LA protests live: Curfew enforced for second night as anti-ICE protests spread to other major cities
Los Angeles officials have enforced a curfew on the downtown area for a second night as protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids pop up in other major cities.
The Trump administration has filed a response to California Governor Gavin Newsom’s lawsuit to stop the “unnecessary” deployment of U.S. Marines to Los Angeles, in addition to the 4,000 federalized California National Guard troops ordered into the city.
According to the filing, the LAPD is “unable to bring order” to LA, six days after protests began against ICE raids to round up those in the country illegally as part of Donald Trump’s hardline immigration policies.
Protests and confrontations with police sparked wider problems of vandalism and looting in downtown Los Angeles. LAPD reported mass arrests. Local residents blame the president for exacerbating tensions through the deployment of troops.
Mayor Karen Bass said the curfew was a response to the president’s “chaotic escalation” of the situation through his deployment of the Guard and the upcoming addition of 700 Marines, who are training 30 miles south of the city.
Troops are authorized to temporarily detain individuals until law enforcement agents arrive to make an arrest, Major General Scott Sherman said this morning, and have begun to do so. They are backed up by unarmed Predator drones, which are being used for high-altitude surveillance.
