Protests in Los Angeles intensified outside a federal detention centre as law enforcement, including the California National Guard and Department of Homeland Security, resorted to firing non-lethal tear gas to disperse demonstrators opposing recent immigration raids, CNN reported.
The unrest follows a wave of arrests carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents across the city, targeting undocumented immigrants. The crackdown triggered mass protests, with demonstrators chanting, “This is what democracy looks like!” and some throwing water bottles at officers as tensions flared.
Authorities created a corridor for an armoured vehicle to pass through the protest zone. The Los Angeles Police Department later announced via social media that a “dispersal order” had been issued, authorizing the use of less-lethal munitions, which, they noted, “may cause pain and discomfort.”
The protests drew a strong response from former US President Donald Trump, who during a speech at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, marking the 250th anniversary of the US Army, labeled the demonstrations “a full-blown assault on peace, on public order, and national sovereignty.” Trump also reiterated his support for legislation mandating prison terms for those who burn the American flag and took aim at California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, accusing them of encouraging “agitators” and “insurrectionists.”
Trump claimed protest leaders had demanded ICE’s complete withdrawal from Los Angeles, calling it a “sad” reflection of the state of the country.
In response to the escalating situation, Trump ordered an additional 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, supplementing a previous deployment of 2,000 troops over the weekend. “The Department of Defence is mobilising additional California National Guard to support ICE and federal law enforcement,” confirmed Sean Parnell, Assistant to the Secretary of Defence for Public Affairs.
The troop deployment coincides with a lawsuit filed by the state of California challenging the legality of the federal action, asking the judiciary to deem the deployment unconstitutional.
Meanwhile, over 700 US Marines were activated Monday to assist with the National Guard’s operations in Los Angeles. According to CNN, the Marines are currently stationed outside the city and undergoing further training before they are deployed to assist in protest management.
As both legal and political confrontations mount, the city remains on edge, with authorities preparing for further demonstrations and potential unrest.
