LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rowdy crowds took to the streets of Los Angeles after the Dodgers won the World Series, setting a city bus on fire, breaking into stores and lighting off fireworks. A dozen arrests were reported by police Thursday, but officials emphasized that most fans celebrated peacefully.
Video showed revelers throwing objects at police in downtown LA as sirens blared and officers told them to leave the area late Wednesday after the Dodgers defeated the Yankees in Game 5 in New York.
Another video showed someone standing atop a bus waving a Dodgers banner and people running from a boarded-up Nike store with armfuls of sneakers before throwing the merchandise into cars parked outside. No injuries were reported.
Despite some unrest, “the overwhelming majority of celebrations last night were joyful and peaceful,” Mayor Karen Bass said at a Thursday news conference discussing the logistics of Friday’s planned victory parade.
“We will work to keep Angelenos safe as always,” Bass said, emphasizing that “violence of any kind will not be tolerated.”
The mayor, who wore a Dodgers jersey with her name on the back, noted that the parade will be held on what would’ve been Fernando Valenzuela‘s 64th birthday. The beloved Dodgers pitcher died last week.
Bass said she will be sending a Dodgers jersey to New York Mayor Eric Adams to wear at his City Hall “because he has lost the bet.”
Officials said the Los Angeles Police Department will be on high alert throughout the week to protect communities and businesses in the city, which has been the site of previous unrest after championship wins by both the Lakers and the Dodgers.
There were some “unruly, and at times violent and hostile celebrations” after Wednesday’s win, with several acts of vandalism, including the burning of a Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus, LAPD spokesperson Officer Drake Madison said in an email.
Arrests were on charges such as failure to disperse, receiving stolen property, or commercial burglary, Madison said. There were also several instances of street takeovers downtown and police used less-lethal munitions to control several hostile and violent crowds, Madison said. In the coming days, detectives will attempt to identify those responsible for crimes, he said.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said his deputies would be on full alert for various events, including the celebrations of the Dodgers’ win, Halloween festivities, and the upcoming elections. He urged fans to not shoot off illegal fireworks, take over intersections, or spin out cars, all of which happened Wednesday night.
“The individuals that were involved in that last night was a very small segment of the east Los Angeles community because most of them were out celebrating because they love their Dodgers,” Luna said.
The Dodgers plan to commemorate their championship Friday with a downtown parade followed by a celebration at Dodger Stadium. The team said Wednesday that because of logistics, traffic, and timing, fans won’t be able to attend both events.
The parade was expected to include members of the Dodgers traveling atop double-decker buses along a 45-minute route on city streets.
Officials urged people to work from home and to use public transportation when possible Friday.
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