See one weekend how Los Angeles’ protests intensified
What began as a small protest against Friday’s immigration attacks has swelled into large demonstrations throughout the weekend. This is what happened.
Authorities made a “massive arrest” near downtown Los Angeles late at night, following a fierce protest against immigration enforcement attacks and escalating military presence across the nation’s second largest city.
After the protest, police urged businesses and residents to record all damage and vandalism in online police reports.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has declared a partial curfew that began from 8pm Tuesday to 6am Wednesday, which is part of the city’s strategy to suppress ongoing looting and vandalism in connection with the protests. The curfew covers a square mile in a city that extends a third of land on Rhode Island. Los Angeles metropolitan areas cover nearly the size of Maine.
Los Angeles police announced that several groups had gathered on 1st Avenue between Spring and Alameda Avenues shortly after 9pm local time on Tuesday.
“These groups are being addressed and mass arrests have begun,” LAPD said. “The curfew is in effect.”
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said the base is expected to last several days, but it does not apply to residents living in designated areas, homeless people, qualified media, or those experiencing public safety and paramedics. The police chief noted that there has been an escalation of “illegal and dangerous behavior” from Saturday.
The protest was prompted by the sweeps being carried out by immigration and customs enforcement. ICE follows instructions from President Trump to find immigrants living in the United States without legal status.
In a public address Tuesday night, California Gov. Gavin Newsom denounced the deployment of Trump’s 4,000 National Guard troops and about 700 Marines, making unnecessary, illegal and politically motivated state and local officials. According to Newsom, Trump “is not protecting our community, he is hurting our community.”
Trump was fired on social media on Wednesday. “The incompetent governors of California were unable to provide protection in a timely manner when our ice officers, the great patriots they are, were attacked by an out-of-control mob of agitators, troublemakers and/or rebels.
Reuters reported that around 2,100 National Guard personnel were in the Los Angeles area on Tuesday. Meanwhile, hundreds of Marines were in staging areas near the city, waiting to be deployed to a specific location, according to Reuters.
While most of these troops were actually on the streets, US immigration and customs enforcement agencies posted photos on X showing security guards accompanying ice officers in immigration raids. Defense Secretary Pete Hegses reposted the photo and said, “We’ll protect this.”
The Trump administration has vowed to double its immigration enforcement attacks in response to protests that have expanded to other US cities, including Chicago, New York and Atlanta.
California sued Trump and the Pentagon on Monday, attempting to stop federal forces from deploying. Newsom also accused Trump and Hegseth of using their assets to help with the ICE attack. The judge set up a hearing on Thursday’s matter.
California leaders and the Trump administration remained a tense standoff as Newsom accused of “tugging military dragnets all over Los Angeles, far beyond his stated intentions to chase violent and serious criminals.”
The Democratic governor recently said Trump acted like a “dictator” by deploying federal forces without his consent, comparing the administration with an authoritarian regime to target vulnerable people. Newsom reiterated Tuesday that Trump “chosen escalation.”
“Agents are arresting dishwashers, gardeners, day workers, tailors. It’s just weakness. Weakness is pose as strength,” Newsmom said.
Trump called Newsom “severely incompetent” and suggested that the governor should be arrested. The president also argued that service members deployed in California were to “protect the Republic itself” and that the administration was helping the administration “liberate” the city of Los Angeles.
On Tuesday, Trump said he plans to respond to the White House’s protests, including “power” over the June 14th military parade.
The protests in Los Angeles were relatively peaceful when they began Friday, but electric vehicles erupted into scenes of chaos with big clouds of tear gas and a collision between law enforcement and demonstrators. Trump supported the move to send troops, calling the protests “a violent, rebel mob” and “outlaw riots.” But Newsom said it was Trump who “incited violence.”
Experts say there is a legal definition of riots, but the term is increasingly politicized and encapsulated in a variety of cases. In most states, including California, the main determinant is whether multiple people are involved and whether they are committing violent acts, said Brian Higgins, a professor at John Jay College in New York.
“One person is not a riot, nor is it a non-violent group,” he said. “They can even break the law to refuse to disband. When they add a factor of violence, they become riots.”
There are some gray areas, he said. Experts also said violence is a critical factor in the riot, but such violence could be caused by law enforcement. read more.
Contributor: Christopher Kang, USA Today; Reuters