Rioters in Los Angeles, California, set several self-driving vehicles operated by Waymo, a ride-hailing service, on fire on Sunday as the city grapples with a violent three-day protest against U.S. deportation efforts.
Footage shows multiple Waymo vehicles engulfed in flames, with an intense amount of smoke billowing into the air. Masked protesters could be seen filming and parading around the cars, which all had their windows smashed, tires slashed, and anti-ICE graffiti covering their exteriors.
According to the Los Angeles Times, one rioter appeared to use a makeshift flamethrower to set the interior of one of the cars ablaze, while others were seen throwing Lime electric scooters into the burning cars.
The Los Angeles Police Department responded to the vehicle fires on Los Angeles Street, warning people to stay away from the area.
“Burning lithium-ion batteries release toxic gases, including hydrogen fluoride, posing risks to responders and those nearby,” the LAPD said in a statement.
The protests, which began on Friday, have significantly escalated over the weekend, with protesters directly clashing with law enforcement.
They have thrown stones, bottles, and Molotov cocktails at police officers, while there were reports on Sunday afternoon of two motorcyclists deliberately crashing into officers behind a police barricade.
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Protesters also flooded a section of the 101 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles, halting traffic for over an hour as California Highway Patrol officers worked to move them to an exit ramp.
Police have used flashbangs, tear gas, pepper spray, and other crowd control devices to combat the protests.
This article was originally published at www.washingtonexaminer.com
