Dodgers fans celebrating their win in Los Angeles last night were dispersed with tear gas after police officers were hit with fireworks and bottles.
The close game drew high-profile reactions from celebrities, such as Meghan Markle ‘shrieking’ in celebration, and a Blue Jays analyst swearing on camera and dismissing the Dodgers’s win.
But the rowdy celebrations from locals forced the Los Angeles Police Department to authorize the use of less than lethal munitions at Olympic and Grand ave in the early hours of Sunday morning.
‘CS gas has been authorized by the Incident Commander,’ said a tweet from the department posted at 2.26am. ‘Officers are being hit by industrial size fireworks and bottles.’
An initial ‘Dispersal Order’ had been announced in downtown LA around 12.30am. Throughout the night, police announced there were large groups at intersections around the city.
Less than lethal munitions were also authorized around 1.20am in the area of Sunset and Echo Park, because ‘industrial size fireworks are being launched into a crowd of people and at officers.’
It is not immediately clear if any officers or residents were injured.
The chaotic celebrations came after a tense game that also briefly devolved into chaos when Blue Jays star Andres Gimenez was hit on the hand by a fastball from Dodgers left-hander Justin Wrobleski and a melee broke out.
Dodgers fans celebrating their win last night got rowdy, setting off fireworks and committing vandalism
Some officers were mounted on horseback as police attempted to reign in the rowdy crowd
A Waymo vehicle was heavily vandalized, with its windows smashed and spray paint all over it
Photos from last night show officers in riot gear and mounted on horseback attempting to reign in the rowdy Dodgers fans.
Fans were setting off fireworks, and some were even doing donuts in their cars and burning out their tires at 9th Street and Hope Street, where there were around 350 to 400 people at the intersection, according to police.
A Waymo vehicle was heavily vandalized. Pictures show its windows smashed and the whole car covered in spray paint.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass encouraged locals to enjoy the win but condemned unruly and violent celebrations.
‘Once again, we showed the world that LA is the city of champions,’ she wrote on X.
‘Celebrate safely and responsibly tonight, Dodgers fans. LAPD is on heightened alert and coordinating with regional law enforcement. There will be no tolerance for anyone who tries to take advantage of this win.’
The Los Angeles Police Department authorized the use of tear gas and less than lethal munitions to disperse the crowd
This was the Dodgers’ second consecutive World Series win
Other celebrations throughout the city remained peaceful as fans decked out in Dodgers apparel danced and cheered in the streets.
President Donald Trump congratulated the World Series champions and extended an invitation to visit the White House.
The unruly celebrations came in response to the Dodgers’ game 7 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in extra innings. The team won 5-4 after catcher Will Smith hit the go-ahead home run in the 11th inning.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto was the game 6 starter and closed out the game with a double play for the win.
This was the Dodgers’ second win in two consecutive World Series, making it the first team to capture back-to-back titles since the New York Yankees did so in 1999 and 2000.
