(Photo Courtesy – Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A Los Angeles Police Department koban, or small substation, was set on fire during protests that turned violent tonight at
the Grove shopping center, authorities said.
The koban and several other spaces at the Grove were damaged or looted as part of protests against police brutality, spurred by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Monday. There have been three nights of protest in Los Angeles. Several stores at the Grove were looted, including a Nordstrom, and the koban was set on fire.
The extent of the damage to the koban, also described as a kiosk, had yet to be established by authorities.
A koban is a type of small community outreach substation commonly used in Japan, and the one at the Grove was established in June 2016, according to the LAPD website. It was created in partnership with developer Caruso Affiliated, the private real estate company that owns the Grove.
When it was established, The Wilshire Division planned to place reserve officers at the koban, mostly on weekends, in an effort to create a closer relationship between the community and local law enforcement, according to the website.