Two men were arrested Feb. 28 outside the graffiti-marred Oceanwide Plaza towers after apparently hiding overnight to avoid police who had gathered outside when trespassers were spotted at the abandoned downtown Los Angeles site.
Witnesses told KTLA a second group entered the site hours later.
Officers called for backup and by morning several colleagues had joined them, setting up a perimeter and trying to drive the trespassers out by using spotlights and loudspeakers, according to KTLA.
Earlier this month, the council approved a motion—brought forth by Councilman Kevin de Leon, whose district includes the site—to spend $3.8 million to secure and clean up the area.
The abandoned towers drew widespread attention when several floors of one building were heavily tagged just days before the Feb. 4 Grammy Awards at nearby Crypto.com Arena. Later, one online video showed a paraglider taking off from the tower.
The Oceanwide Plaza was projected to be a crown jewel of downtown development, with two 40-story buildings offering luxury condos and a taller building with more condos and a hotel.
Construction began in 2015 but stopped in 2019 when the Beijing-based developer Oceanwide Holdings ran into financial difficulties.
