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Lakers Fans Storm the Streets of Los Angeles

Posted: June 15, 2009 12:58 AM

Updated: June 15, 2009 01:20 AM

KESQ.COM News Services

http://www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp...&nav=menu191_2

LOS ANGELES - Thousands of Los Angeles Laker fans streamed into the streets outside Staples Center and in East Los Angeles tonight to celebrate the team's 15th NBA championship.

The Lakers beat the Orlando Magic 99-86 in Orlando, Fla., taking the series four games to one.

Following ABC's telecast of the game, a public service announcement ran, with Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher and coach Phil Jackson asking fans to "celebrate with dignity."

"This is your moment to shine," Jackson said.

Police were out in force as fans celebrated in the streets and some set off fireworks, and one woman exposed herself, creating a lot of excitement, KCAL9 reported.

When some climbed a statue outside Staples, police shooed them away, the TV station reported.

Outside Staples Center, a mosh pit developed, with fans bumping each other, and some started a small bonfire in the street, prompting police to move in and put it out.

Following the fire, police formed a skirmish line to contain the crowd as the light began to fade, KCAL9 reported.

Nearby streets were closed to traffic so fans could celebrate on Chick Hearn Court, and no arrests or injuries were immediately reported.

The main crowd began breaking up around 9 p.m., leaving behind troublemakers who were setting trees on fire and pelting police with bottles, rocks and fireworks, the TV station reported.

A few blocks away on 12th Street near Pico Boulevard, about 100 people in a splinter group were throwing traffic-control flares at vehicles and trash cans, while motorists barreled through the crowd so they would not have their vehicles rocked or overturned, according to KCAL.

In East Los Angeles, Whittier and Atlantic boulevards were blocked to traffic, while police were on every corner to monitor the festivities.

Disturbances have followed Lakers championship victories in the past, and fans took to the streets and began shaking vehicles in East Los Angeles Thursday night after the Lakers beat the Orlando Magic in overtime to gave the team a 3-1 lead in the series.

Fans gathered at Whittier and Atlantic boulevards and rocked vehicles stopped at a traffic light, but no injuries were reported. Two people were arrested.

"Fans –– having a good time doesn't mean hurting people," Sheriff Lee Baca told Channel 9. "The Lakers are a sports team, not some kind of a destructive force, and therefore celebrate and enjoy, but don't commit any violence."

Disturbances followed Lakers championship victories in 2000, 2001 and 2002, and police and Lakers officials have already discussed crowd control measures, including lining Figueroa Street with cement or metal barriers where it passes car dealers and strip malls between Staples and the Coliseum.

Some of those businesses were damaged in the past, when impromptu victory celebrations outside Staples turned into near-riots.

This is my surprised face.    

Any pics of said "Fans" yet, I would be willing to but two dollars the demographics are predictable.

Target rich environment

the ABC link is live feed without sound...its been entertaining....lots of shots fired, looting, fires........


And yet, nothing on MSN.

in all honesty id say the rioters may have been the survivors of last weeks Excursion accident that had 27 passengers inside... just from what im watching on the local news...

Unless whole neighborhoods were burned to the ground, it's a non event and certainly not a 'riot'.

GO LAKERS!

Chris

Tell that to the leo's getting pelted with crap, and the citizens getting there cars hit, and flipped.

This is entertaining!!!



 

wouldn't be the same kind of excitement if this happened in San Francisco

Korean grocers on the rooftops armed with AK47's yet?

No?

No riots then.

Not yet anyways.

Lots of drunks...

I am in complete shock! How can this happen in L.A?

I'm shocked I tell you!!!

You wouldn't have seen that in Orlando.  

But then again, you probably won't if the Magic don't learn to drive to the basket and get some fouls.  

scanner feed from LA Listen in to the action yourself.

where is mynight vision scope!!!!!!!!!

And this compares in scope to Denver "celebrations", Boston celebrations, some hockey celebrations, sounds like so far we are wimping out in comparison.

To this day, I am absolutely SHOCKED that this wasn't the reaction to Obama's win as well.

You can take the rat out of the hood, but you sure can't take the hood out of the rat.

This is jack's surprised face