Eighteen people were arrested here overnight after thousands of fans took to the streets following the Los Angeles Lakers' win of the NBA championship in Orlando in a celebration that turned ugly, police said Monday.
Eight police officers were injured when they became targets for fan violence, according to Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Norma Eisenman.
The majority of the fan crowd whooped it up after the Lakers secured their 15th NBA trophy Sunday afternoon, but a small group of people started fires, looted stores, tried to overturn cars and assaulted police.
The Lakers beat the Orlando Magic 99-86, taking the NBA finals by 4 to 1. It's the team's 15th championship and coach Phil Jackson's 10th, which is more than any other NBA coach.
Following the victory in Orlando, thousands of people streamed into the streets outside Staples Center in downtown L.A. and in East Los Angeles to celebrate the victory.
Police were out in force, and managed to split the crowd into smaller groups even as they became targets for fan violence, Eisenman said.
According to him, police arrested 18 people for various offenses including arson, failure to disperse and misdemeanor warrants. The number of arrests was revised downward from an estimate of 25 reported Sunday night by local media.
A total of 13 police vehicles and six public transportation buses were damaged in the riot, police said.
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 Magic in overtime to gave the team a 3-1 lead in the NBA finals.
(Xinhua News Agency June 16, 2009)
