LOS ANGELES — Hundreds celebrated in the streets outside Staples Center after the Los Angeles Lakers' NBA title win Sunday night, with some revelers damaging police cruisers, throwing rocks and bottles at officers and setting bonfires in the street, authorities said.
About 25 people were arrested, most part of a rowdy crowd that split off on to surrounding streets after police declared the gathering an unlawful assembly, officer Karen Rayner said.
Several police cruisers were damaged and reinforcement officers were called in from throughout the city to help disperse the crowd, Rayner said.
Los Angeles police said five officers were hit by debris and had minor injuries.
Aerial television footage showed people jumping on a police car, rocking vehicles attempting to pass through the crowd, setting small trees on fire and throwing fireworks and flares set up by police. No injuries were reported.
A gas station was looted and several cars, buses and a news van were vandalized, police said.
Chief William Bratton commended officers for showing restraint despite "a lot of provocation from a number of knuckleheads," he told KTTV-TV.
Los Angeles is just waiting for a reason to start a riot.
Crazy ass city, and they call it the city of angeles LOL...
Its a nice city though...