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Waymo, the self-driving car company owned by Google's parent company Alphabet, has suspended its ride-hailing service in downtown Los Angeles after five of its vehicles were severely damaged or burned during protests over the weekend.

The chaos erupted during demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the city.

Protesters took to the streets after reports of ICE raids in the Fashion District, with tensions rising further when President Trump deployed 300 National Guard troops—a move Governor Gavin Newsom has called illegal, CBS News said.

According to aerial footage and witness reports, some Waymo vehicles were set on fire while others were vandalized—tires slashed, windows broken, and spray-painted with graffiti. Videos from the scene showed electric flames and thick black smoke emanating from the vehicles.

"We do not believe our vehicles were intentionally targeted, but rather happened to be present during the protests," a Waymo spokesperson said in a statement.

Vandalism Costs Waymo Hundreds of Thousands

The company has pulled its cars from the area "out of an abundance of caution," though operations continue in other parts of Los Angeles, as well as in Phoenix and the San Francisco Bay Area.

The damage to the cars could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Waymo's self-driving cars, primarily Jaguar I-Pace electric SUVs, are equipped with LiDAR sensors and 29 cameras to provide 360-degree vision.

According to USA Today, each vehicle costs an estimated $150,000 to $200,000 to build and outfit.

Local reporter Ricky Montanez noted that it took the police time to respond to the scene. Both the LAPD and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department declined to comment immediately.

Besides damaging Waymo's vehicles, protesters also looted several downtown stores, including a Jordan sneaker shop, T-Mobile, and an Adidas store. The LAPD urged businesses to document all damage before cleaning up.

The violence has sparked debate online and in the community. Some say protesters may have hailed the cars into the protest zone.

Others worry that destruction like this could harm the larger cause of supporting immigrant rights.