Following a massive protest and looting Sunday in Long Beach, neighboring cities are taking no chances. Signal Hill, Lakewood and Cerritos have barricaded multiple retail centers.
At the Lakewood Mall, 13 people were arrested Sunday night after attempting to loot multiple stores, including the Target, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Today, almost all entrance drives are barricaded and officers are stationed around the center.
In Signal Hill, the department of public works placed barricades at the entrances of both town centers and several smaller retail hubs while police patrolled parking lots. A Signal Hill police officer said the barriers are just a precaution meant to deter potential looters.
County sheriffs have a large presence at the Cerritos Mall. One officer said there was a peaceful protest early Monday. However, due to rumored “Antifa threats,” the officer said police will remain at the mall as a precaution.
To limit incidents, Los Angeles County and many cities have imposed strict curfews. In Long Beach, the curfew for business districts, such as the downtown area, began at 1 p.m. For the remainder of the city, curfew began at 4 p.m.
Meanwhile, the Downtown area assessed the damage after being hit hard by looters and vandals late Sunday.
The Downtown Long Beach Alliance said a total of 67 businesses in Downtown were broken into or looted last night with the boundaries of their service area. They also cleaned up 430 tags on building surfaces and streets around downtown.
Businesses looted or damaged ranged from eateries such as the Pie Bar and Thick Shake to retail stores, drug and jewelry stores, nail salons, fitness studios, banks and coffee shops, according to the DLBA.