In a tense escalation on Sunday, Los Angeles became the scene of massive protests that were ignited by President Donald Trump’s unexpected deployment of the National Guard. Thousands of demonstrators swarmed the streets, fiercely opposing the governmental action. They blocked a major freeway and destroyed self-driving cars, leading law enforcement to respond with tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash bangs to try and disperse the agitated crowd.
Mounted police officers patrolled, while rows of riot-gear-clad officers stood alongside Guard troops to protect federal properties, including a detention center where recent immigrant detentions had occurred. Authorities declared the protest an unlawful assembly, causing many demonstrators to disperse by the evening. However, a determined group remained, utilizing park chairs to fashion barricades and hurling objects at the police. Over the shutdown of the southbound 101 Freeway, protesters threw rocks, bits of concrete, electric scooters, and fireworks at California Highway Patrol officers. These officers retreated for protection under an overpass.
This marked the third consecutive day of protests against Trump’s aggressive immigration policies, which included the arrival of approximately 300 federal troops. These actions stirred deep-seated anger and apprehension among local residents. Sunday’s unrest was concentrated across several blocks in downtown Los Angeles—a city home to four million people.
Starting from the morning, National Guard personnel were deployed, lining the streets outside the Metropolitan Detention Center, brandishing long guns and riot shields. Facing protests, demonstrators chanted “shame” and shouted at the troops to “go home,” even as other uniformed officers advanced against the crowd, deploying smoke canisters in retaliation.
In the afternoon, the Los Angeles Police Department released rounds of crowd-control munitions at demonstrators to disperse what they classified as an unlawful assembly. This prompted the protesters to occupy the 101 freeway, an action which halted traffic until police cleared the roadway later in the day. Nearby, several self-driving Waymo cars were set ablaze, sending heavy smoke into the air, while police enforced an unlawful assembly decree, closing off blocks of the downtown area. The commotion was frequently punctuated with the loud bangs of flash devices.
Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom formally requested the removal of Guard members, labeling their presence as a “severe breach of state sovereignty.” He was in consultations with local officials when the request was made. There was no confirmation whether he had engaged with Trump on the matter since the prior Friday.
This instance represents the first deployment of the National Guard in recent history without a governor’s consent amid heightened scrutiny of the administration’s mass deportation initiatives. Mayor Karen Bass supported Newsom’s opposition, describing the situation in Los Angeles as chaos instigated by federal actions. She emphasized that the focus wasn’t public safety but other ulterior motives.
Nevertheless, the administration persisted with their narrative. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson insisted there had always been underlying issues in Los Angeles before federal intervention.
The protest incidents began two days earlier, sprawling from downtown Los Angeles to areas like Paramount and Compton, both Latino-majority areas south of the city center. Federal raids had resulted in immigrant arrests across various sites such as LA’s fashion district and parking lots in the vicinity. Authorities later stated that some rumored enforcement activities were unfounded, notably at a Home Depot location.
In response to an attempt by demonstrators to bog down Border Patrol vehicles, federal agents resorted to deploying tear gas, flash-bang devices, and pepper balls. The week saw over 100 undocumented immigrant arrests, with numerous demonstrators, including a notable union leader, apprehended for attempting to hinder law enforcement’s operations.
Although the protests didn’t reach the magnitude of previous historic demonstrations in Los Angeles that warranted National Guard presence, such as the Watts riots, the Rodney King unrest, and the 2020 police violence protests, it marked a significant moment. The deployment, without a governor’s request, was reminiscent of a 1965 instance when President Lyndon B. Johnson sent federal troops to Alabama for a civil rights march, making it a rare occurrence according to legal experts.
Over the weekend, President Trump cited legal authority to address instances deemed rebellious against government power, justifying the deployment of 2,000 Guard members. He reiterated his commitment to “restore law and order,” maintaining that violence in Los Angeles would not go unchecked. Asked by reporters about further military deployment, Trump hinted at a widespread federal presence to prevent national instability, invoking past comparisons with his predecessor, President Biden.
Meanwhile, 500 Marines stationed at Twentynine Palms, east of Los Angeles, were prepared to deploy if necessary, as informed by the U.S. Northern Command. The former Vice President Kamala Harris, a resident of Los Angeles, commented that the arrests and Guard deployment were tactics to incite fear and division, expressing her support for those dissenting to uphold fundamental rights and liberties.