Peaceful protesters help clean up Little Tokyo museum damaged during ICE protest

LITTLE TOKYO, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- In the wake of several days of destructive protests in Los Angeles, one particularly unlikely target of the demonstrators is left dealing with extensive damage.

The Japanese American National Museum, known for its pro-immigration stance, was hit hard by graffiti as protesters moved through Little Tokyo on Sunday and Monday.

"Our museum is a beacon, a champion, for social justice and civil rights," said museum board member Bill Fujioka. "This is holy ground for us. This is a special place for us."

Fujioka points out that the museum is built on the plaza where thousands of Japanese Americans -- who were legal citizens -- were bused out to internment camps during World War II simply because of their heritage.

The damage to the museum, he says, was most likely done by a small fraction of the demonstrators who were less interested in civil rights than in reaping destruction.

"Peaceful protest leads to positive change," he said. "But what's happening now is that an element has come into this peaceful protest to just cause destruction, havoc and madness."

But amid all the graffiti Tuesday morning came some redemption.

A handful of people who were protesting the last few days showed up to help clean the mess left behind -- a mess they don't support.

"It broke my heart because this is the absolute last place anybody should be tagging," said Susan Jekarl, who was saddened to see a small number of her fellow demonstrators damaging the museum and other parts of Little Tokyo. "This museum is a testament to when United States citizens who were Japanese-Americans were incarcerated during WWII. Nobody should be touching this building."

Brian Kito runs a Little Tokyo shop that's been in his family for more than 120 years. He, too, supports peaceful protests but wants the demonstrators to stop randomly targeting businesses.

"It's really hard to support them when we're getting beat up," he said.

With more demonstrations expected, the hope is that the Little Tokyo community and its famed museum will escape more destruction.