Los Angeles is facing substantial financial repercussions following a series of protests that began on June 6.
City officials estimate the total cost to be nearly $20 million due to the protests, which were initially sparked by federal agents detaining individuals suspected of being undocumented.
While daytime demonstrations remained largely peaceful, nighttime incidents escalated into violence and vandalism primarily concentrated in downtown Los Angeles.
As a result of these clashes, Mayor Karen Bass implemented a seven-day curfew for much of downtown to maintain order.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has incurred the majority of the expenses, spending nearly $17 million on protest-related activities over the past two weeks.
According to a report released by Matt Szabo, the city administrative officer, over $11 million of this amount was allocated for overtime pay.
These recent expenditures come on the heels of Mayor Bass’s approval of a $13 billion budget that included numerous layoffs and cuts to city services as part of an effort to address a nearly billion-dollar deficit.
However, the financial impact of this month’s protests pales in comparison to those following the 2020 killing of George Floyd, which amounted to over $40 million in costs within the initial two weeks.
Furthermore, the LAPD reported making significantly fewer arrests this month compared to the George Floyd protests.
As of Monday, LAPD reported 575 arrests connected to this month’s demonstrations, whereas there were over 4,000 arrests in the first two weeks following George Floyd’s death, with 1,242 occurring in just one day.
Despite lower total spending on the current protests, the LAPD has faced escalating overtime costs throughout the year.
Legal liability remains a major issue for the LAPD, particularly in light of allegations surrounding the use of excessive force during protests.
Adrienna Wong, a senior staff attorney with ACLU SoCal, stated last week that law enforcement’s actions have violated legal standards, noting that kinetic projectiles and chemical agents were used indiscriminately.
She expressed concern that innocent bystanders, journalists, and peaceful protesters were affected by this conduct.
In addition to ongoing protests, lawsuits stemming from the LAPD’s response to the 2020 demonstrations have proven costly for the city.
City Controller Kenneth Mejia revealed that of the 55 lawsuits filed against the city from the 2020 protests, $20 million has already been paid out, with 21 cases still pending resolution.
Mejia’s spokesperson highlighted that these legal liabilities are a significant factor contributing to the city’s financial crisis, reiterating that such costs could have been prevented.
In a recent development, a lawsuit was filed against the LAPD in federal court by the Los Angeles Press Club along with the independent news network Status Coup.
The complaint alleges that police actions violated journalists’ constitutional and statutory rights during coverage of this month’s protests.
Legal documents indicate that journalists faced excessive force and harassment from LAPD officials and were improperly restricted from access to protest sites where they had a legal right to report.
A representative for the LAPD commented that while they are unable to discuss ongoing litigation, they assured thorough investigations into reports of force used against the public, including media personnel.
The property damage resulting from the protests has also drawn criticism.
Local and state officials have condemned the deployment of Marines and National Guard troops by President Donald Trump shortly after the protests began, arguing that it heightened tensions and contributed to post-protest violence and vandalism.
Szabo’s report indicated that city buildings and property suffered $1.4 million in damages since the protests commenced.
Mejia disclosed that the cost of graffiti removal alone accounted for approximately $86,000.
A spokesperson for Mayor Bass emphasized that those who exploited the peaceful nature of the protests must be held accountable.
The official stated that individuals engaged in acts of violence or vandalism do not represent the immigrant communities at the heart of the demonstrations and must be arrested and prosecuted.
image source from：laist
