Waymo vehicle catches fire in downtown Los Angeles for protesters, police clash
Several Waymo automatic taxis caught fire while policemen struggled with another day of unrest in downtown Los Angeles, causing huge black smoke to blow into the air.
A dramatic image was captured one afternoon when clashes broke out between the Trump administration and large groups trying to maintain order against immigration attacks by Los Angeles police.
Protesters gathered in downtown Los Angeles’ civic center area Sunday morning and overflowed onto Highway 101 at around 3:30 p.m., and the road was closed for hours as California Highway Patrol personnel worked to push the protesters back and detained several in the process.
Then a group of protesters landed on five Waymo taxis on Los Angeles street between Arcadia and Alameda Street, about 5 p.m.
Tires were cut down, windows smashed, and anti-ice messages sprayed on self-driving taxis, three of which were burned.
A competitor was running near a damaged Waymo vehicle on Los Angeles Street on Sunday.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Protesters swarmed around the vehicle, tearing the door off and stepping on the windshield. A man wearing a mask smashed the car window with a skateboard. Another seems to use a temporary flamethrower to set up the interior of the car.
As the car was consumed by flames, some were seen throwing lime electric scooters into burning shells, while others stood up from the fiery scene. Once, the besieged Waymos began to honk the horn with a coordinated cacophony, and the shouts of protesters and the sound of police helicopters broke the head.
The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the burning of the vehicle, while the Los Angeles Police Department warned people to stay away from the area, with a harsh smell hanging in the air.
“The burning lithium-ion battery releases toxic gases, including hydrogen fluoride, poses a risk to responders and those nearby,” LAPD said in a statement.
A man used a skateboard to break windows in a Waymo taxi during Sunday protests.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Waymo’s fleet of electric self-driving taxis has become a familiar sight on the roads of Los Angeles. A Waymo spokesman told the Times that the company is in contact with law enforcement on the matter.
Waymo began serving Los Angeles in November after launching in San Francisco and Phoenix. A company spokesperson said in January it attracted an initial waiting list of about 300,000 people before it could be used for anyone who downloads the service’s app.
As of January, Waymo has already driven 1.9 million miles In Los Angeles. Despite their growing popularity, these cars have been targeted by vandals.
In January, a group destroyed an autonomous taxi in Beverly Grove. In February 2024, Waymo was burning fireworks in the fireworks near Chinatown in San Francisco. In July, a Castro Valley resident was charged with destroying 17 Waymos in San Francisco within three days, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
A destruction of Waymo Robotaxi was set on the street of Los Angeles.
(James Quillie/Los Angeles Times)
