The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Armed National Guard soldiers patrolled the streets of Los Angeles early Sunday as the city began cleaning up after a night of violence that saw demonstrators clash repeatedly with officers, torch police vehicles and pillage businesses.
A rare citywide curfew expired as dawn revealed broken shop windows, demolished security gates and graffiti along entire blocks.
Mayor Eric Garcetti said Saturday he asked Gov. Gavin Newsom for 500 to 700 members of the Guard to assist the 10,000 Los Angeles Police Department officers.
LA MESA, Calif. — The quaint downtown of suburban La Mesa near San Diego has suffered major damage with Chase and Union banks next door to each other burned to the ground.
Windows were smashed at many businesses, including a Goodwill store, a Sotheby’s real estate office and a popular bar.
The east San Diego suburb of 60,000 people borders El Cajon, where the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man by a police officer triggered days of major unrest in 2016.
The La Mesa protest that began peacefully Saturday afternoon and turned increasingly violent as night fell.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed has declared a citywide curfew for Sunday night as violent protests rage throughout the city in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death.
Breed says the curfew will last from 8 p.m. on Sunday to 5 a.m. on Monday.
The mayor says she has asked Gov. Gavin Newsom to put the California National Guard on standby.
Authorities say there have been increased levels of violence, crime, vandalism and assaults on police officers Saturday night as the protests took a dark turn.
Los Angeles is already under a citywide curfew overnight and the National Guard is en route to help police quell the violence.