At least 12 people were arrested in the celebrations following the Dodgers’ World Series victory, mostly for looting, Fox 11 reported Thursday.
In addition to looting and vandalism, the burning of a Metro bus was reported at 12:50 a.m. Thursday near the intersection of Echo Park Avenue and Sunset Boulevard, NBC4 reported. The bus was destroyed, leaving only the frame.
“Metro is disappointed and angered by the senseless act of vandalism on one of our buses following the Dodgers’ World Series win,” Metro Communications Director Dave Sotero said in an email to City News Service. “We are thankful that the bus operator and the five passengers were safely evacuated before the bus was set on fire.”
The Los Angeles Police Department’s Central Division reported a number of businesses near L.A. Live – including a Nike store — were looted and police arrested several of the suspected looters.
The windows of the building in downtown Los Angeles where the Fogo de Chao Brazilian Steakhouse is located were tagged with graffiti, including an obscenity related to the Dodgers’ World Series victory over the New York Yankees, according to video from the scene.
At Ninth and Flower streets, a dispersal order was issued due to an unlawful assembly and a hostile crowd that was throwing fireworks and projectiles at police officers, according to the LAPD.
A citywide tactical alert was later issued, allowing the department to keep officers on duty beyond their normal shifts to ensure there is enough staffing to any incidents that may arise.
There were several instances of street takeovers, with cars doing doughnuts and burnouts, according to ABC7.
Crowds of people took to the streets to revel in the Dodgers’ World Series-clinching Game 5 victory over the Yankees from East Los Angeles to downtown Los Angeles to Echo Park Wednesday night.
The first dispersal order was announced at 10 p.m. Wednesday after large crowds gathered at Sunset Boulevard and Vin Scully Avenue, near an entrance to Dodger Stadium, and later at the nearby intersection of Sunset and Douglas Street.
“We know you want to celebrate the Dodgers World Series win, but please do not head to the downtown LA area,” the LAPD posted on social media. “There are many streets closed in the downtown LA area and traffic will be heavily impacted. Please celebrate responsibly.”
In anticipation of possible gatherings, police had earlier announced the closure of Figueroa Street between Olympic and Pico boulevards, as well as other streets around the L.A. Live area. The Sixth Street Bridge, a popular street-takeover spot, was also closed.
In East Los Angeles, where Dodger celebrations have occurred in the past, including some street and intersection takeovers, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies were out in full force. Multiple intersections on Whittier Boulevard were blocked to traffic, but crowds of fans began pouring into some streets waving flags and igniting fireworks, regardless of the law enforcement presence.
By 10 p.m., hundreds of people had moved onto Whittier Boulevard. Some waved flags while fireworks continued shooting into the air. One person could be seen on top of a car in the street.
Aerial footage from the scene showed at least one truck doing donuts at an intersection in the area, while a large crowd of people stood nearby.
The LAPD announced prior to Wednesday’s game that it would activate a command post dedicated to monitoring possible unruly celebrations, enabling more effective deployment of personnel.