Looting Overshadows Protest in Downtown Santa Monica
The aftermath of looting in downtown Santa Monica, Calif., on Sunday, May 31, 2020. Peaceful protests against police brutality were accompanied by widespread vandalism and opportunistic looting. (Michael Goldsmith / The Corsair)
A protest in downtown Santa Monica against the recent killing of George Floyd and the larger issue of police brutality was overshadowed when widespread vandalism and opportunistic looting erupted in the area. The May 31 demonstration involved hundreds of individuals marching south along Ocean Ave to the Santa Monica Pier, with dozens of law enforcement officials standing watch and blocking off local traffic. Shortly after 1 p.m., that exercise of First Amendment rights was quickly eclipsed when hundreds of other individuals took advantage of overstretched and undermanned law enforcement and began ransacking the area.
"We live down the street and saw on the news that [the looters] were hitting the stores over there,” said John Grondor, owner of The Craftsman Bar and Kitchen on Broadway, as he stood in front of his business and pointed across the street to Nordstrom Santa Monica one block east. “We came down because we were worried about it…It was really scary for like 15 minutes…we didn’t know what to expect.”
Los Angeles County Sheriff deputies cordon off 2nd St in downtown Santa Monica, Calif., on Sunday, May 31, 2020. Peaceful protests against police brutality were accompanied by widespread vandalism and opportunistic looting. (Michael Goldsmith / The Corsair)
California Gov. Gavin Newsom had proclaimed a state of emergency for the city of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County one day earlier due to continued civil unrest in response to Floyd’s killing. No California National Guard personnel were in the area when looting broke out; however, they were still being mobilized. Stores looted in downtown Santa Monica included REI, Vons, CVS, Nike, Vans, and Gap, as well as dozens of smaller businesses. Most of the looters were high-school age teenagers.
“It’s just unfortunate that the message gets lost in all this stuff, in all of this [looting] that goes on,” Grondor said. “If we could really get the message going, you know, I’m all for it. We even put up a sign [on the storefront]… that we’re out protesting, because we were going to check it out too…you know, let’s go exercise our [First Amendment] right.”
Local officials closed highway off-ramps on the 10 Freeway and Pacific Coast Highway by the early afternoon in an attempt to stem the influx of additional outsiders from entering the area. Local law enforcement officials other than the Santa Monica Police were flexed to the area to help stabilize the situation once the looting started, including from the Santa Monica College Police Department, the Culver City Police Department, the Redondo Beach Police Department, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
(Michael Goldsmith / The Corsair)
Some of the more organized looters used SUVs, pickup trucks, dollies, and large duffel bags to transport high-value items. Others used stolen luggage, backpacks, or simple trash bags to carry away what they could. Many seemed jubilant and in high spirits, particularly younger individuals, some of whom posed for pictures in the midst of it all. Santa Monica City Mayor Pro Tempore Terry O’Day stated later in the day that, “we understand that this peaceful protest was not part of the looting.”
“We’ve been here 12 years…I have employees that have been with us for nine years,” said Grondor. “We’re going to do the best we can and work with our landlord. I just don’t know what else can happen, it’s just one thing after another [since the pandemic started]. It’s crazy.”
Many local Santa Monica businesses had just partially reopened back up hours earlier, with the gradual lifting of coronavirus restrictions taking place across the Los Angeles area that weekend. The significant damage sustained from the looting threw yet another curveball to business owners and employees who were already treading uncharted waters.
Every local business owner interviewed said that their insurance had not covered coronavirus-related losses, as they were considered “an act of God”, as Grondor stated. He said his business was relying on additional loans recently taken out to make it through these tough times.
National Guard troops moved into the downtown area by midnight. The Santa Monica Fire Department stated that four structures had suffered fire damage, including REI and the Sake House on Santa Monica Blvd, as well as four vehicles and one dumpster. National Guard troops have since pulled out of the area.
