Protesters march Friday in Los Angeles, shut down 110 Freeway, amid growing anger nationwide over George Floyd’s death

During a third night of protests in downtown Los Angeles on Friday, in angry response to the death of George Floyd, protesters clashed with police and shut down the 110 Freeway.

What had begun as a group of about 70 protesters walking along streets and doing sit-ins at downtown intersections amid traffic devolved later in the evening into violent confrontations with police officers.

Two Los Angeles police officers were injured in skirmishes with protesters, officials said.

By 9:30 p.m., LAPD declared an unlawful assembly for all of downtown Los Angeles, ordering everyone in the streets to immediately leave the area and urging residents to stay inside and businesses to close.

Just hours after prosecutors in Minneapolis criminally charged a former Minneapolis police officer who was seen kneeling on Floyd’s neck before he died, the demonstration began at Los Angeles City Hall.

Earlier Friday, former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Activists who filled downtown streets said the charges were not enough.

“I can’t breathe means first-degree,” the original crowd of more than 70 demonstrators shouted while marching from Los Angeles City Hall and down along Spring Street, demanding harsher charges and broader reform.

As that crowd continued their march, employees of shuttered businesses applauded from behind metal blinds. Residents cheered from their apartment balconies. Cars passing by honked to the rhythm of the demonstrator’s chants.

Los Angeles police officers on bikes rode in front of the marching group.

Demonstrators occupied the intersection of Olympic Street and Figueroa Boulevard, halting traffic in the area. The group sat down and continued to hold signs, chanting Floyd’s name for several minutes before standing to continue their march.

Protestors are staging a sit down in traffic at the Olympic and Figueroa intersection pic.twitter.com/nfVh14rBw2

— Hunter Lee (@huntslee) May 30, 2020

But later in the evening, tensions rose as multiple groups took shape throughout downtown. Some protesters hurled glass bottles and other objects at police and officers responding by launching less-than-lethal rounds at crowds and shoving them back with riot shields.

Other groups continued to sit on the pavement in quiet protest of police orders to disperse.

After 7 p.m., dozens of protesters surged up Eighth Street and onto the 110 Freeway, halting traffic on north and southbound lanes until Olympic Boulevard, said California Highway Patrol Officer Elizabeth Kravig.

CHP officers were able to disperse the crowds but within a half-hour a smaller group of protesters returned to the freeway, Kravig said. Television news broadcasts showed the marchers setting up a makeshift barricade in the northbound lanes.

One officer was injured by a flurry of protesters near Pershing Square on Fifth and Olive streets. The officer was transported to a local hospital in unknown condition, said LAPD Officer Drake Madison, spokesman for the department. A second officer was injured by a glass bottle thrown from a crowd that had gathered on 7th and Hope streets.

“I saw people start climbing on the bus stop and then crowds start running from the street and some guy is getting thrown by cops,” said Torie Dunda who was among the crowd of protesters who witnessed the skirmish on Olive Street. LAPD had not confirmed any arrests.

As rows of police officers continued pushing forward, shooting less-than-lethal rounds at the crowds, people began to slowly disperse, but lingered in looser groups long after the unlawful assembly had been announced.

Protesters left in their wake buildings and police vehicles with graffiti throughout downtown. Trash cans were strewn across roads. Some of the cans were lit on fire. Television news broadcasts showed crowds breaking into a Starbucks on 6th and Spring streets, shattering windows and damaging property inside.

The previous two days were marked by less tense standoffs between police officers and protesters who called for justice for Floyd and for the many people of color who have been subject to police brutality in Los Angeles County and across the nation.

Friday’s arrest of former-Minnesota police Officer Chauvin did little to quell their demands.

“It’s not about this cop. It’s about upending the whole system that’s created this,” said Ryan Valdez, a Norwalk resident who was among protesters. “This isn’t going to stop with George Floyd just like it wasn’t going to stop with Eric Garner until we, the people, do something about it.”

Earlier in the evening, while protesters pushed on throughout downtown streets, before the worst of the violence, Mayor Eric Garcetti acknowledged demonstrators efforts in his nightly speech. Garcetti said protester’s rights will be protected, but he urged protesters not to violate laws.

He said Floyd “was murdered in cold blood in front of this nation.”

“I share your resolve to not only declare that black lives matter, but to make that statement real in our policies and our politics in our policing in our laws,” Garcetti said. “And most of all, in our hearts.”

Activists have flooded recent discussions in City Council at Garcetti’s proposed budget, calling on city leaders to scale back the police department budget, one of the few areas that has been preserved and not seen the cuts that have ravaged other departments.

The protest Friday marked the third day of demonstrations in the city. On Wednesday, two protesters were injured during the mostly peaceful demonstration organized by Black Lives Matter Los Angeles.

As protesters spilled onto the 101 Freeway on Wednesday, one man hopped atop a California Highway Patrol cruiser. While the cruiser sped away while its windows were smashed in by a protesters, the man tried to hop off, landing on his face.

A second protester was struck by a car in a possible hit-and-run while hundreds of demonstrators crossed a street near the LAPD Headquarters.

While protesters on Friday evening caused damage to some buildings and other property in downtown Los Angeles, the scene in Minneapolis, Minn. and the nearby St. Paul proved to be more volatile.

Protesters set fire to the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct, burning other buildings, damaging banks and apartments, and looting from various local businesses.

The next morning, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz offered a sympathetic statement to protesters.

“Minneapolis and St. Paul are on fire. The fire is still smoldering in our streets. The ashes are symbolic of decades and generations of pain, of anguish unheard,” Walz said, adding. “Now generations of pain is manifesting itself in front of the world — and the world is watching.”

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said he understood the anger and pain, but added that the looting was unacceptable. The National Guard was called to the city help prevent further looting.

Earlier in the evening, protesters had spoke against the violence as several protesters began to agitate officers.

“This isn’t what we’re here for, violence,” said Miss Rodriguez of Los Angeles. “We’re here for peace because that’s what George would want.”

Demonstrations in cities across the nation continued to surge Friday evening, including Minneapolis, Atlanta, and New York City. Buildings continued to burn in the Twin Cities area for a second straight night.

Reporter Elizabeth Chou contributed to this story.