LOS ANGELES, CA – Los Angeles police detained 78 people and impounded dozens of minibikes and other vehicles during an enforcement operation targeting an illegal minibike gathering on the Sixth Street Bridge in downtown Los Angeles.
The operation took place Sunday, Sept. 13, after the Los Angeles Police Department received information about a planned gathering involving minibikes and e-bikes on the bridge.
According to information released by LAPD, officers encountered more than 70 young people operating unauthorized motorized minibikes. Police said the riders were blocking portions of the bridge, performing donuts and wheelies, traveling on the wrong side of the roadway and weaving through traffic.
The operation was carried out by LAPD’s Operations Central Bureau in coordination with members of the department’s Street Racing Task Force.
Police surround minibike riders
Officers positioned themselves around the bridge after receiving information about the planned gathering. Police then moved to contain the group rather than allowing the riders to disperse through surrounding streets.
The riders were detained after officers blocked them in, according to the department’s account of the operation. Police said the enforcement action was conducted with particular care because many of the people involved were young, including minors.
LAPD said the group was also accompanied by adult drivers in lead and trail vehicles. Some of those adults were identified as parents of minors participating in the ride.
The bridge was temporarily closed during the police operation as officers processed the people involved and arranged for the minibikes and other vehicles to be removed.
78 people detained
LAPD later provided additional details about the enforcement action, saying 78 people were detained.
Of those, police cited 49 juveniles and 17 adults for operating illegal minibikes on city streets. Officers also issued five administrative enforcement citations to people who were present at the street takeover.
Two adults were arrested on suspicion of aiding and abetting, according to information released by the department.
The presence of minors added another element to the response. Police notified parents when juveniles were involved, and parents came to the bridge to take custody of their children.
LAPD also said it conducted an investigative report involving possible misdemeanor child endangerment after a parent reportedly acknowledged allowing a 13-year-old daughter to participate in the ride.
Dozens of minibikes impounded
The enforcement operation also resulted in the impoundment of 76 vehicles, including 74 minibikes and two pickup trucks, according to LAPD information reported after the operation.
The impounded minibikes were removed from the bridge as officers cleared the area.
The department described the activity as dangerous because the riders were operating unauthorized motorized bikes while blocking a major public roadway and performing maneuvers around other road users.
Police said the group was riding against traffic in some instances and weaving among vehicles, creating potential risks for the riders, motorists and pedestrians.
Minibikes face restrictions on public roads
California law places significant restrictions on the use of minibikes and similar motorized devices on public roads.
According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, vehicles that do not meet required safety standards generally cannot be operated on public streets. The legal requirements can depend on the type and classification of the vehicle.
LAPD’s enforcement action specifically focused on unauthorized motorized minibikes being operated on city streets.
The department has previously conducted enforcement operations at the Sixth Street Bridge. In July 2022, LAPD reported responding to groups of moped and street-bike riders performing wheelies on the newly opened bridge and later shut down portions of the bridge because of crowds and vehicle takeovers.
The latest operation reflects the continued attention from law enforcement to large gatherings involving motorized bikes and street takeovers in Los Angeles.
Police cite public safety concerns
LAPD said the operation was intended to address illegal motorized minibike activity and prevent the riders from continuing to use the bridge as a gathering point.
The department said the group was made up largely of young people and that officers approached the enforcement action with caution because of their ages.
Information gathered by Street People indicates that the operation was not limited to issuing citations. Officers also impounded the minibikes and other vehicles and made two arrests related to alleged aiding and abetting.
The 6th Street Bridge was reopened after the enforcement activity, while the people cited or arrested were processed.
The operation remains part of LAPD’s broader enforcement efforts involving street takeovers and unauthorized motorized vehicles in Los Angeles.
