
In middle of LA riots, Google Waymo cars set on fire and vandalised by protestors
In a shocking turn of events during ongoing protests in downtown Los Angeles (LA), California, several self-driving cars operated by Google's Waymo were vandalised and set on fire on Sunday. According to a report by the Los Angeles Times, the unrest began as people gathered to protest immigration raids carried out under the Trump administration. What started as a peaceful demonstration quickly turned chaotic, with tensions rising between protestors and the police. The situation escalated further when a group of demonstrators targeted a line of self-driving Waymo vehicles parked on LA Street, smashing windows, slashing tyres, and eventually setting some of the electric taxis on fire. advertisementThe horrific incident, which took place in broad daylight, drew crowds and filled the streets with thick black smoke, as people looked on in shock. The scene became even more surreal as the burning vehicles began honking in unison while protesters shouted slogans and helicopters hovered overhead.The protests were sparked by President Donald Trump's decision to deploy the National Guard to Los Angeles, overriding objections from California Governor Gavin Newsom. This move, intended to control public demonstrations against the government's immigration policies, only intensified public anger. Around 300 federal troops had reportedly arrived in the city by Sunday, a development that many saw as a direct threat to civil liberties. The deployment marked a rare instance of a president activating the National Guard without the state governor's request, something not seen in decades.advertisement
The vandalism began around 5 PM on Sunday, when a group of protesters surrounded five Waymo taxis parked between Arcadia and Alameda Streets. It's still unclear whether the cars were parked there coincidentally or deliberately summoned through the Waymo app by people with a plan to vandalise them. Some believe the attack may have been motivated by frustration against autonomous technology itself, possibly from individuals who feel that self-driving or driverless cars are taking away jobs or harming society in some way.Witnesses described chaotic scenes with individuals smashing car windows with skateboards, spraying anti-ICE (Internal Combustion Engine — automobiles with engines that burn fuel to run, such as petrol or diesel) messages on the vehicles, and using makeshift flamethrowers to ignite the interior of the cars. Electric scooters were also thrown into the burning cars. Eventually, the LA Fire Department arrived to control the blaze, while police urged people to stay away due to the toxic fumes released by burning lithium-ion batteries.Waymo, which only began operating in LA late last year, has quickly become a familiar presence on city roads. A company spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times that they are in contact with local law enforcement following the attack. The company had previously been targeted in other cities as well, with similar incidents in San Francisco and Beverly Grove earlier this year.
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India.com
38 minutes ago
- India.com
Troops Deployed, Teargas Fired – Is LA Under Trump's Martial Law? California Guv To Sue US Prez Over Immigrant Raids
Los Angeles (United States): Governor Gavin Newsom has announced a lawsuit against President Donald Trump over what he calls an 'illegal and authoritarian' deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles. The decision has led to an escalation of the already strained relationship between California and the federal government. What began as a wave of protests against immigration raids has now snowballed into a full-blown constitutional showdown between Sacramento and Washington. Over the weekend, Los Angeles erupted as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested dozens of undocumented immigrants from city streets. The sweeping raids triggered mass protests. Demonstrators blocked freeways and clashed with the police – demanding an end to what they called a 'militarised war on migrants'. By Monday, nearly 2,000 National Guard troops had been dispatched to the city under direct orders from the White House – a move Governor Newsom says was made without his knowledge or consent. 'This is not only about California. This is about a president who believes he can federalise any state's National Guard, bypassing governors, the Constitution and the people. It is illegal. It is immoral. And we are going to court,' Newsom said in an appearance on MSNBC. The governor took to social media as well and warned that Trump's executive order could set a dangerous precedent. 'What he has done in L.A., he can now do in any state. We will not allow California to be his testing ground for tyranny,' he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Former Vice President Kamala Harris, who is a California native, too joined the chorus and accused Trump of 'manufacturing a crisis to inflame division and distract from his own failures'. The protests began last Friday after ICE conducted raids in several neighborhoods. The crackdown led to the arrest of at least 44 undocumented immigrants. Demonstrators quickly flooded the streets and accused federal authorities of targeting vulnerable communities and acting with little regard for due process. The police responded with tear gas, flash-bang grenades and rubber bullets. The unrest intensified over the weekend and prompted Trump to invoke what he called a 'necessary federal intervention'. 'These are not protesters, they are insurrectionists. Governor Gavin Newsom and 'Mayor' Bass have lost control of their city. They should apologise to the people of Los Angeles for this disaster,' Trump wrote on Truth Social. However, city officials flatly rejected Trump's narrative. While coordinating emergency response efforts, LA Mayor Karen Bass condemned the federal intervention as 'reckless and inflammatory'. Legal experts say Newsom's lawsuit could spark a constitutional battle over the limits of federal power. While the president does have authority to federalise the National Guard in rare situations, doing so without state consent – particularly for domestic law enforcement – is legally murky. 'Trump is testing the boundaries of presidential power in ways we have not seen in decades. If the courts side with Newsom, it could rein in executive overreach. If they don't, it could open the door to more unilateral deployments in the future,' said Dr. Emily Serrano, a constitutional law professor at UCLA. As tensions continue to rise in the streets and now in the courts, Los Angeles has become the latest flashpoint in the nation's deepening political divide. Whether this battle is resolved by judges or ballots remains to be seen. But for now, California is sending a message it will not back down.


The Wire
an hour ago
- The Wire
Five Left Parties Urge PM to End ‘Extrajudicial Killings' Under Anti-Maoist Operation
Menu हिंदी తెలుగు اردو Home Politics Economy World Security Law Science Society Culture Editor's Pick Opinion Support independent journalism. Donate Now Politics Five Left Parties Urge PM to End 'Extrajudicial Killings' Under Anti-Maoist Operation The Wire Staff 9 minutes ago Those Maoists reportedly in security forces' custody ought to be produced in court and dealt with under the rule of law, the parties said. FILE: Members of Left parties stage a protest demanding a halt to Operation Kagar in Hyderabad on May 22, 2025. Photo: PTI. Real journalism holds power accountable Since 2015, The Wire has done just that. But we can continue only with your support. Contribute now New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi ought to stop the 'extrajudicial killings' taking place as part of anti-Maoist operations, and the state must respond to the insurgents' call for talks and deal with those Maoists reportedly in security forces' custody in line with the rule of law, five Left parties said on Monday (June 9). In an open letter to the prime minister, the Communist Party of India (CPI), the CPI (Maoist), the CPI (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, the Revolutionary Socialist Party and the All-India Forward Bloc also urged a stop to the 'militaristic approach that treats the Adivasis' in Chhattisgarh 'with unmitigated hostility'. They called on Modi to 'put an immediate halt to the extra-judicial killings in the region around Chhattisgarh in the name of Operation Kagar'. Referring to reports that a number of Maoists were in security forces' custody, the five parties demanded that they 'be produced in court and dealt with as per the rule of law'. Some rights organisations have alleged that seven of ten rebels captured from Chhattisgarh were killed following torture over the last week. An official of the state administration denied the allegations. Meanwhile, the rights of the region's Adivasis 'are being systematically violated and the forests and minerals of Chhattisgarh are being subjected to indiscriminate corporate exploitation', Monday's open letter said, echoing allegations from some quarters that the militarisation of the area is a front behind which its mineral resources can be tapped into at tribal locals' expense. The Union and Chhattisgarh governments have rebuffed the Maoists' call for talks, it said, adding that the state 'should not … celebrate the taking of human lives against the spirit of the law of the land and principles of democratic governance'. 'We reiterate the appeal' by various people and political parties to respond to the insurgents' call and 'urge upon you to stop the extra-judicial killings and violence with immediate effect and order an impartial judicial enquiry,' said the letter, the full text of which is appended below. The Union home ministry said last month that security forces killed 197 'hardcore' Maoists as part of its operations this year. § To Shri Narendra Modi ji [Honourable] Prime Minister Government of India Dear Prime Minister, We, on behalf of the five Left parties of the country, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPI(M), Communist Party of India (Marxist Leninist) Liberation, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and All India Forward Bloc (AIFB), write to you to put an immediate halt to the extra-judicial killings in the region around Chhattisgarh in the name of Operation Kagar. There are reports that several senior Maoist leaders are currently in the custody of the security forces. We demand that they should all be produced in court and dealt with as per the rule of law. The Adivasis in the region have long been complaining about the militarisation of the region which has completely disrupted normal life. The Adivasi rights enshrined in the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution are being systematically violated and the forests and minerals of Chhattisgarh are being subjected to indiscriminate corporate exploitation with disastrous implications for environmental stability and livelihood of the local people. We urge upon you to stop this militaristic approach that treats the Adivasis with unmitigated hostility. This hostility is being seen even after death, with the government refusing to hand over dead bodies to their families, denying them their right to give a dignified farewell to their family members. The Maoists have repeatedly urged the government to consider their appeal for dialogue. Unfortunately, the union government and the BJP-led Chhattisgarh state government have chosen not to pursue a solution through talks. Instead, they are following an inhuman policy of killings and annihilation. The statements made by the union Home minister, reiterating the deadline and the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister's assertion that there is no need for talks, reflect a mindset unwilling to resolve issues through dialogue. The government should not be intransigent and celebrate the taking of human lives against the spirit of the law of the land and principles of democratic governance. Many concerned citizens and political parties, in spite of having differing views, have already appealed to the government to respond to the Maoist declaration of unilateral ceasefire and initiate a dialogue to resolve all issues. We reiterate the appeal and urge upon you to stop the extra-judicial killings and violence with immediate effect and order an impartial judicial enquiry. Thanking you, Yours sincerely, M.A. Baby, general secretary, CPI(M)D. Raja, general secretary, CPIDipankar Bhattacharya, general secretary, CPI (ML) LiberationManoj Bhattacharya, general secretary, RSPG. Devarajan, general secretary, AIFB. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments. Make a contribution to Independent Journalism Related News Seven Maoist Leaders Killed in 3-Day 'Encounter'; Rights Groups Allege Brutal Torture Why Aren't Peace Talks With Maoists an Option? Not Even Skeletal Remains, Ashes of N. Keshava Rao and Other Slain Maoists Given to Kin As Families Camped Outside Hospital, Police Cremated 'Unclaimed' Bodies of Killed Maoists 'A Pattern of Calculated Cruelty': Indian Organisations Abroad Condemn Chhattisgarh Encounters Is the Red Star Setting over India? CPI (Maoist) General Secretary Nambala Keshava Rao Killed In Encounter in Chhattisgarh As Amit Shah Lauds the Killing of '31 Notorious Naxalites', Maoists Once Again Urge Govt to Hold Talks Listen: India's Reaction to Turkey is Understandable, But We Should Not Give Up on Diplomacy with it About Us Contact Us Support Us © Copyright. All Rights Reserved.


Scroll.in
an hour ago
- Scroll.in
LA protests give Trump the excuse he needed to deploy force against his own people
'You just [expletive] shot the reporter!' Australian journalist Lauren Tomasi was in the middle of a live cross, covering the protests against the Trump administration's mass deportation policy in Los Angeles, California. As Tomasi spoke to the camera, microphone in hand, an LAPD officer in the background appeared to target her directly, hitting her in the leg with a rubber bullet. Earlier, reports emerged that British photojournalist Nick Stern was undergoing emergency surgery after also being hit by the same 'non-lethal' ammunition. The situation in Los Angeles is extremely volatile. After nonviolent protests against raids and arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents began in the suburb of Paramount, US President Donald Trump issued a memo describing them as 'a form of rebellion against the authority of the government of the United States'. He then deployed the National Guard. 'Can't you just shoot them?' As much of the coverage has noted, this is not the first time the National Guard has been deployed to quell protests in the US. In 1970, members of the National Guard shot and killed four students protesting the war in Vietnam at Kent State University. In 1992, the National Guard was deployed during protests in Los Angeles following the acquittal of four police officers (three of whom were white) in the killing of a Black man, Rodney King. Trump has long speculated about violently deploying the National Guard and even the military against his own people. During his first administration, at the height of the Black Lives Matter protests, former Secretary of Defence Mark Esper alleged that Trump asked him, 'Can't you just shoot them, just shoot them in the legs or something?' Trump has also long sought to other those opposed to his radical agenda to reshape the United States and its role in the world. He's classified them as 'un-American' and, therefore, deserving of contempt and, when he deems it necessary, violent oppression. During last year's election campaign, he promised to 'root out the communists, Marxists, fascists and the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country'. Even the Washington Post characterised this description of Trump's 'political enemies' as 'echoing Hitler, Mussolini'. In addition, Trump has long peddled baseless conspiracies about 'sanctuary cities', such as Los Angeles. He has characterised them as lawless havens for his political enemies and places that have been 'invaded' by immigrants. As anyone who has ever visited these places knows, that is not true. It is no surprise that in the same places Trump characterises as ' disgracing our country ', there has been staunch opposition to his agenda and ideology. That opposition has coalesced in recent weeks around the activities of ICE agents, in particular. These agents, wearing masks to conceal their identities, have been arbitrarily detaining people, including US citizens and children, and disappearing people off the streets. They have also arrested caregivers, leaving children alone. As Adam Serwer wrote in The Atlantic during the first iteration of Trump in America, ' the cruelty is the point '. The Trump administration's mass deportation programme is deliberately cruel and provocative. It was always only a matter of time before protests broke out. In a democracy, nonviolent protest by hundreds or perhaps a few thousand people in a city of ten million is not a crisis. But it has always suited Trump and the movement that supports him to manufacture crises. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, a key architect of the mass deportations program and a man described by a former adviser as 'Waffen SS', called the protests 'an insurrection against the laws and sovereignty of the United States'. Trump himself also described protesters as 'violent, insurrectionist mobs'. Nowhere does the presidential memo deploying the National Guard name the specific location of the protests. This, and the extreme language coming out of the administration, suggests it is laying the groundwork for further escalation. The administration could be leaving space to deploy the National Guard in other places and invoke the Insurrection Act. Incidents involving the deployment of the National Guard are rare, though politically cataclysmic. It is rarer still for the National Guard to be deployed against the wishes of a democratically elected leader of a state, as Trump has done in California. Assault on democracy This deployment comes at a time of crisis for US democracy more broadly. Trump's longstanding attacks against independent media – what he describes as 'fake news' – are escalating. There is a reason that during the current protests, a law enforcement officer appeared so comfortable targeting a journalist, on camera. The Trump administration is also actively targeting independent institutions such as Harvard and Columbia universities. It is also targeting and undermining judges and reducing the power of independent courts to enforce the rule of law. Under Trump, the federal government and its state-based allies are targeting and undermining the rights of minority groups – policing the bodies of trans people, targeting reproductive rights, and beginning the process of undoing the Civil Rights Act. Trump is, for the moment, unconstrained. Asked overnight what the bar is for deploying the Marines against protesters, Trump responded: 'the bar is what I think it is'. As New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie recently observed: 'We should treat Trump and his openly authoritarian administration as a failure, not just of our party system or our legal system, but of our Constitution and its ability to meaningfully constrain a destructive and system-threatening force in our political life.' While the situation in Los Angeles is unpredictable, it must be understood in the broader context of the active, violent threat the Trump administration poses to the US. As we watch, American democracy teeters on the brink.