Waymo, a subsidiary of Google parent company Alphabet, is temporarily removing its autonomous cars from downtown Los Angeles after rioters set some of the vehicles on fire in response to federal immigration raids.
Waymo said it quickly removed its autonomous vehicles from downtown L.A. and “will not be serving that area for the time being out of an abundance of caution.” The company said it still plans to operate in other parts of Los Angeles.
A spokesperson told FOX Business that the company is “in touch with law enforcement.”
RIOTERS SMASH WINDOWS AT LAPD HEADQUARTERS AS ANTI-ICE AGITATORS CLASH WITH AUTHORITIES
The company said a number of its vehicles were in the vicinity of where the riots were taking place in the downtown area of the city as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carries out raids across the city.
Around 9:15 p.m. local time on Sunday, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) confirmed on X that “multiple autonomous vehicles” had been set on fire.
ANTI-ICE PROTESTERS IN LOS ANGELES SPIT ON AND BURN AMERICAN FLAG
A wave of violent riots erupted over the weekend in response to a series of ICE raids, with demonstrators urging the Trump administration to end deportations.
President Donald Trump simultaneously deployed thousands of National Guard troops to the city, which local leaders have argued only escalated tensions in the area.
Gov. Gavin Newsom posted on X that he is asking the administration to “rescind their unlawful deployment of troops in Los Angeles county and return them to my command.”
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said she is “saddened” to see the vandalism that has stemmed from the riots in parts of the city.
“I will tell you that I’m saddened by the extent of the vandalism in the form of graffiti all through the downtown area,” she told CNN’s “The Situation Room” on Monday.
Aside from autonomous vehicles, the LAPD posted on X that businesses and residents in downtown Los Angeles have reported incidents of vandalism and looting overnight on Sunday after rioters failed to disperse.
“Agitators have splintered into and through out (sic) the Downtown Area,” the LAPD’s Central Division wrote on X on Sunday. “Residents, businesses and visitors to the Downtown Area should be alert and report any criminal activity. Officers are responding to several different locations to disperse crowds.”
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