Shirtless Man Launches Butlerian Jihad Against Waymo in East Hollywood

Over the weekend, a man took on a Waymo in a bizarre showdown at a bustling intersection in Los Angeles. Footage shows him attempting to dismantle the driverless vehicle with his bare hands, reminiscent of a scene from Cyberpunk 2077, though this was all too real. Whether it was a moment of performance art or a sign of a mental health struggle, the clip encapsulates the kind of chaotic energy that feels right at home in 2026.

According to reports, the man was seen on the crumpled windshield of the Waymo, brandishing a bent windshield wiper and shouting at the vehicle’s sensor. Traffic ground to a halt as police arrived to take him into custody for vandalism. The news coverage also highlighted other unusual Waymo incidents, including a group of teens who were arrested for underage drinking and firing Orbeez gel blasters during a ride.

I only encountered my first Waymo earlier this year while attending the Game Developers Conference 2026 in San Francisco. The driverless cars, resembling something out of a sci-fi flick, were cruising around downtown, picking up passengers. I spotted a few more during my recent visit to L.A. for Summer Game Fest. At one point, a Waymo pulled over next to an AI-driven delivery robot plastered with ads for The Boys Season 5.

This surreal scene serves as a jarring reminder of our late capitalist reality, prompting questions about the direction we’re heading as we move toward an economy increasingly dominated by algorithms and devoid of human touch. One observer on Bluesky remarked on the East Hollywood Waymo vandal, noting that the world economy seems to be steering toward creating more individuals like him. Frank Herbert would never have imagined how relevant his famous Dune quote would become decades later.