About 1,400 police officers, some in riot gear, began their raid early November 30, shortly after the 48 hours past the 12:01 a.m. (0801 GMT) on November 28 deadline set by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Chief Charlie Beck.

Protesters who wanted to leave the encampment were escorted out by police. Those who refused to leave were arrested and handcuffed with plastic zip ties and loaded onto buses. They were taken to Dodger Stadium not far from city hall, where they were booked and processed before being taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center, police said.

No clashes happened during the police raid. Some Occupy LA activists called on protesters to be peaceful and restrained.

Villaraigosa and Beck announced on November 25 that the Occupy LA encampment on the lawn surrounding the City Hall should be evicted at 12:01 a.m.(0801 GMT) on November 28. But several hundred of protesters refused to leave during the past two days.

During a November 29 afternoon press conference, Villaraigosa said police "will enforce the eviction when it is safe" to the officers and protesters and "the most minimum amount of force would be necessary."

The removal of Occupy encampments in other US cities has sometimes led to police using aggressive tactics and weapons, including batons and pepper spray, when demonstrators did not obey orders to leave.