Since Wednesday January 8, fires have ravaged Los Angeles and created a situation of chaos. To put an end to it, the authorities have decreed a nighttime curfew, reports HuffPost.
The fires that have been devastating Los Angeles for several days have not only caused significant material damage, but also generated a wave of looting. Abandoned houses and buildings have become prime targets for individuals taking advantage of the absence of residents, informs the HuffPost.
Faced with this situation, local authorities decided to act firmly, imposing a strict curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. in the disaster areas, in order to limit acts of vandalism.
This measure was announced by Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna during a press conference on Friday, January 10. “You cannot be in these affected areas. If you are there, you risk being arrested,” he warned. The areas affected by this restriction include Pacific Palisades and Eaton, two areas already seriously affected by the flames and under mandatory evacuation orders.
The reaction of President Biden and local authorities
Joe Biden expressed his outrage at this situation, calling the scene “guerre“and denouncing the”clear evidence of looting“. For Sheriff Robert Luna, the objective is clear: guarantee the safety of residents, but also preserve the property of people forced to leave their homes. “We are not joking about that. We do not want anyone to take advantage of our residents who have already been victims,” he insisted.
-This message of firmness is supported by severe sanctions: curfew violators risk fines of $1,000 and up to six months in prison.
The security system is reinforced by the dispatch of police patrols and 210 National Guard agents to the areas concerned. The objective is to repress any attempt at looting with a policy of “zero tolerance“As of Thursday, twenty people were arrested for attempting to burglarize abandoned homes, a statistic which demonstrates the scale of the phenomenon.
published on January 11 at 10:55 a.m., Orane Guisset, 6Medias
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