Introduction to the Incident
As police struggled with another day of unrest in downtown L.A., several Waymo autonomous taxis were set on fire, sending thick plumes of black smoke billowing high into the air. The dramatic images were captured during an afternoon of clashes between large groups who were protesting immigration raids by the Trump administration and L.A. police who were trying to maintain order.
The Protest and Its Aftermath
Protesters converged on the Civic Center area of downtown L.A. on Sunday morning, spilling onto the 101 Freeway around 3:30 p.m. The roadway was then closed to traffic for several hours as California Highway Patrol officers worked to push demonstrators back, detaining several in the process. A group of demonstrators then descended on five Waymo taxis lined up on Los Angeles Street between Arcadia and Alameda streets around 5 p.m. Tires were slashed, windows smashed, and anti-ICE messages spray-painted over the self-driving taxis, three of which were then set on fire. A protester runs near a damaged Waymo vehicle on Los Angeles Street on Sunday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Vandalism and Arson
Protesters swarmed around the vehicles, tearing the doors off and stomping on the windshields. One man with a mask over his face smashed car windows with a skateboard. Another appeared to use a makeshift flamethrower to set the interior of a car ablaze. As the cars were consumed by flames, some people were seen throwing Lime electric scooters into the burning shells, while others stood back from the fiery scene. At one point, the besieged Waymos began honking their horns in coordinated cacophony, punctuated by the chants of protesters and the whirring of police helicopters overhead. A person uses a skateboard to break windows on a Waymo taxi during protests Sunday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Response from Authorities
The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the vehicle blazes while the Los Angeles Police Department warned people to stay away from the area and an acrid smell hung in the air. “Burning lithium-ion batteries release toxic gases, including hydrogen fluoride, posing risks to responders and those nearby,” the LAPD said in a statement.
Background on Waymo
Waymo’s fleet of electric, self-driving taxis have become a familiar sight on L.A. roads. A spokesperson for Waymo told The Times the company was in touch with law enforcement regarding the incident. After launching in San Francisco and Phoenix, Waymo began serving Los Angeles in November. It attracted an initial wait list of around 300,000 people before becoming available to anyone who downloaded the service’s app, a company spokesperson said in January. As of January, Waymo had already driven 1.9 million miles in Los Angeles. Despite their growing popularity, the cars have been frequent targets for vandals.
History of Vandalism
In January, a group vandalized one of the self-driving taxis in Beverly Grove. In February 2024, a Waymo was set ablaze with fireworks in San Francisco’s Chinatown neighborhood. In July, a Castro Valley resident was charged with vandalizing 17 Waymos in San Francisco over the course of three days, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. A vandalized Waymo robotaxi was set ablaze on Los Angeles Street. (James Queally / Los Angeles Times)
Conclusion
The incident involving the Waymo vehicles in downtown L.A. highlights the ongoing tensions between protesters and law enforcement, as well as the vulnerability of autonomous vehicles to vandalism and arson. The frequency of such incidents raises concerns about the safety and security of these vehicles and their occupants.
FAQs
- What happened to the Waymo vehicles in downtown L.A.?
- Several Waymo autonomous taxis were set on fire during protests against immigration raids by the Trump administration.
- What was the response from the authorities?
- The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the vehicle blazes, and the Los Angeles Police Department warned people to stay away from the area.
- Have Waymo vehicles been targeted before?
- Yes, there have been previous incidents of vandalism and arson targeting Waymo vehicles in Los Angeles and other cities.
- What is Waymo doing about the incident?
- A spokesperson for Waymo said the company was in touch with law enforcement regarding the incident.
- How common are autonomous vehicle vandalism incidents?
- Despite their growing popularity, autonomous vehicles like those operated by Waymo have been frequent targets for vandals, with several incidents reported in recent months.
