More than 500 people were arrested Friday as protests in Downtown Los Angeles brought about by the death of George Floyd resulted in looting, vandalism and battery on police officers.
“The Los Angeles Police Department continues to assess the full extent of property damage from last night’s protest activities,” a spokesperson for the LAPD said in a statement Saturday. “Several police vehicles were vandalized, and numerous downtown businesses were damaged and looted. A total of 533 arrests were made last night related to the protests. The charges include burglary, looting, probation violation, battery on police officer, attempt murder and failure to disperse. ”
The statement continues: “All but 18 of the arrestees have released on their own recognizance. Six Los Angeles police officers were injured during the protests on Friday night and early Saturday morning. They sustained non-life-threatening injuries ranging from lacerations to impact wounds. As of this morning all restrictions in the downtown area have been lifted. While more protests are slated for various locations throughout the city today, we remain hopeful those demonstrations will be peaceful. The department will be deploying additional resources to maintain order and ensure the safety and security of not only individuals exercising their first amendment rights, but also the residents and businesses in our community.”
“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 of Angelenos,” Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, Michel Moore, added in his own statement Saturday.
After hours of demonstrations that in at least one instance resulted in injuries, the LAPD said Friday night that the protests in Downtown Los Angeles were “an unlawful assembly.”
Authorities ordered businesses to close, residents to remain home, and demonstrators to disperse.
Citing what it called “repeated acts of violence & property damage,” LAPD said the zone affected by the order included the bulk of Downtown Los Angeles, bordered by the 10 freeway in the south, the 101 freeway in the north, the 110 in the west, and Alameda street in the east.
Throughout the night, local news footage showed several scenes of demonstrators breaking windows, throwing dockless scooters into buildings, and various other forms of vandalism, as LAPD deployed in large numbers near in central Downtown, close to city hall and LAPD headquarters.
We have declared an unlawful assembly throughout Downtown LA. From the 10 Fwy to the 101 & the 110 Fwy to Alameda—This is being made following repeated acts of violence & property damage. Residents should stay inside—Business should close—Those on the street are to leave the area
The protests, which began around 5:30 p.m. local time, were largely peaceful during daylight hours, and as sunset approached, most protesters went home. Those who remained, according to local news reports, began engaging in acts of vandalism. Despite this, video footage showed peaceful demonstrators still outnumbered vandals by a considerable margin.
An early sign of escalation came shortly after 7:00 p.m. when protesters and police clashed in several sections of central downtown including the intersection of 5th and Olive. Elsewhere, protesters stopped traffic on the 101 freeway. According to the Los Angeles Times, at least two police officers were injured and several police cruisers damaged prior to the unlawful assembly declaration.
By 10:30 PM, most conflict between demonstrators and police appeared to be concentrated on Spring between 4th and 5th. In live footage, police established a line across Spring and appeared to be focused mainly on dispersing the crowd rather than making arrests though several people could be seen taken into custody and in some cases other demonstrators attempted to interrupt such arrests. At 10:45, police began deploying tear gas.
The protests in Los Angeles were among dozens across the country inspired by several people who were killed while in police custody in recent months, most notably Floyd.
Floyd was arrested by Minneapolis police Monday after an employee at a convenience store called authorities to say he suspected Floyd of passing a counterfeit $20 bill. During Floyd’s arrest, white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes, an act that was caught on video by several bystanders. In the clips, Floyd can be heard asking officers to let him breathe but is not shown to be resisting. Paramedics were called to the scene, where they found Floyd to be unresponsive. He was later pronounced dead.
Chauvin has since been fired by the Minneapolis police, arrested and charged with third-degree murder in connection to Floyd’s death. The three other officers who were involved in the arrest have not been charged, though they were also fired.
Minneapolis has seen protests for five nights in a row, with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announcing Saturday that the state’s National Guard has been “fully” mobilized in response to the demonstrations, which he says have turned into “wanton destruction and chaos” and “made a mockery” of Floyd’s death.
Meanwhile on Friday, demonstrators in Atlanta vandalized CNN headquarters, and in Louisville, Kentucky police fired on news reporters during a live broadcast using guns that fired pepper balls.
2020 Presidential Contenders: Who's Still Challenging Donald Trump and Who's Dropped Out (Photos)
There's less than a year to go until the 2020 presidential election, where the presumptive Democratic nominee — former Vice President Joe Biden — is expected to take on President Donald Trump.
But before then, the race was filled with a number of candidates eyeing the Oval Office. Here's TheWrap's list of everyone who is running for president — and who has dropped out.
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Joe Biden – Democratic Party
Entered Race: April 25, 2019
The former Obama VP was a late entry to the race, formally declaring his run for the presidency on April 25. But he's long been a presumed frontrunner, leading many early polls. This is his third presidential run, and for months he's been telling anyone who'll listen that he'd be the most qualified candidate for the job. He's also already been under scrutiny over criticism about his behavior with women, prompting him to post a video promising he'd be "more mindful and respectful" of a woman's "personal space."
The Massachusetts Senator formally announced her candidacy on Feb. 9 at a rally in her home state, and shortly after followed up with a tweet that read: "I believe in an America of opportunity. My daddy ended up as a janitor, but his little girl got the chance to be a public school teacher, a college professor, a United States Senator – and a candidate for President of the United States. #Warren2020." But on March 5, 2020, following a disappointing Super Tuesday performance, Warren officially ended her bid for the presidency.
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Bernie Sanders – Democratic Party
Entered Race: Feb. 19, 2019
Dropped Out: April 8, 2020
Bernie Sanders, the runner-up in the 2016 contest for the Democratic nomination, had a momentous campaign for the presidency with policies championing economic equality and rhetoric advocating for a political revolution that drew him scores of dedicated supporters. But as the Democratic primary elections arrived, his campaign's disappointing performance widened the gap toward the nomination between the Vermont senator and his main competitor, Joe Biden. In early April, Sanders officially suspended his campaign for the presidency.
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Pete Buttigieg – Democratic Party
Entered Race: April 14, 2019
Dropped Out: March 1, 2020
The 37-year-old mayor of South Bend, Indiana became the first openly gay presidential nominee from a major political party. Buttigieg came away with the most delegates from the Iowa Caucuses but couldn't keep his momentum going in the other early state primaries.
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Michael Bloomberg - Democratic Party
Entered Race: Nov. 24, 2019
Dropped Out: March 4, 2020
The former mayor of New York is the second billionaire to enter the crowded Democratic field with just one year until the election, using his considerable personal wealth to fund his ad campaign. He dropped out after a poor showing on Super Tuesday.
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Amy Klobuchar – Democratic Party
Entered Race: Feb. 10, 2019
Dropped Out: March 2, 2020
The Minnesota Democrat, first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006, announced her bid on Feb. 10, 2019, saying that she wanted to work for "everyone who wanted their work recognized." Klobuchar's key issues she wants to tackle if elected president include revising voting rights protections and prioritizing cybersecurity.
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Tulsi Gabbard – Democratic Party
Entered Race: Jan. 11, 2019
Dropped Out: March 19, 2020
Gabbard, a U.S. Representative for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district, endorsed Bernie Sanders in 2016, but in 2020 she's all-in on herself. Gabbard is running on immigration and criminal justice reform.
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Tom Steyer – Democratic Party
Entered Race: July 9, 2019
Dropped Out: Feb. 29, 2020
The billionaire and climate change activist entered the race in July, saying in a video "if you think that there's something absolutely critical, try as hard as you can and let the chips fall where they may. And that's exactly what I'm doing. My name's Tom Steyer, and I'm running for president."
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Bill Weld – Republican Party
Entered Race: April 15, 2019
Weld is a former Governor of Massachusetts who has been on the record about his displeasure of Trump, specifically Trump's desire to be more of a "king than a president."
The former governor of Massachusetts acknowledged the challenge of jumping into the Democratic primary so late in the game. But in his announcement he took a veiled swipe at other candidates, saying the party was torn between "nostalgia" and "our big idea or no way.” He dropped out after the New Hampshire primary, failing to secure a single delegate.
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Michael Bennet – Democratic Party
Entered Race: May 2, 2019 Dropped Out: Feb. 11, 2020
The Colorado senator has been a vocal supporter on advancing the field of artificial intelligence and expanding the Child Tax Credit. He dropped out on the day of the New Hampshire primary.
The entrepreneur and son of immigrant parents from Taiwan became a contender a year ago, telling The New York Times that he will advocate for a universal basic income. But he failed to gain traction and dropped out the day of the New Hampshire primary.
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Joe Walsh – Republican Party
Entered Race: Aug. 25, 2019 Dropped Out: Feb. 7, 2020
The former congressman from Illinois turned conservative talk show host announced in August 2019 that he would enter the GOP primaries to challenge President Trump. "I'm running because he's unfit; somebody needs to step up and there needs to be an alternative. The country is sick of this guy's tantrum -- he's a child," he told ABC News.
The New Jersey senator and former mayor of Newark formally tossed his name into the presidential hat on Feb. 1, the first day of Black History Month. Booker ran on a platform of ending mass incarceration if he were to be elected president. His absence in the race ahead of the caucuses made the remaining Democratic field significantly less diverse.
The "Healing the Soul of America" author and founder of Project Angel Food announced her candidacy during a political rally at the Saban Theater in Los Angeles on Jan. 28. Williamson ran on a platform of reparations and "economic justice for women and children."
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Julián Castro – Democratic Party
Entered Race: Jan. 12, 2019
Dropped Out: Jan. 2, 2020
The former mayor of San Antonio -- and former Obama cabinet member -- supports immigration reform and eliminating lead poisoning. Castro was the only Latino candidate in the running, and he said in a video released by his campaign that he's "not done fighting."
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Kamala Harris – Democratic Party
Entered Race: Jan. 21, 2019
Dropped Out: December 3, 2019
The California senator announced her bid for the presidency on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 21, while appearing on ABC’s "Good Morning America." As a possible indication of her chances, her January CNN town hall was the network's highest rated single presidential candidate town hall ever. Harris is pro Medicare-for-all and raising teacher pay.
Harris came out of the gate strong with a solid showing at the first debate, but failed to carry that momentum. Reports of staff mismanagement and fundraising challenges led to her to suspend her candidacy in early December.
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Beto O'Rourke – Democratic Party
Entered Race: March 14, 2019
Dropped Out: November 1, 2019
The former congressman from El Paso, Texas, announced he is running for president on March 14, saying: "This is a defining moment of truth for this country and for every single one of us," and that the challenges have never been greater. "They will either consume us, or they will afford us the greatest opportunity to unleash the genius of the United States of America," he added. O'Rourke has already made a name for himself as a record-breaking fundraiser, the subject of an HBO documentary and a favorite among Hollywood elite. He dropped out Nov 1., tweeting, "I am announcing that my service to the country will not be as a candidate or as the nominee."
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Mark Sanford – Republican Party
Entered Race: Sept. 8, 2019
Dropped Out: Nov. 12, 2019
The former governor of South Carolina -- who resigned in disgrace in 2007 after lying about an extramarital affair -- announced his challenge to Trump, saying, "We have lost our way." Sanford, who was also a U.S. congressman from 1995 to 2001 and 2013 to 2019, pledged to tackle the nation's ballooning national debt and reverse Trump's policies on trade protectionism. He dropped out in November saying the issues on his platform were overshadowed by the ongoing impeachment process.
The senator from New York announced her bid Tuesday, Jan. 15 on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert." Gillibrand, whose campaign slogan is "Brave Wins," supported paid family leave and protecting women's rights.
On August 28, 2019, she announced her withdrawal. "To our supporters: Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Now, let's go beat Donald Trump and win back the Senate," she tweeted.
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Seth Moulton – Democratic Party
Entered Race: April 22, 2019 Dropped Out: August 23, 2019
The Massachusetts congressman and Iraq War veteran ended his campaign for president in a speech to the DNC in San Fransisco. “I think it’s evident that this is now a three-way race between Biden, Warren and Sanders, and really it’s a debate about how far left the party should go,” Mr. Moulton told the New York Times.
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John Hickenlooper
Entered Race: March 4, 2019 Dropped Out: Aug. 15, 2019
The former Colorado governor supported stricter gun control laws and free trade.
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Howard Schultz – Independent
Dropped Out: Sept. 6, 2019
In January the former Starbucks CEO expressed initial interest in running. In August, Schultz reportedly suspended his campaigning until after Labor Day, citing medical issues. In September, Schultz cited those issues and more in a letter on his website as reasons he had to take himself out of the running.
"My belief in the need to reform our two-party system has not wavered, but I have concluded that an independent campaign for the White House is not how I can best serve our country at this time," he wrote.
Schultz is a co-founder of the venture capital firm Maveron, which is an investor in TheWrap.
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Eric Swalwell
Entered Race: April 8, 2019 Dropped Out: July 8, 2019
The California congressman wrote in a statement on his campaign's website about his decision to bow out of the 2020 presidential race, "I’ll never forget the people I met and lessons I learned while travelling [sic] around our great nation – especially in the communities most affected by gun violence."
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Jay Inslee – Democratic Party
Entered Race: March 1, 2019 Dropped Out: Aug. 21, 2019
The Governor of Washington ran on a platform focused on climate change, proposing a "100% Clean Energy for America Plan" that would see emissions drop to zero by 2035.
He announced he was dropping out of the race during an appearance on "The Rachel Maddow Show."
"It's become clear that I'm not going to be carrying the ball," Inslee told Maddow. "I'm not going to be the President, I'm withdrawing tonight from the race."
Inslee added that he's optimistic that climate change will be a major part of the Democratic party's priorities.
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Wayne Messam – Democratic Candidate
Entered Race: March 28, 2019 Dropped Out: Nov. 20, 2019
The mayor of Miramar, Florida, a city near Miami, is a first-generation American who has called for end the filibuster and erasing student debt. He only raised $5 -- five -- during the quarter that ended Sep. 30, and dropped out less than two months later.
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Bill De Blasio – Democratic Party
Entered Race: May 16, 2019
Dropped Out: Sept. 20, 2019
The New York City mayor was looking for more taxes for the wealthy and regulating "gig jobs" under his proposed Universal Labor Standards.
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Steve Bullock – Democratic Party
Entered Race: May 14, 2019
Dropped Out: Dec. 2, 2019
The Montana governor said in a statement, "While there were many obstacles we could not have anticipated when entering this race, it has become clear that in this moment, I won’t be able to break through to the top tier of this still-crowded field of candidates."
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John Delaney – Democratic Party
Entered Race: July 28, 2017 Dropped Out: Jan. 31, 2020
The U.S. Representative for Maryland's 6th district declared back in July 2017. He said he'll "end reckless trade wars and expand trade," "create a universal health care system" and "launch a national AI strategy." But he dropped out before the Iowa caucuses.
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Joe Sestak – Democratic Party
Entered Race: June 23, 2019 Dropped Out: Dec. 1, 2019
The former Pennsylvania Congressman had a plan for America that includes investing in American manufacturing and strengthening antitrust laws. But short of funds and media attention, he dropped out.
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Bernie Sanders is the latest to end the race for the Oval Office
There's less than a year to go until the 2020 presidential election, where the presumptive Democratic nominee — former Vice President Joe Biden — is expected to take on President Donald Trump.
But before then, the race was filled with a number of candidates eyeing the Oval Office. Here's TheWrap's list of everyone who is running for president — and who has dropped out.
Mario Tama / Getty Images
CBS
