mariana Gatto, co-founder and executive director of the Italian American Museum. “We sustained significant damage. This is the second time in six months.”
Gatto emphasized the museum’s role in supporting marginalized communities and condemned the violence.
“We respect the right to protest. But this was not peaceful. It was destructive,” she said.
‘My City Don’t Play’
Some residents, however, saw the destruction as a defiant response to injustice.
“My city don’t play,” said Trinity Clay, 21, a Los Angeles native now living in Woodland Hills. “We rose up during Rodney King, during George Floyd—and now again. Sending the National Guard is a violation of our civil rights.”
A sociology student and mother of a 7-year-old daughter, Clay expressed frustration at having to explain ICE raids to her child.
“I had to tell her not to be afraid if her classmates don’t show up. That’s how real this is.”
Despite her anger, Clay urged peaceful protest.
“As some protesters passed by, I told them: ‘Try to keep it peaceful, OK?’ We can’t keep hurting each other. That’s what they want.”
As the city assesses the cost—both physical and emotional—of the latest unrest, many residents fear a cycle of violence may continue. But amid the ashes, voices like Delgado’s and Clay’s echo a common plea: protest, but don’t destroy.
Source usatoday.com
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