Protests are cropping up across Los Angeles and neighboring cities for a fifth day, with some people grieving and others raging over the death of George Floyd after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
Crowds have gathered and marched in Santa Monica and downtown Los Angeles, and more protests and vigils are planned around the county. Cities have ordered curfews in an attempt to tamp down on the looting and vandalism that has happened over the past couple of nights.
In Santa Monica, KPCC/LAist visual journalist Chava Sanchez reported that at approximately 5:20 p.m., the protests escalated as fully militarized police arrived, in response to looting. A jewelry store was set on fire and a tank began dispersing protesters with at least one water cannon. “In a matter of minutes everybody was cleared,” he told KPCC's A Martinez.
Reporter Emily Guerin, also in Santa Monica, said vandalism, and the conflicts between police and protesters, were sporadic. It's like wildfires, she said. "There’s a hot spot somewhere and then it gets put out and then it flares up somewhere else.”
From Long Beach, reporter Adolfo Guzman-Lopez told Martinez it’s been a "rollercoaster" where he stood on 3rd St. and Pine Ave., where about 200 people kneeled on one knee as they faced about two dozen police officers in riot gear.
Guzman-Lopez said that nearby, people broke into a men’s shop, just out of sight of police officers. Eventually police were alerted; they arrived at the scene and fired rubber bullets. However, Guzman-Lopez said, "Right now it’s peaceful."
In downtown L.A. KPCC/LAist's Robert Garrova reported seeing military vehicles at LAPD headquarters and a mix of vendors, protesters and even joggers on the streets.
A countywide curfew is in effect as of 6 p.m. this evening until 6 a.m. Monday.
This is a developing story, and we'll bring you updates into the night.
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