Several Waymo Robotaxis and Lime E-Scooters flare up this weekend amid the Trump administration spurring groups protesting immigrant attacks in the city.
A group of protesters attacked five Waymo self-driving cars on Los Angeles Street on Sunday evening, the Los Angeles Times reports. They slashed the tires, smashed the windows and sprayed with a spray-painted anti-ice message. Three cars were on fire, and at one point “besieged Waymos began to sing the horns in a coordinated dissonance,” the LA Times wrote.
The Times reports that some Lime eSuters were also thrown into the burning shells of Waymo’s Jaguar’s i-pass. LAPD pointed out that ignition of lithium-ion batteries will release toxic gases such as hydrogen fluoride, which will pose a risk to bystanders.
It is not clear why the protesters attacked the Waymo vehicle. In the past, police have tapped Robotaxi companies for footage to solve crimes. In April, 404 Media reported that LAPD had released video footage obtained from a Waymo driverless vehicle as part of an investigation into another hit and run incident.
Waymo and Lime did not respond to requests for comment.
Ever since Waymo launched its autonomous riding service in Los Angeles in November 2024, the car has been the target of several acts of vandalism in LA and other cities.
The Los Angeles protests began on June 6 in response to a series of aggressive ice attacks across the city, with more than 100 immigrants arrested. A mix of peaceful, violent protests spread over the weekend, spreading across Paramount and Compton, blocking major highways.
President Trump responded by federalizing the California State Guard and deploying up to 300 soldiers in Los Angeles. State and city officials opposed the lawsuit, with California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who called for the removal of National Guard troops, calling the move a “serious violation of national sovereignty.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegses said he is ready to mobilize the Marines if violence continues over the weekend.
Videos circulating online show LAPD officials beat anti-ice protesters and even journalists with batons and rubber bullets.
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