Masked protesters in Los Angeles smashed and torched self-driving electric cars as the city was gripped by a third day of volatile demonstrations.

Protesters waving Mexican flags were pictured vandalising and standing on the bonnets of the white Waymo autonomous taxis as thousands of activists descended on the city’s downtown area.

It came as demonstrators protesting against federal immigration raids clashed with police again on Sunday, with officers firing rubber bullets, tear gas and balls of pepper spray into the crowd.

Photographs appeared to show a protester smashing a car with a hammer, while in footage a burning American flag was seen being thrown into a vehicle.

Other videos showed the self-driving taxis with their tyres slashed and windows smashed, along with anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency graffiti sprawled on the bodywork.