LAPD and Sheriff's Department Disperse Downtown LA Protestors with Flashbangs and Smoke Bombs

Law Enforcement Response in Downtown LA

• 👮 Officers from the LAPD and LA Sheriff's Department were actively engaged in clearing streets in downtown Los Angeles.
• 🐎 Mounted officers and those on foot were observed pushing crowds away from the federal building.

Use of Crowd Control Devices

• 💥 Flashbangs and sound grenades were deployed by law enforcement to disperse protestors.
• 💨 What appeared to be smoke bombs were also used, causing crowds to scatter.
• 💣 A distinction was made between flashbangs (distraction devices) and actual bombs, with officers clarifying their use.

Officer Posture and Equipment

• 😷 Officers were seen wearing and then removing gas masks and helmets, indicating a shift in their operational posture.
• 🚀 Launchers for 40-millimeter sponges and other less-lethal projectiles were visible and in use.

Crowd Dispersal and Control

• 🎯 The objective of these devices is to disperse crowds and deter protestors from advancing.
• 📉 The situation appeared to be under control by local law enforcement, with most protestors having cleared the area.
• 🩹 While described as 'less lethal,' these devices can cause injury, and some individuals were observed to be hurt.