About 200 vehicles were impounded as more than 150 officers converged on a Harbor Gateway intersection crowded with hundreds of people.
LOS ANGELES, CA — Los Angeles police arrested 69 people, issued 570 citations and impounded about 200 vehicles early Saturday during a large, coordinated crackdown on an illegal street takeover in Harbor Gateway, authorities said.
The operation, called “Operation Street Sweeper,” brought more than 150 Los Angeles Police Department officers to the area of South Figueroa Street and West Alondra Boulevard after authorities tracked several street takeovers during the night. Personnel from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and California Highway Patrol also took part. Police said more than 700 people had gathered at the intersection before officers moved in.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said 66 people were arrested on suspicion of participating in or aiding a street race or takeover. Three additional arrests involved allegations of assaulting an officer, battery and obstructing or interfering with officers. Authorities did not immediately release the names of those arrested or detailed information about individual cases.
Police issued 442 citations to people accused of being spectators at a speed contest or exhibition of speed. Another 128 citations went to juveniles for alleged violations of Los Angeles’ 10 p.m. curfew for minors. McDonnell said the youngest juvenile cited was 11 years old. The large number of young people at the gathering became a focus of the chief’s remarks after the operation.
“This is not harmless fun. This is criminal behavior,” McDonnell said during a news conference. He urged parents and guardians to know where their children are and warned that attending a street takeover can expose young people to arrest and physical danger. McDonnell said the department intends to continue using coordinated enforcement against future gatherings.
Authorities said officers recovered seven firearms and canisters of nitrous oxide during the operation. One impounded vehicle caught fire, according to police. McDonnell said some of the vehicles taken into custody had been stolen, rented or borrowed from people who did not know they were being used at a street takeover. Authorities did not release a full breakdown of the vehicles or say how many were believed to have been stolen.
The operation was planned with intelligence gathering and drone technology that police said helped officers track four separate takeovers before the large enforcement action at Figueroa and Alondra. Reports placed the main police deployment shortly before 3:30 a.m., although some accounts described the crowd forming at the intersection earlier in the morning. Buses were brought in to transport detainees, while dozens of tow trucks were used to remove vehicles.
Video from nearby homes showed people running from the area and climbing over fences as officers closed in. Residents told local news outlets that street takeovers have repeatedly disrupted the neighborhood, with noise, debris and large crowds affecting nearby homes. Some residents said the gatherings had become more frequent, particularly on weekend nights.
Street takeovers, sometimes called sideshows, typically involve drivers performing stunts or racing while spectators gather around an intersection. Los Angeles-area law enforcement agencies have increased enforcement efforts as authorities link some gatherings to crashes, property damage and other crimes. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has also formed a Street Racing Task Force aimed at identifying organizers and participants and using arrests, citations and vehicle impounds as deterrents.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass praised the crackdown and said the city would continue using prevention, deterrence and enforcement against illegal street racing and takeovers. McDonnell likewise described Saturday’s action as the start of a broader effort rather than a one-time operation. “This morning was only the beginning,” he said, adding that officers would continue gathering intelligence about future events.
Police had not announced additional charges or identified those arrested as of Sunday morning. LAPD officials said enforcement against street takeovers will continue as investigators track organizers, participants and locations connected to future gatherings.
Author note: Last updated September 6, 2026.