Nearly 200 people were arrested early Friday after demonstrators flooded the streets of downtown Los Angeles and marched between City Hall and the Staples Center, the third night of demonstrations against the election of Donald Trump as president.

An estimated 185 people were arrested and one officer was injured during the hours-long demonstrations, LAPD officials said. Details on the officer’s injuries were not available but he was expected to be released from the hospital early Friday, said Officer Norma Eisenman.

The crowd halted traffic but was mostly peaceful, although some vandalized property with graffiti, hurled bottles and launched fireworks during the incidents late Thursday and early Friday. At one point, a large boom resembling that of a firecracker thundered near 2nd and Spring streets.

One person defaced a Los Angeles police cruiser, prompting officers to reach for beanbag shotguns, but a clash with demonstrators was avoided.


A man with a megaphone urged fellow demonstrators not to resort to vandalism.

“We are proud and productive people, and we’re gonna show them that,” he yelled.

The arrests were made sometime after 1 a.m., mostly for vandalism or disobedience of a lawful order, according to Sgt. Jack Richter, an LAPD spokesman.

1 / 74 Police arrest an anti-Trump protester in the early morning hours Saturday. The LAPD arrested about 150 people at Grand Park after a night of marching through downtown L.A. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 74 Police arrest about 150 anti-Trump protesters at Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles in Saturday’s early morning hours. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 74 An anti-Trump protester scales a fence at Grand Park in Los Angeles to avoid being arrested by police in the early morning hours Saturday. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 74 LOS ANGELES, CALIF. -- THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016: Anti-Trump protesters on the 101 freeway, in Los Angeles, Calif., on Nov. 10, 2016. ((Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)) 5 / 74 Police prevent anti-Trump protesters from accessing the Harbor Freeway in downtown Los Angeles on Friday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 74 On Friday night an estimated 3,000 people marched throughout downtown Los Angeles protesting the election of Donald Trump. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 74 An estimated 3,000 people filled the streets of downtown Los Angeles on Friday night to protest the election of Donald Trump. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 74 LAPD officers circle a protester while he was being arrested during an anti-Trump protest Friday night. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 74 Anti-Trump protesters fill the streets of downtown Los Angeles Friday evening. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 74 A large group of anti-Trump protesters walks over the 4th St. ramp, off the I-110 south freeway on Friday night. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 74 A protester stands in the middle of Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles during an anti-trump march Friday night. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles TImes) 12 / 74 Anti-Trump protesters on 4th steert marching into downtown Los Angeles on Friday night. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles TImes) 13 / 74 Garrett Gage, 28, of Woodland Hills holds an American flag as he protests in downtown Los Angeles on Friday night. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles TImes) 14 / 74 A passenger takes a video of anti-Trump protesters on downtown L.A. streets on Friday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 74 Hundreds of anti-Trump protesters stream down Hill Street in downtown Los Angeles on Friday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 74 Protesters gather on the steps of L.A. City Hall before beginning their march through the streets of downtown on Friday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 74 A protester holds up a sign as LAPD officers block the intersection of Olive Street and Olympic Boulevard during an anti-Trump march through downtown Los Angeles. (Los Angeles Times) 18 / 74 A protester waves the peace sign to LAPD officers blocking the intersection of Olive Street and Olympic Boulevard during an anti-Trump march through downtown Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 74 A police officer takes aim at demonstrators after cans and bottles were thrown at LAPD officers during an anti-Trump march through downtown Los Angeles (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 74 Protesters chant and wave signs as LAPD officers halt their march through downtown Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 74 Protesters raise their hands as LAPD officers halt their march through downtown Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 74 Police officers stand guard at LA Live as anti-Trump demonstrators hit the streets. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 74 A anti-Trump demonstrator waves a large Mexican flag as protesters on the march snarl traffic in downtown Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 74 Motorists wait it out as anti-Trump protesters on the march snarl traffic in downtown Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 74 A small group of demonstrators blocks traffic at the intersection of Figueroa Street and Chick Hearn Way. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 74 Demonstrators gathers march near LA Live to protest President-elect Donald Trump on Thursdaynight. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 74 A small group of demonstrators march down Second Street in L.A. to protest President-elect Donald Trump. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 74 Demonstrators march down Spring Street in L.A. to protest President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 74 Some motorist join in to cheer on the anti-Trump protesters march up San Pedro street in Los Angeles on Nov. 9. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 74 Anti-Trump protesters march down Spring Street in Los Angeles on Nov. 9. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 74 Anti-Trump protesters gather outside Los Angeles City Hall chanting, “Love Trumps Hate” on Nov. 9. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 74 Anti-Trump protesters flood the 101 Freeway. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 74 Anti-Trump protesters gather outside of Los Angeles City Hall on Nov. 9. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 74 Anti-Trump protesters gather outside of Los Angeles City Hall chanting, “Not my president, not my president,” in Los Angeles on Nov. 9. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 74 There was graffiti tagging along the sidelines of the anti-Trump protest downtown in Los Angeles on Nov. 9. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 74 An anti-Trump protester stands in defiance blind folded and holding an American flag in front of police officers, as protesters block up the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles on Nov. 9. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 74 Police shout at anti-Trump protesters on the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles on Nov. 10. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 74 A protesters with a Guy Fawkes mask stands aside watching other anti-Trump protesters on the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles on Nov. 10. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 74 Anti-Trump protesters march on the 101 Freeway near downtown Los Angeles on Nov. 9. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 74 Protesters flood onto the 101 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 74 Protesters climb out of the 101 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 74 Protesters flood onto the 101 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 74 A police officer watches protesters behind a concrete barrier along the 101 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 74 Police officers form a line to prevent protesters from walking onto the 101 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 74 Police block traffic on the 101 Freeway near downtown L.A. as protesters rally against Donald Trump’s election as president. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 74 Anti-Trump protesters on the 101 freeway, in Los Angeles, California. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 74 Anti-Trump protesters march on the 101 Freeway near downtown Los Angeles on Nov. 9. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 74 A driver is stuck in his car while Trump protesters block traffic in downtown Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 74 Protesters stop traffic in downtown Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 74 Anti-Trump protesters clear the road for an emergency vehicle in downtown Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 74 Protesters walk the streets of downtown Los Angeles, rallying against the election of Donald Trump. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 52 / 74 Protesters burn an effigy of Donald Trump outside Los Angeles City Hall. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 53 / 74 Protesters burn an effigy of Donald Trump outside Los Angeles City Hall on Wednesday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 54 / 74 Hundreds of anti-Donald Trump protesters hold a demonstration in Washington Square Park as New Yorkers react to the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) 55 / 74 Hundreds of anti-Donald Trump protesters hold a demonstration in Washington Square Park as New Yorkers react to the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) 56 / 74 Demonstrators block traffic on the 580 Freeway during a march through the streets in protest against President-elect Donald Trump in Oakland, California. (PETER DASILVA / EPA) 57 / 74 A demonstrator faces off with police during a march through the streets in protest against President-elect Donald Trump in Oakland, California. (PETER DASILVA / EPA) 58 / 74 People protest the election of Donald Trump as president in New York. (Alba Vigaray / European Pressphoto Agency) 59 / 74 A protester in San Francisco holds up a sign for President Obama in opposition of Donald Trump’s presidential election victory. (Jeff Chiu / Associated Press) 60 / 74 People gather for a candlelight vigil on Pennsylvania Avenue outside the White House after Hillary Clinton’s election loss. (Michael Reynolds / European Pressphoto Agency) 61 / 74 Protesters in New York denounce the election of Donald Trump. (Justin Lane / European Pressphoto Agency) 62 / 74 Thousands of anti-Trump protesters shut down Fifth Avenue in front of Trump Tower. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) 63 / 74 Protesters yell in San Francisco. (Jeff Chiu / Associated Press) 64 / 74 Students stage an anti-Trump rally on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 65 / 74 Tears are shed at the postelection candlelight vigil outside the White House. (Michael Reynolds / EPA) 66 / 74 Fletcher Jones, 14, joined other students at an anti-Trump rally at L.A. City Hall. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 67 / 74 An anti-Trump rally in Seattle. (Karen Ducey / Getty Images) 68 / 74 Emotions run high at the postelection protest at L.A. City Hall. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 69 / 74 Addison Avery, left, Aliyah Kono and Adam Jorgensen protest outside the federal courthouse in Sioux Falls, S.D. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leade) 70 / 74 Approximately 200 students protested President Elect Donald Trump on the steps of city hall (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 71 / 74 Hundreds of University of Texas students march through downtown Austin to denounce Donald Trump. (Joshua Guerra / Daily Texan) 72 / 74 Anti-Trump protesters in New York City. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) 73 / 74 Anti-Trump protesters march through downtown L.A. early Wednesday, shortly after the election result was announced. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 74 / 74 A postelection vigil outside the White House. (Michael Reynolds / EPA)


Richter said officers have noticed a “significant amount” of graffiti on downtown buildings and will have “zero tolerance” for anyone who remains in the downtown area after officers gave dispersal orders to various crowds of protesters near the Staples Center around 11:30 p.m.

The crowd swelled to more than 300 as it marched through the city, many shouting profane chants that disparaged Trump. “Not my president” echoed throughout the downtown corridors.

By 11 p.m., at least 200 had reached Olympic Boulevard and Olive Street, where dozens of LAPD officers — some with beanbag guns and helmets — filled the street, split the demonstrators into groups and hemmed them in.

About 11:30 p.m., police issued an order to leave the area, but only allowed five to six demonstrators to exit at a time. Officers urged them not to return.


“We don’t want anyone to get arrested tonight,” one LAPD commander told the crowd.

But attempts to gain order were often disrupted. At one point, a firecracker boomed, and at least one person was arrested but details were not immediately available, LAPD Officer Sal Ramirez said.

In a separate incident, a man was involved in an “altercation” with officers just before 11 p.m. near the dog park outside Los Angeles Police Department headquarters, according to LAPD Officer Tony Im. The man was taken into custody and it’s unclear if he was involved in the demonstrations.

Jose Garcia, 25, came to downtown from South Gate and said the protests were a way to demand that Trump govern not just his supporters but the entire nation.


“People say it doesn’t achieve anything, but I feel like as long as our voices are heard, we won’t be shut out,” Garcia said.

Bill Doyle, 53, of Los Angeles said he came to protest for a personal reason: The Affordable Care Act lowered the price of his wife’s cancer treatments, and he worried that Trump may repeal the healthcare measure.

But he also wanted Trump to disavow what he described as racist rhetoric by the candidate during the campaign.

“If we don’t have a country that’s safe to live in, what’s the point?” Doyle said. “The Republicans need to wake up and deal with this. It’s not going anywhere.”


In Van Nuys, up to 40 demonstrators gathered outside the federal building along Van Nuys Boulevard, and as of 9 p.m., the crowd was mostly peaceful, LAPD Officer Sal Ramirez said.

The protests mirrored demonstrations across the state. In Oakland, about 100 protesters poured onto the eastbound lanes of the Interstate 580 at 9:30 p.m. and blocked traffic, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Marc Johnston.

Seven business were vandalized, trash cans were set on fire and officers found one protester with a “cache” of Molotov cocktails, Oakland police said. Officers arrested 11 people on various charges including assault on police, vandalism, failure to disperse and public intoxication, police said.

Earlier in the day, a group marched onto the 10 Freeway in Boyle Heights but was quickly ushered off by police. The incident forced the closure of the freeway for about 20 minutes.


Still, the crowds were smaller on Thursday than the thousands of people who protested Wednesday. Of those, hundreds flooded the 101 Freeway, one of the main arteries through downtown L.A., blocking traffic and ultimately prompting police to move in.

City officials said Thursday that they were prepared for more nights of demonstrations and civil disobedience, with their attention focused on the freeways.

“Folks need an avenue by which to express themselves — we want to provide them with that,” LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said in an interview. “But we want them to do it in a lawful manner.”

Those remarks were echoed by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who told reporters he was proud of the activism he saw Wednesday night. Although the majority of protesters were peaceful, he said, he feared the message could be overshadowed by the unlawful behavior of a few.


“There’s no place for the destruction of property or the dangerous stoppage of traffic in a city where the overall majority of people are exercising in peaceful protest,” he said. “You’re getting in the way of 99% of people’s own message.”

Twenty-eight people were ultimately arrested overnight Wednesday for impeding traffic, police said. Officials said some may also be booked on suspicion of vandalism.

In Wednesday night’s protest, police had initially wanted to intervene as little as possible, Beck said.

“That was our goal,” he said. “To let people exercise their 1st Amendment rights and do so as unaffected by policing as we could possibly do it.”


That changed, however, as protests in L.A. often do, when they reach a freeway. At that point, out of concerns for the safety of the demonstrators, Beck said, the LAPD “had to change our posture dramatically.”

Officers worked with the California Highway Patrol to stop traffic and try to clear the cars already in the area. Then it was time to try to move protesters from the freeway, Beck said.

“That piece of freeway is really tough for us,” the chief said. “There’s like 17 on- and off-ramps in a very, very tight area; there’s a short fence. Four-hundred or 500 people — stopping them from trying to get access is very difficult.”

“It’s going to take a while to get them off,” he added. “We have to make sure we get them off safely.”


Beck watched the demonstrations on television as he called his command staff on the ground, discussing their plans. Garcetti said he also spoke to the chief, at times listening to a police radio for a play-by-play.

Both the police chief and mayor cautioned protesters against returning to the freeway should more protests arise. Beck said the LAPD was working with the CHP to prevent protesters from returning to the roadway on Thursday and beyond.

The CHP issued its own statement Thursday afternoon, saying the freeway takeover endangered motorists and kept scores of officers from responding to other incidents. The group’s message, the agency said, “was lost in the chaos.”

”The California Highway Patrol takes pride in being able to safeguard the rights of every citizen, including freedom of speech and freedom to assemble,” the statement said. “However, when an assembly changes from peaceful to unlawful and the actions of some reckless citizens begin to infringe on another person’s rights, including endangering them, the CHP will take swift action to restore safety.”


The concern, Beck stressed, was safety. He noted that the LAPD will often block traffic for marchers on surface streets. The freeway, he said, was a different matter.

“I think people should see the obvious difference between the way I treat people on Broadway and the way I treat people on the 101 Freeway,” he said. “The freeway is far too dangerous.”

Times staff writer Joseph Serna contributed to this report.

kate.mather@latimes.com


Follow me on Twitter: @katemather

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UPDATES:

6:15 a.m.: This article was updated with arrest totals in Los Angeles and Oakland.

1:17 a.m.: This article was updated with information about additional arrests.


Nov. 11, 12:30 a.m.: This article was updated with details on demonstrators near Olympic Boulevard and Olive Street.

10:55 p.m.: The article was updated with details on one arrest and a smaller demonstration in Van Nuys.

10:25 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from Bill Doyle.

10 p.m.: This article was updated with details on protests in Los Angeles and Oakland.


8:40 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from demonstrators in Thursday night’s protests.

7:40 p.m.: This article was updated with details on Thursday’s demonstrations.

This article was originally published on Nov. 10 at 3:40 p.m.