Car set ablaze at Hollywood skateboarding event, at least 3 arrested
On Saturday evening, a skateboarding event in Hollywood ended in property and a vehicle being set ablaze.
The event began at around 4:30 pm on the 1600 block of Cherokee Avenue with police saying that the event became violent at around 7:22 pm, according to KTLA 5.
Trasher Magazine, a publication dedicated to skateboarding, posted an advertisement for the Hollywood Skate Jam 2023 event, put on by F*cking Awesome, Adidas, and Thrasher.
Video taken throughout the event showed skateboarders performing tricks earlier in the day over an old police-styled vehicle, as a concert played in the background. The headlining band, Dead City, reportedly has a history of fiery street shows that attract a large fanbase and sometimes end in clashes with police, according to the Los Angeles Times.
One video taken at the event later in the night showed the car in flames in the middle of two ramps, as skaters continued to perform tricks.
Another video showed a motorcycle driver performing burnouts on the same ramp with fire in the background.
Officers in riot gear forced the rioters out of the area and toward Hollywood Boulevard. Some officers were reportedly hit with rocks and bottles thrown from the crowd.
LAPD confirmed on Sunday that three unidentified people were taken into custody.
Video from 2022’s event showed a similar scenario, with the cop car being set on fire as a large crowd looked on.