Rams fans lit fireworks inside bus, hop on car roof after team's victory at Superbowl
The victory of Los Angeles Rams over the Cincinnati Bengals saw fans going wild on the streets. The chaos resulted in the LAPD declaring an unlawful assembly by the Los Angeles Rams fans at Downtown, Sunday night, February 13, as "violent and destructive".
The celebration for the Rams victory over the Cincinnati Bengals at Downtown turned chaotic near 11th and Hope streets when fans lit fireworks inside a city bus while the driver was inside and festooned the outside with graffiti. Despite several efforts to control the crowd, the LAPD did not immediately announce any arrests stemming from the unruly fan behavior.
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"There are a dozen people on top of a graffitied city bus with a “RAMS HOUSE” flag and a detour sign and street cones. The bus driver is inside. Cops in copter above. Fireworks constantly going off," Los Angeles Times reporter Kevin Rector tweeted.
There are a dozen people on top of a graffitied city bus with a “RAMS HOUSE” flag and a detour sign and street cones. The bus driver is inside. Cops in copter above. Fireworks constantly going off. pic.twitter.com/qL24lI6Bsr
— Kevin Rector (@kevrector) February 14, 2022
Rector added, "I’m at 11th and Hope in downtown L.A. in an area LAPD have cordoned off.
People are letting off fireworks. Police on bullhorns declared an unlawful assembly on a loudspeaker from a truck and told people they had 10 minutes to leave."
I’m at 11th and Hope in downtown L.A. in an area LAPD have cordoned off.
— Kevin Rector (@kevrector) February 14, 2022
People are letting off fireworks.
Police on bullhorns declared an unlawful assembly on a loudspeaker from a truck and told people they had 10 minutes to leave. pic.twitter.com/VukrpUwK6e
In another wild scene captured on camera, dozens of fans celebrate in standstill traffic as some hop onto the roof of a yellow cab. One of the men even whacked the cab’s roof with an orange construction cone before hopping off, according to the footage posted by Fox LA anchor Marla Tellez.
LAPD dispersing crowds in downtown LA and then this: pic.twitter.com/c1jJnUzv2T
— MarlaTellez (@MarlaTellez) February 14, 2022
However chaotic it may be, people are posting pictures and Ram fans even changed the electric sign of the city buses.
The bus’s electric message (surely programmed before the game?) reads, intermittently, “Go Rams!”
— Kevin Rector (@kevrector) February 14, 2022
People are posing for pictures. pic.twitter.com/th1HeFfXmx
“We are seeing violent and destructive behavior by large crowds in the heart of the Downtown LA area,” the LAPD wrote on twitter.
“We have issued several dispersal orders and have a large police presence. Everyone that is part of those crowds, obey all dispersal orders and clear the streets immediately.”
We are seeing violent and destructive behavior by large crowds in the heart of the Downtown LA area. We have issued several dispersal orders and have a large police presence. Everyone that is part of those crowds, obey all dispersal orders and clear the streets immediately.
— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) February 14, 2022
Despite the police's order, people were still on the street celebrating and lighting fireworks. LAPD tried hard to clear the crowd. According to a tweet by Clayton Sandell, an officer, people were throwing objects at the police.
Sandell tweeted, "Following orders to disperse, an LAPD captain tells me they will be trying to move the crowd past our location downtown. Officers say people are throwing objects at them, and there lots of fireworks. They’ve got “skirmish lines” to direct the crowd where they want them. @Newsy"
Following orders to disperse, an LAPD captain tells me they will be trying to move the crowd past our location downtown. Officers say people are throwing objects at them, and there lots of fireworks. They’ve got “skirmish lines” to direct the crowd where they want them. @Newsy pic.twitter.com/jl7RcpaPYE
— Clayton Sandell (@Clayton_Sandell) February 14, 2022
At one point, officers fired projectiles to try to disperse the raucous crowd, according to a video shot by Rector.
LAPD officers are firing projectiles at people in downtown Los Angeles now. pic.twitter.com/nPpxQihpN3
— Kevin Rector (@kevrector) February 14, 2022
According to Jeong Park of LA Times, crazy fans were also spraying the word 'Rams' on silver line metro buses with passengers in it in Grand Avenue.
People are now spraying "Rams" on a Silver Line Metro bus (with passengers in it) moving south on Grand Avenue pic.twitter.com/hDWC7cpOkx
— Jeong Park 박종찬 (@JeongPark52) February 14, 2022