Waymo Suspends Operations in Los Angeles After Arson Attacks

Waymo, the U.S. autonomous vehicle company, has put a halt to its services in downtown Los Angeles after multiple arson incidents involving its self-driving cars over the weekend, linked to protests by anti-ICE activists.

Reports indicate that on Sunday, at least five Waymo vehicles were intentionally set ablaze, leading the company to withdraw its fleet from the area as a safety precaution.

“To our media partners, demonstrators and others who may enter the area of Los Angeles St, North of Arcadia and South of Alameda: Burning lithium-ion batteries release toxic gases, including hydrogen fluoride, posing risks to responders and those nearby. Please avoid the area,” the LAPD warned on social media.

As anti-ICE activists gathered on Sunday, they reportedly blocked the 101 Freeway and approached five Waymo taxis parked on Los Angeles Street around 5 p.m. Reports describe a scene of chaos: tires were slashed, windows broken, and anti-ICE slogans spray-painted on the vehicles.

Witness accounts mention activists tearing off doors, stomping on windshields, and one individual even used a skateboard to smash windows. Another protester seemingly employed a makeshift flamethrower to ignite a car’s interior.

According to local news outlet KTLA, analysts had previously estimated that Waymo’s driverless cars cost between $150,000 and $200,000 each. Thus, the damage from the five destroyed vehicles could total around $750,000 to $1 million, based on these figures.

Waymo began its journey as the Google Self-Driving Project within Google X, focused on developing autonomous vehicle technology. It was rebranded in 2016 under Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company.