Lakers fans smash windows, throw rocks, run onto freeway; police try to maintain order

A huge contingent of Los Angeles Police Department officers were trying to maintain order Thursday night as some Lakers fans roamed downtown, jumping on cars, smashing windows and throwing rocks.

LAPD officer fired less-than-lethal weapons at a group of people who threw pieces of concrete at them.

Cars trying to make their way through the intersection of 9th and Hope streets were mauled by fans banging on their windows. Police approached on horseback and then riot police pressed into the crowd. The crowd retreated, knocking off side-view windows of cars and lighting fireworks as they went. 

At 9th and Flower streets, a crowd bashed in the windows at the condo loft tower and ripped down the barriers that had been set up at the street. Then they swarmed a pickup truck at the intersection. Ten men hopped on top of it.

Crowds smashed windows at Pico Boulevard and Figueroa Street. Others roamed on the 110 Freeway.

Belen Lopez, 20, and her boyfriend were running down Hill Street, away from the riot police approaching on horseback.

"This is insane," she said.

--Robert Faturechi, Kate Linthicum, Andrew Blankstein, Ruben Vives, Abby Sewell, Sam Allen, and Hector Becerra.

Photo: An LAPD officer detains a Lakers fan after Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Credit: Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[John M.]

Send the entire bill for police and fire and insurance claims to the Laker team for immediate payment, if they refuse to pay, send the Lakers to El Paso or Grand Forks SD, seeeee yaaa.

[jeff r]

i don't understand why downtown wasn't on lock even before the first person exited staples center. lakers fans for some reason riot after everything, wouldn't you expect some plan to be in effect to keep riots from happening. and i'm talking michael jackson sized police force, call in the national guard if you have to. put the fear in these people so that when they went into staples ctr and out of it, it looked like the chinese military was in effect. stupid, just stupid there wasn't a plan in place.

[rosco]

gotta expect that from L.A. theres alot of dummies roaming the streets at night. celebrate at home with friends away from those animals

[Maria]

And this is why I never plan to visit LA. Lose = Riot. Win = Riot. Sunny Day = Riot. Weekday = Riot.

City of Angels?

[melinya grant]

wow, im from buffalo, ny & i just read your story about the win . now im glad that the lakers won, but this is why i dont vist l.a. california.... & i do have family there... but after this, NEVERMIND!!!!

[LISETTE MORENO]

Really Laker Fans That much! We are supposed to be excited not acting like fools! We are supposed to be celebrating not burning crap and vandelizing =( booooooo come on have fun be a PROUD FAN! like meeeeee Congrats Lakers I luv you guys!

[HaLA]

wow LA's 16th win and they still act like this. new orleans may have a lot of crime but at least we can all come together and celebrate safely! first superbowl win ever, and do we fight and riot? NO we hug strangers and buy rounds of drinks for others and throw amazingly huge parades for the team we love and act respectfully! i agree immigration there needs to be looked at closer but even our thugs could come together and be friendly on a special night. unfortunate for yall

[John Richards]

You have to question the mind of these "fans". Do they not know it does their team and their city a huge disservice with their behavior?

The city and other major sport leagues need to adopt the model the English Premier League of soccer utilizes. Get the names of these offenders, put the into a database, and not allow them to purchase tickets or attend any future games for life. It's not fool proof, big these idots don't deserve to be near games like this.

[DZ.PHAM]

This lunatic riot is a sign of an unstable society that is lacking of belief in values other than individual

[Donnyballgame]

Exactly what 100% Government support gets you, total disrespect for society. When is America going to wake up and make the tough decisions (not popular) that needs to be made. Take back this country!

[Bee]

It isn't a racial thing, it is an selfish, uncaring bunch of idiots thing!!!!

[Carelvys]

Didn't Chicago just win the Stanley Cup a week ago? LA should take a lesson from us here in Chi-town - no torched cars, no smashed windows, no rioting in the streets, nobody shot, maimed, or killed. Just a peaceful celebration of our Blackhawks and lots of good clean fun!

Too bad some thugs ruin it for the respectful fans.

[Star]

Hay I am a true L.A.LAKERS fan out of Dallas, TX. I have been a Lakers fan every since I was about 5 years old when we had the O.G. Lakers back then Majic A.C.Green, Kareem and I will forever be a fan. How Bout that PURPLE @ Gold Baby, how bout them lakers. You know we the best and the team to beat. They truely are the best and always will be, I was screaming all the way from down south for my boys, and we sent them CELTICS Home hollering, turn off the lights. LAKERS FAN FOR LIFE, CONGRATULATIONS PHIL JACKSON, TRUELY THE BEST COACH & COME ON BACK NEXT YEAR SO YALL CAN DO IT AGAIN CONGRATS TO THE WHOLE TEAM. SO HAPPY FOR YALL I TOLD ALL MY LAKER HATERS DOWN HERE IN TEXAS WHEN THEY THOUGHT IT WAS OVER I TOLD THEM NEVER UNDERESTIMATE MY BOYS CAUSE THEY ALWAYS BOUNCE BACK.

[DT-Dude]

Maybe the fans were upset that the Lakers didn't really win, but were given the game on the refs bad calls against Boston. The refs were the real winners, not the Lakers.

[L.A. Leon]

Democrats being Democrats. This is normal for them and encouraged by those they vote for...so what's the big deal?

[J]

Just another reason why southern California should pass an immigration law like Arizona did.

[maria quiroga]

OF COURSE, WHAT WOULD YOU EXPECT FROM LAKERS FANS????
SPURS FANS DO NOT RIOT BECAUSE YOU'RE TEAM WON, EVEN IF THEY LOST. NOTHING BUT IDIOTS IN LA ANYWAY.

[krista r]

@Jimmy Z I agree, those are not fans. They are selfish individuals who use an excuse of the Lakers win to basically take out their own personal anger and frustrations on a city that houses them.
They are immature children with no other goals than "following" the bandwagon. These are NOT fans...

[Bill Jacobs]

Can anyone wonder why Arizona passed SB 1070? If you want your city to resemble Nogales or Calexico, continue to do nothing. Thanks for boycotting AZ by the way!!!

[NoRiotsIn Arizona]

Please include your riots in your boycott of Arizona.

[booty bug]

wat they shuld do is stop having games in LA..

[William S.]

The idiots rioting in the street were not Laker fans. They may think they are, but they are not. They are gang banging thugs. Few, if any, of those individuals spent a minimum of $750.00 to watch the game inside Staples. These thugs are what make L.A. a cesspool. They sought out an opportunity to gang bang and they did. This has nothing to do with race. It has everything to do with the individuals. Thugs come in all shapes, sizes, races and religions. No one has the market cornered. 99.99% of all Laker fans were having a great time at home, in a sports bar, at a bowling alley, at a friends house wherever enjoying the fun of watching L.A. kick butt on our arch rivals. How many real Laker fans overturned the cars in their own driveway? How many fans lit their neighbors car on fire? Please do not think of these individuals as fans. They are not. Do not think of these thugs are representing L.A. They do not.

[Leo]

Well what do you expect from Lakers fans? The team with the biggest fan support from thugs!!!

[scott r.]

Send the bill to jerry buss I think he can afford to pay it.

[gimme a break]

Forget this - I'm cheering for Lebron Next year, let the Cavaliers or some other team with decent humans living in society take it. Los Angeles can not afford another riot. I want my kids to be able to make it through school not drowning in debt, but how can they when we got to spend it cleaning up after mentally-retarded, poorly-educated waste of taxpayers dollar low lives?