An East County coffeeshop put out a call out for help cleaning up downtown La Mesa on Sunday after overnight protests turned violent overnight, and community members turned out in force
Public Square Coffee, which is in the heart of the city in the 8200 block of La Mesa Boulevard, just blocks from a Vons supermarket that was looted by rioters, asked volunteers to bring gloves and trash bags on Sunday morning to "help pick up trash and clean up our downtown La Mesa Village."
Hundreds of La Mesa residents arriving with brooms and paint, owner Aaron Henderson said later in the morning.
"They cleaned up in about an hour,'' Henderson said. "It was overwhelming to see this community come together.''
All the graffiti was cleaned up and store windows were boarded up, Henderson said.
Some neighbors said their Spring Street neighborhood in Las Mesa looks like a war zone after peaceful protests turned violent on Saturday night, reports NBC 7's Ramon Galindo.
Hundreds, if not thousands of peaceful protesters marched around the normally quite suburb of San Diego on Saturday, at one point blocking traffic on Interstate 8, before events turned violent after dark. The protest took place after the in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the controversial arrest of a black man by a white officer near a trolley stop in La Mesa.
Sadly, the volunteers will have their work cut out for them. The area was strewn with broken glass, water bottles, trash and other debris. While much of the rioters anger was directed at the nearby police station, many of the village's business sustained damage as well.
Frank curtis
Frank Curtis said this was taken at the shopping center in La Mesa where it shows two people of different races coming together during a difficult time.
Anobel Khoushabeh
A protester with milk on his face in La Mesa.
Anobel Khoushabeh
A protester with goggles in La Mesa.
NBC 7
Anobel Khoushabeh
A protester suffers an injury to his upper back during a demonstration in La Mesa.
Anobel Khoushabeh
A woman has milk on her face to help recover from wounds following a protest in La Mesa.
NBC 7
Telemundo 20, Mar Gonzales
Community members come together to clean up the aftermath of the protests.
NBC 7, Ramon Galindo
Locals are seen cleaning up an acupuncturist office.
Ramon Galindo, NBC 7
This is the Randall Lamb building, an engineering firm, that was burned on Saturday night in La Mesa.
Ramon Galindo, NBC 7
This is the Randall Lamb building, an engineering firm, that was burned on Saturday night in La Mesa.
Telemundo 20, Mar Gonzales
Community members come together to clean up the aftermath of the protests.
NBC 7, Steven Luke
This is what La Mesa Chase Bank looked like the morning of May 31, 2020
NBC 7, Ramon Galindo
This is the Union Bank in La Mesa on the morning of May 31, 2020
NBC 7, Steven Luke
Heartland Fire & Rescue vehicle on fire in the La Mesa area on May 30, 2020.
Looters break into the Walmart at Grossmont Center.
Niala Charles/NBC 7
Chase Bank location in La Mesa set on fire during protests on May 30, 2020.
A crowd gathered outside the La Mesa Police Department moments before officers deployed tear gas into the crowd on May 30, 2020.
Lauren Coronado/NBC 7
Tear gas deployed into the crowd outside the La Mesa Police headquarters on May 30, 2020.
NBC 7
La Mesa Police deploy tear gas into the crowd outside the headquarters on May 30, 2020.
NBC 7
La Mesa Police deploy tear gas into the crowd outside the headquarters on May 30, 2020.
NBC 7
Law enforcement in tactical gear surrounding the La Mesa Police headquarters on May 30, 2020.
La Mesa Police deploy tear gas into the crowd outside the headquarters on May 30, 2020.
NBC 7
The California Highway Patrol in a standoff with protesters on Interstate 8 on May 30, 2020.
NBC 7
Moments before the crowd breaks through the California Highway Patrol blockade on an Interstate 8 onramp.
NBC 7
Demonstrators flood both directions of Interstate 8 on May 30, 2020.
NBC 7
The California Highway Patrol in a standoff with protesters on May 30, 2020.
Niala Charles/NBC 7
Protesters gathered outside the headquarters early in the day on May 30, 2020.
NBC 7
Racial Justice Coalition gathered at Liberty Station before a car caravan protest on May 30, 2020.
NBC 7
Todd A. Davidson
Todd A. Davidson
NBC 7
NBC 7
NBC 7
NBC 7
Carmen Adams
Armored vehicle in La Mesa outside Sally's beauty supply
