Los Angeles police declare tactical alert in response to protests downtown
Los Angeles police issued a citywide tactical alert Saturday night in response to protests downtown, a move that allows the department to have more officers and resources available.
Sgt. Anthony Costello said that there had not been any major problems with the majority of the crowd but that there were some isolated incidents of vandalism, including some broken windows and graffiti at the U.S. Courthouse downtown.
Video posted on social media showed police in riot gear facing off with what appeared to be dozens of protesters in front of City Hall. Some in the crowd waved signs and chanted, “Black lives matter” and “No justice, no peace.”
There were some arrests, including at least one for vandalism, Costello said. But he did not know the total number of arrests.
“It’s not the whole group that’s doing it,” he said. “It’s isolated individuals.”
By 9:30 p.m., the protesters had mostly dispersed.
Thousands gathered in Portland, Ore., for another night of protests as demonstrations and the presence of federal agents sent by Trump continued.
According to several media reports, demonstrators organized the protests in response to federal agents being sent to Portland, Ore., to put down nightly protests that began two months ago following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.
President Trump said he sent federal agents to Oregon’s largest city to halt the unrest, but state and local officials say they are only inflaming tensions in the community.
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