A man was arrested for allegedly vandalizing businesses during a Tyre Nichols protest in Hollywood on Saturday night, Los Angeles Police said.
The suspect was identified as Ezequiel Riesgo, 22.
A crowd of protestors gathered in the 1500 block of Vine Street around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. They were seen walking in the middle of streets, eventually stopping at an intersection and blocking traffic.
Around 8:15 p.m., police say Riesgo used a tool to shatter the window of a business in the 1500 block of Cahuenga Boulevard. Afterward, Riesgo spray painted the wall of another business in the 1600 block of Vine Street, according to LAPD.
As the march ended, Riesgo was arrested on charges of felony vandalism.
Tools “commonly used for breaking windows and spray paint” were discovered in Riesgo’s backpack following his arrest, said LAPD.
Protestors gathered in several parts of Los Angeles over the weekend after videos were released Friday showing the violent arrest of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols in Memphis. Nichols died three days after he was beaten by police during a traffic stop on Jan. 7.
“While the majority of the demonstrators in Hollywood did not engage in violence, there were those who did,” LAPD Chief Michael Moore tweeted. “I’m proud of our people who utilized effective tactics to identify those responsible and make arrests.”
Protestors are calling for police reform while local law enforcement agencies have condemned the officers’ actions. Similar scenes of protests played out across the country this weekend.
Barricades were moved in on Friday night in downtown L.A. after some protestors were seen tagging nearby walls and throwing fireworks, although protests have remained largely peaceful.