

A huge contingent of Los Angeles Police Department officers were trying to maintain order Thursday night as some Lakers fans roamed downtown, jumping on cars, smashing windows and throwing rocks.

LAPD officer fired less-than-lethal weapons at a group of people who threw pieces of concrete at them.



Cars trying to make their way through the intersection of 9th and Hope streets were mauled by fans banging on their windows. Police approached on horseback and then riot police pressed into the crowd. The crowd retreated, knocking off side-view windows of cars and lighting fireworks as they went.

At 9th and Flower streets, a crowd bashed in the windows at the condo loft tower and ripped down the barriers that had been set up at the street. Then they swarmed a pickup truck at the intersection. Ten men hopped on top of it.

Crowds smashed windows at Pico Boulevard and Figueroa Street. Others roamed on the 110 Freeway.

Belen Lopez, 20, and her boyfriend were running down Hill Street, away from the riot police approaching on horseback.



"This is insane," she said.



--Robert Faturechi, Kate Linthicum, Andrew Blankstein, Ruben Vives, Abby Sewell, Sam Allen, and Hector Becerra.