July 19, 2025
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Downtown Los Angeles businesses hoped customers would return quickly on Tuesday after Mayor Karen Bass lifted a curfew she had imposed last week in the wake of vandalism and break-ins during riots against Federal immigration enforcement.
The sometimes violent protests, which have been concentrated in a few blocks of downtown where federal and local government buildings are, were in response to President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in the city and subsequent deployment of the National Guard and Marines.
The curfew set in place June 10 provided “successful crime prevention and suppression efforts" and protected stores, restaurants, businesses, and residents, the Democratic mayor said.
But, Don Tahara, the owner of Far Bar in Little Tokyo, said businesses in the area have been hit hard with vandalism and some break-ins.
On Tuesday afternoon, the impact of days of protests could be seen in the boarded-up windows lining the streets of Little Tokyo, a historical Japanese American district right next to a federal detention building still heavily guarded by military troops.
A steady stream of tourists stopped in the neighborhood to take photos of baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani wearing Dodgers blue in a massive mural on the side of a hotel.
On June 8, thousands of rioters took to the streets in response to Trump’s deployment of the Guard, blocking off a major freeway as law enforcement used tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash bangs to control the crowd. Photos captured several Waymo robotaxis set on fire.
A day later, police officers used flash bangs and shot projectiles as they pushed protesters through Little Tokyo, where bystanders and restaurant workers rushed to get out of their way. Some protesters set off fireworks and threw water bottles at the officers.
Since people assumed the curfew would still be in place on Tuesday, Far Bar has had many cancellations of reservations and events. They decided to open earlier for lunchtime in the past few days, but employees have lost hours from their paychecks. Combined with the lingering effects of the LA wildfires earlier this year and other increased costs, it has been a challenging climate for businesses to navigate, Tahara said.
On Monday, Bass trimmed back curfew hours from beginning at 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. after a drop in arrests in the area. Bass faulted “bad actors who do not care about the immigrant community.”
Cindy Reyes, head server at Rakkan Ramen, said they completely shut down the shop for Saturday's protests and closed early on Sunday. The curfew was especially difficult for their night-shift workers because the ramen joint is usually open until midnight.
“Dinner shift makes the most money because we're the last restaurant standing, so people come to us in the end,” she said.
The Historic Core of downtown LA, further away from where the protests have occurred and home to many nightclubs and bars, has also suffered from break-ins. Many closed down for the duration of the curfew because their core business happens in the evening.
Rhythm Room owner Vincent Vong said he has lost tens of thousands of dollars from closing for a whole week, not just from the loss of business, but also to keep paying his employees.
“I have to schedule people to come in because I need to get them paid somehow,” he said.
He wished there was more support from the city and deployment of law enforcement resources to protect the “most vulnerable areas,” pointing out that his street has often been the target of vandalism and theft during large demonstrations.
Even as the curfew is lifted, Vong said it will be difficult to bring customers back to an area that still has boarded-up windows and feels “apocalyptic.”
“I have to double down in showing that downtown LA is still a safe place to go,” he said.
