Waymo Cars Are Being Vandalized as Part of Broader Protests in Los Angeles

For the most part, the protests in Los Angeles have been a peaceful affair. The protests exist over ICE raids happening in the city, and President Trump has insisted that he has to send into the National Guard to quell them, even over the objections of Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Part of the justification for that deployment are images of Waymo cars being vandalized and set on fire. Now, some people want to know why the protesters seem to have it out for Waymo cars, in particular. Here's what we know.

It's unclear why protesters are targeting Waymo cars, in particular, but it might be simply because they are autonomous, and therefore vandalizing them won't actually injure anyone. Some of the cars have been set on fire, while others have been spray-painted with messaging that is anti-Trump, anti-ICE, or both. Waymo uses Jaguar I-PACE electric vehicles for its service and operates in several major cities, including Los Angeles.

The service first deployed there in 2023, and is a Google-owned subsidiary. While some people might be upset at the notion of Waymo replacing Uber drivers, it seems like the main reason that Waymo cars are being vandalized is because they are a dramatic gesture you can take without hurting anyone. Waymo has suspended its service in downtown Los Angeles in response to the vandalization out of an "abundance of caution" according to a spokesperson who spoke with USA Today.

The reason for the protests is disconnected from the Waymo cars, which is part of the reason that some users have been confused about what they've seen on social media. The protests are over a series of ICE raids that occurred on several businesses in Los Angeles on June 6.

More than 100 people had gathered to protest by that evening, and protests rolled into the next day, which is when Trump decided to get the National Guard involved.

By the LAPD's own description, the protests were peaceful when the National Guard was sent in, and it wasn't until after they arrived that violence began breaking out. On June 8, Gov. Newsom "formally requested the Trump Administration rescind their unlawful deployment of troops in Los Angeles county."

Trump's deployment of the Guard is an alarming sign for some who see this move as an attempt to use the U.S. military against American citizens. It's unclear how this situation will resolve itself, but also worth noting that this is happening in a relatively small part of the broader city of Los Angeles.

Violence, whether against cars or people, is never warranted, and that's true for the protesters in the street and for the Guard troopers and police officers who have been sent to confront them. Waymo's cars are far from the only victims of this incident, though, which also includes the actual people being swept in ICE raids who may or may not be here illegally.