Officers surrounded a high-rise tower covered with graffiti early Wednesday after a report of trespassers on the fenced-off property in downtown Los Angeles.
Officers said the trespassers, many in their teens, were seen running into one of the buildings in what has become a common sight at the troubled property. At least 25 people have been arrested on suspicion of trespassing at the towers over the past few weeks, police said.
One person was stopped Wednesday morning when they tried to enter the building, police said. Two people in their 20s were later walked out of the building by a security guard and More arrests were expected Wednesday afternoon.
It appears most of the trespassers entered through a corner of the building that was not yet fenced off.
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Work began Friday to place fencing around the vacant high-rise development known as Oceanwide Plaza. The fencing along 12th Street between Figueroa and Flower streets is intended to deter people from entering the site of the graffiti-covered towers.
An initial $1.1 million was approved by the Los Angeles City Council to address the development, where work stopped in 2019 after the Chinese Developer ran out of money. The towers were supposed to house condos, a hotel and mall.
City officials officially began an abatement process on Feb. 17, after the building's developer, Oceanwide Holdings, did not respond to demands from the city to address ongoing issues. Ultimately, the city hopes Oceanwide gets the land cleaned up and a group of investors comes forward to take over the project.
