MIKEY HIRANO CULROSS / Rafu Shimpo
The front windows and doors of Ramen Yamada restaurant in Little Tokyo’s Japanese Village Plaza are covered with plywood Friday evening, in anticipation of large demonstrations in the Downtown area on Saturday.
Rafu Staff and Wire Service Reports
The sounds of electric saws and power drills were heard across Little Tokyo Friday afternoon, as business and residents prepared for what is expected to be a couple of days Downtown filled with protests and demonstration.
Many shops and restaurants were having panels of plywood installed over their windows and doors, to prevent damage and looting seen last weekend stemming from protests against on scale federal immigration raids in the area.
Los Angeles and other cities across the Southland and the country are expected to see large-scale “No Kings” protests on Saturday, held in response to a U.S. military parade scheduled in Washington, D.C. The parade ostensibly will celebrate the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary, but it also falls on President Trump’s 79th birthday.
Law enforcement agencies across the SoCal are likely to be on heightened alert due to the planned protests, including a large-scale gathering expected outside Los Angeles City Hall. National Guard troops and Marines will also likely be in place, continuing their mission of protecting federal facilities, thanks to a federal appeals court ruling Thursday night. Hours earlier, a U.S. district judge ruled that Trump’s actions federalizing National Guard troops – who are normally under the control of the governor – did not follow congressionally mandated procedure.
A dusk-to-dawn downtown curfew that went into effect earlier this week has been extended through coming weekend. The order affects a roughly one-square-mile area of downtown from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. nightly and applies to an area between the Golden State (5) and Harbor (110) freeways, and from the Santa Monica (10) Freeway to where the Arroyo Seco (110) Parkway and Golden State Freeway merge. That area includes Little Tokyo, Skid Row, Chinatown, and the Arts and Fashion districts.
Several freeway entrances and exits, along with many streets in the Downtown area are expected to be closed for much of Friday evening and most of Saturday.
The dramatic events of the past week have come as tensions sparked by immigration
enforcement and the resulting protests in the L.A. area remained heightened. Businesses in Downtown that have been impacted by vandalism and looting amid ongoing protests in the area can apply for resources through the city of Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass announced Friday.
Staff from the offices of Mayor Bass, Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado and other city departments will host webinars to make resources and information available. Business owners can RSVP and register for the webinars at www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/8no6FvN0QfOL3S3FcDGO_A#/registration.
At least two small business owners in the Japanese Village Plaza said Friday they were grateful for the assistance from the city. Little Tokyo had a fraction of the people usually seen crowding the streets on a Friday night. Several were seen heading to or from the remnants of a march that began at Olvera Street at 11 a.m., joined in and around Little Tokyo by several news reporters asking for comments.
Michael James, the director of public safety for the Little Tokyo Business Improvement District, was making his rounds early Friday evening, and said there were few if any problems around the neighborhood during the day.
“Most of the people today have been very peaceful, making sure they say what they want everybody to hear,” he said. However, he was wary about what might take place after nightfall.
“There was one young guy I saw, with his face covered and dressed all in black, carrying a big rock, about the size of a softball. To me, that looks like trouble.”
For other related news:
Local Officials Speak Out on Immigration Raids, Downtown Protests
Tri-Caucus Leaders Condemn Attacks on Immigrants
AloJapan.com