After more than a week of dealing with agitators at protests, looting, and getting violent, LAPD officers are finally getting a break.
"It was a long 9-day period that the LAPD and our partner agencies, such as the L.A. County Sheriffs and California Highway Patrol, participated in this prolonged activation as a result of these federal immigration operations," LAPD Deputy Chief David Kowalski told KNX News' Emily Valdez.
"I think [Monday] is the first day where we can step back and hopefully get many of our officers that have been working long hours some time off to relax and recover with family," Kowalski said.
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He said that most people at the protests were peaceful, but there were several agitators. According to Kowalski, many of these troublemakers have a history of hijacking otherwise lawful demonstrations.
"Since 2020, we've been involved in a variety of events and protests in the city and around the region," he said. "We're seeing some of the same persons come over and over, and we're seeing them involved in criminal activities over and over."
Kowalski said these repeat offenders are organized, trained, and equipped with anti-police tools.
"Especially Sunday, they were bringing makeshift shields... to repel the approach of our police officers...They're packing their backpacks with concrete slabs and rocks....we saw the use of Molotov cocktails," Kowalski said, adding that the "homemade bombs" were being hurled at officers and the crowd.
Over the nine days of protests, the LAPD says it arrested nearly 600 people, and 12 officers were injured. Kowalski's message to anyone looking to incite riots during future protests is: "You will be prosecuted, and you'll go to jail for a long time."
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