The Grove Looted, Set on Fire During Protests

Police say numerous burglaries were committed by "opportunists" who had no connection to the protest itself.

[additional-authors]

Ariel Sobel

May 30, 2020

An LAPD vehicle burns after being set alight by protestors during demonstrations following the death of George Floyd on May 30, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. The vast majority of protestors demonstrated peacefully. Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was taken into custody for Floyd’s death. Chauvin has been accused of kneeling on Floyd’s neck as he pleaded with him about not being able to breathe. Floyd was pronounced dead a short while later. Chauvin and 3 other officers, who were involved in the arrest, were fired from the police department after a video of the arrest was circulated. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

After footage of George Floyd’s death in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota went viral on May 25, protesters took to the streets around the country. On May 30, demonstrations in Los Angeles deteriorated into looting and arson.

The main protest, which began at Pan Pacific Park at noon, started peacefully. However, things shifted as the activists took to Fairfax Avenue and 3rd Street, where multiple police cars were set ablaze and people climbed on the roofs of buses and buildings, according to LAist.

LAPD officers fired tear gas and rubber bullets into the crowd, striking protesters with batons. Activists also stopped a Metro bus and climbed on top of it, vandalizing the roof.

By late afternoon, Los Angeles County Sheriff deputies brought in reinforcements. During the standoff, many protesters began silently holding up their hands, while others fled down 3rd Street and nearby alleys.

Police outpost at #TheGrove set on fire…. pic.twitter.com/GdN9OZClX8

— Jeff Paul (@Jeff_Paul) May 31, 2020

At The Grove, protesters looted the Nordstrom store as well as the adjacent Ray-Ban shop. A police kiosk next to the movie theater was set on fire, and the nearby Trader Joes was vandalized. The Grove had been closed due to COVID-19 restrictions but had announced that it would reopen on Monday, June 1 according to KTLA 5. Numerous small businesses were also looted in downtown Los Angeles during demonstrations on the evening of May 29.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 30: Protestors march during a demonstration organized by Black Lives Matter following the death of George Floyd on May 30, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

“I am asking for all of Los Angeles to come together and find the ability to peacefully express individual and collective grievances while also maintaining the safety of all Angelenos,” LAPD Chief Michel Moore told the public in a statement.

In the past four days of protests in the city, police said over 533 people were arrested for burglary, looting, violation of probation, battery on a police officer, attempted murder and failure to disperse. This marks one of the largest mass arrests by LAPD in nearly a decade.

“We’re living in the middle of an uprising,” Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors told the crowd at Pan Pacific Park, before the rally spiraled out of control. “Let’s be clear: We are in an uprising for black life.”