More than 300 arrested in 3 days of Ferguson protests in L.A.

The Los Angeles Police Department has made more than 300 arrests in the last three days after a series of protests over a Missouri grand jury’s decision not to indict a police officer in the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown.

Wednesday night and Thursday morning saw another round of protests that weaved through downtown L.A.

LAPD officers arrested about 130 people after corralling the protesters at 6th and Hope streets.

Police say officers made the arrests after protesters started hitting vehicles in the street and running through intersections, LAPD Lt. Andy Neiman said.

“With the size of this crowd, hitting vehicles is not a safe thing,” he said.

Neiman said that on Tuesday night officers recovered several weapons, including a switchblade knife and pepper spray.

“When they will no longer comply with our requests and when it becomes dangerous, when they start running in and out of cars and put the public at risk, then we have to take action,” LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said.

He said those arrested would be booked on a misdeameanor charge, mostly for unlawful assembly, and bail would be set at $500.

A similar mass arrest followed Tuesday night’s protests, when some people managed to briefly shut down the 101 Freeway and the LAPD made 183 arrests.

The number of arrests in L.A. surpassed those reported in other major U.S. cities on the third night of protests.

On Tuesday night, protesters blocked traffic on the 101. On Wednesday night, no freeways were blocked.

Late Wednesday, about 30 more protesters gathered near Staples Center and headed north toward LAPD headquarters. As the protesters walked, police warned them not to block traffic. The demonstrators stayed on the sidewalk and arrived at the headquarters at 1st and Spring streets about 11:35 p.m., chanting “We want peace” and “Hands up, don’t shoot.”