LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Waymo’s robotaxi service will be suspended during Saturday’s “No Kings” demonstrations after at least five of its vehicles were torched during earlier protests in downtown Los Angeles against Trump administration immigration policies.
“Our service is temporarily paused due to local events,” read a pop- up notice in the Waymo app, which was posted alongside a map showing several Southland communities including Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Marina Del Rey, Inglewood, Beverly Hills and Glendale. “Thank you for your patience – we’ll be back soon.”
The self-driving car service had already been suspended in the downtown area since anti-Immigration Customs Enforcement protesters vandalized and burned several self-driving Waymo taxis, along with several other vehicles, last Sunday.
During Saturday’s planned protests, the suspension will be expanded to include other Waymo hubs including San Francisco; Austin, Texas; Atlanta and Phoenix. It was unclear when service would resume.
Waymo spokeswoman Sandy Karp confirmed service suspension when contacted by WIRED magazine, but declined to comment further.
Most “No Kings” demonstrations are set to get underway at 9:30 a.m. Saturday to coincide with a military parade in Washington, D.C. that will celebrate two birthdays: President Donald Trump’s 79th and the U.S. Army’s 250th.
Organizers said the “No Kings” demonstrations will offer a peaceful way to oppose the administration’s “authoritarianism and show the world what democracy really looks like.”
The administration has “defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, and slashed our services,” a statement on the group’s website said. “The corruption has gone too. far. No thrones. No crowns. No kings.”
Trump posted video on social media this month to rally support for the parade, which observers have said will cost at least $45 million.
“For two and a half centuries, the men and women of America’s Army have dominated our enemies and protected our freedom at home,” the president said, “This parade salutes our soldiers’ remarkable strength and unbeatable spirit. You won’t want to miss it. Just don’t miss this one. It’s going to be good.”
As for Waymo, which is owned by Google parent company Alphabet, some people have questioned whether camera and sensor data collected by the robotaxis is shared with law enforcement.
Karp told WIRED the company generally challenges data requests that are overly broad or do not have a sound legal basis.
She also told CBS2 in an email that “We do not believe our vehicles were intentionally targeted, but rather happened to be present during the protests.”
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