At least 25 arrested amid unrest after Lakers victory

[davepc]

Source: L.A. Times

What started as a celebration of the Lakers' NBA Championship turned ugly when some revelers in downtown Los Angeles sparked fires, vandalized cars and buildings, set off fireworks, looted stores and clashed with police.

At least eight people were arrested, most at the Staples Center and a few others at a smaller gathering in the Crenshaw District, Los Angeles Police Department officials said. Most arrests involved disturbing the peace but there was one arson case.

Authorities said several police cars were damaged along with several MTA buses and a KABC-TV Channel 7 news van. Some fans marched up an onramp to the 110 Freeway and cheered passing cars.

There were also scattered reports of looting. A crowd broke the window of shoe store and ran through a gas station mini-mart, stealing products.

By 11 p.m., the crowd -- which once measured more than 1,000 -- had thinned out, and police were trying to break up small groups of Lakers fans causing trouble. Earlier, groups roamed the streets around the Staples Center, shaking passing cars and throwing debris. The situation worsened as Lakers fans in cars poured into the South Park area, some waving Lakers flags and cheering.



Read more: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/06/at-least-8-arrested-amid-unrest-at-staples-center-after-lakers-victory.html

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Stay classy L.A.

[JI7]

1. bunch of idiots

[DarthDem]

2. No, You Stay Classy

And be sure to keep on dismissing an entire city because of the actions of a few morons. Moreover, the celebration in Los Angeles was completely tame compared to recent scenes in other cities, including Boston after the Celtics won a year ago.

Fail.

[a la izquierda]

7. Lakers fans do this every time they win.

Not all of them, of course. But when they won in 2000, my husband and I stood on the roof of our apartment building and watched people burn cars, break windows, etc. It's lunacy.

[DarthDem]

13. No, They Don't

The Lakers have won 15 times. I wasn't here in 2000 and certainly defer to you about that year. But what happened last night is actually out of character for Los Angeles sports celebrations - - and NOTHING compared to what has happened in other NBA championship cities recently.

Where there is alcohol and boors, there will always be some degree of mischief. But by all accounts the LAPD did a great job last night and things were pretty calm. I doubt there will be many difficulties with Wednesday's parade, either. I just struck by the OP's ignorance in singling out Los Angeles as some sort of exemplar of this phenomenon.

[a la izquierda]

20. This is a recent phenomenon, I'll give you that.

But I lived in LA for all of the Laker championships in the 2000-decade. And fans rioted every flippin' time. Sorry...they do. (Granted, not every fan does, only the dipshits).
And, if you can read my post correctly--I didn't talk about other sports. Just the Lakers. Shaq even bought two new police cruisers the last time idiot fans rioted.

I also didn't call into question other cities. But I know what I saw when I lived in L.A. and this is par for the course.

[DarthDem]

28. No Offense Meant

I read your post, and was annoyed by the OP, not you, and my annoyance was relative; I was defending Los Angeles over other cities. I was in Los Angeles for the 2001 title celebration (2002: out of town) and didn't think it was that bad, but I do remember a story about Shaq and the cars.

Riots seem to be confined to the aftermath of NBA titles for the most part. I don't recall any rioting after the Phillies won the World Series last season, nor the Steelers the Super Bowl. And now someone will jump in and say that Pennsylvanians don't riot. :-)

[a la izquierda]

29. No worries

;)

We don't riot when we lose National titles in football here any more...we're pretty used to OU choking in the final game.

[Syrinx]

3. I really don't understand this phenomenon

We don't have any major-league pro-sports in my state, so maybe I don't understand. But when our college team wins a game or championship, we might party and get drunk. We might even taunt our vanquished foes a little bit. But we don't try to burn down our own city. :shrug:

[SemiCharmedQuark]

4. I remember the riots in Chicago after the Bulls won in the 90s...

Most people were celebrating safely and legally, but a few bad apples can really incite violence quickly.

At least I don't have to worry about Chicago having any more celebrations get out of hand any time soon :(

[summer borealis]

5. Ah, the NBA ... still a total joke

and all pathetic ESPNBA cares about.

[okieinpain]

23. are you kidding me. n/t.

[tomreedtoon]

6. If Orlando had won, we would've toppled one trash can.

That's about the extent we care about our overpaid, pointless sports team, and we're honest about it.

But apparently Los Angeles places a lot of its self-esteem in ITS overpaid, pointless sports team, so they have to riot and burn stores. The late, lamented Bob Goldthwait was right; if your team wins a championship, you can commit any crime you want.

And we spend millions in tax dollars on these jerks.

[Bicoastal]

15. Bobcat Goldthwait is not late OR lamented.

[tomreedtoon]

16. Oh, he's dead in the business. What else matters?

For quite a while, Goldthwait followed the true path of the comedian; finding truth and telling it. He was able to express great anger at the stupidity of our world. He used to be funny.

I think it was that poisoner of so many dreams, drug use, that killed his talent. He did stupid and self-destructive tricks like setting Leno's couch on fire. (Mind you, that fratboy deserved to have his couch set on fire, but by actually doing it, Goldthwait proved he had no discretion.) He was even fired from a writing position on Jimmy Kimmel's lame ABC show - with Kimmel actually mentioning it on air in a disparaging manner.

He IS late, and I lament his waste of talent to whatever he's been abusing.

[TheWatcher]

25. Hmmmm, the only information I can find about that is he was the DIRECTOR

Of Jimmy's show from 2005-2006 and left to pursue his film career. he even returned to Direct a few shows in 2007.

maybe you have information we don't?

I never saw the show you are speaking of either where Jimmy mentioned him being let go on the air.

[tomreedtoon]

27. At my former job (Master Control at an ABC station) I did.

Kimmel made an aside just before his regular stupid sign off, "Apologies to Matt Damon, we ran out of time..." about Goldthwait.

In honest, I think "director" must have meant something different. A TV director chooses what shots will appear in a show, how the show is structured, and things like that. Much as I like Goldthwait, he didn't have his life together enough to have the patience and calmness to be a director. However, I would swear that I saw him listed on the writing staff when he was still with the show.

[RedCloud]

8. Now if Kobe had been arrested for three flagrants not called...

in Game 4, this series would be interesting. But alas the same Orlando team that squeaked by the injured Celtics was not the same one that knocked the Cavs out and deserved to lose.

[jayfish]

9. Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg Would Be Proud.

Jay

[Capt. America]

10. kids in Iran --rioting for democracy; kids in States --rioting for NBA millionaires

[Old Hob]

17. ...because they already have democracy.

[DBoon]

11. we had 400,000 out peacefully for the Pride Parade

http://cbs2.com/local/West.Hollywood.Pride.2.1044052.html

and you have to make a cheap shot about a handful of criminals among a mere thousand or so celebrating Lakers fans?

You are such an asshole

[WriteDown]

12. WE WON, WE WON, WE WON...

Let's burn down the city.

[RantinRavin]

14. i'm sure this will can be blamed

on thier socio-economic conditions. Nothing of course to do with them just being some fucking assholes.

[snooper2]

18. This kind of shit doesn't happen in Texas

Whats wrong with CA?


:)

[WriteDown]

19. Wow...

You have guts. :)

[snooper2]

24. :)

:hi:

[TheWatcher]

26. It didn't when the Rockets won in 94.

I was there. I can attest to that.

[shanti]

21. alcohol

n/t

[Arrowhead2k1]

22. This is real? I thought this was a parody of protests in Iran or something.

:rofl:

[jberryhill]

30. Grand Ayatollah Fletch Urges Calm....