Curfew imposed in Los Angeles County as looting erupts in Santa Monica and Long Beach

After a day of peaceful protests against the death of George Floyd, things took a turn in several cities across Los Angeles County on Sunday evening, as looters smashed windows and doors of businesses in Long Beach and Santa Monica.

Earlier in the day, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti imposed an overnight curfew of 8 p.m., in an attempt to control chaos in his city, but that was amended by Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva to a countywide order of 6 p.m.

In Long Beach, looters entered Nike, Forever 21, and Guess stores. The Los Angeles Times reports that one man tried to stop another as he used a hammer to smash the glass of the Guess store, and those who wanted to enter the store began punching him. In Santa Monica, a Louis Vuitton store was vandalized, and in one block, the windows in all of the stores were smashed and graffiti was spray painted on the side of buildings.

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Police said that on Saturday night, 398 people were arrested in Los Angeles for burglary, looting, vandalism, failure to disperse, and curfew violations. Five police officers were injured, including two who were hospitalized; one of the officers was hit by a brick, and had to have skull surgery. Fires were set at the Grove mall, with looting at Nordstrom and other shops, and Garcetti said those who are participating in "destruction and looting" have "not just caused chaos and damage. They are hijacking a moment and a movement."