“Our Officers Are Really Under Attack”: Explosives, Firebombs Fly in LA Chaos
What began as a tense protest in downtown Los Angeles spiraled into chaos last night as violent clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement turned parts of the city into what witnesses described as “a war zone.” Authorities confirmed that several homemade explosives and firebombs were hurled at officers, prompting a citywide emergency response and igniting public debate over escalating tensions between protesters and police.
The unrest erupted near Pershing Square just after 8 p.m., when a group of demonstrators gathered to protest what they claimed were recent acts of police brutality. While the majority of the crowd remained peaceful, a smaller, more aggressive faction splintered off and began confronting officers near the LAPD’s Central Division headquarters.
According to LAPD Chief Raul Martinez, what followed was “an unprecedented level of aggression.” Speaking at a press conference early Monday morning, Martinez stated, “Our officers are really under attack. These weren’t just angry chants or thrown bottles. These were improvised explosives, firebombs—devices clearly intended to cause harm.”
Several videos posted to social media showed Molotov cocktails being thrown toward police lines. In one widely circulated clip, a patrol car can be seen narrowly avoiding a blast as flames engulf a section of the street. Another video appears to show a firework rigged to explode inside a metal trash can, sending shrapnel flying. At least four officers were injured—two hospitalized with burns and one treated for a concussion after a nearby detonation.
Authorities say they recovered materials consistent with bomb-making in a nearby alley and are working with federal investigators to identify those responsible. No arrests have been announced as of this morning, but Martinez said the LAPD is reviewing footage and expects to release images of key suspects later this week.
Mayor Cynthia Rojas condemned the violence, stating in a televised address, “Peaceful protest is a constitutional right, but what we witnessed last night was domestic terrorism. We will not tolerate attacks on our city or our officers.”
Still, the incident has sparked fierce debate online and in city council chambers. Some community leaders say the violence was instigated by police overreaction earlier in the evening, pointing to tear gas and rubber bullets fired into the crowd before the firebombs began flying.
Civil rights attorney Jamal Desai, representing several protesters, argued that the city needs to investigate the lead-up to the violence just as thoroughly as the violence itself. “We need to ask what pushed a situation already on edge into full-blown chaos,” Desai said.
As cleanup crews swept away debris and boarded up scorched storefronts, many residents woke up to a city shaken. Helicopters circled overhead for hours overnight, and several downtown businesses remain closed.
While calm appears to have returned to the streets—for now—the tension simmering just beneath the surface suggests Los Angeles may not have seen the last of this conflict.
