Per UPI: The Trump administration authorized the deployment of 700 Marines to Los Angeles to quell anti-ICE immigration protests in the area.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the deployment to help defend federal agents amid protests over immigration raids, sharing in a post on X: “We have an obligation to defend federal law enforcement officers — even if Gavin Newsom will not. Due to increased threats to federal law enforcement officers and federal buildings, approximately 700 active-duty U.S. Marines from Camp Pendleton are being deployed to Los Angeles to restore order.”
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell warned those involved in violence or vandalism will be arrested, stating that officers were forced to fire flash-bang grenades Monday at hundreds of protesters as they tried to push the crowd back from the city’s Little Tokyo section: “There is no tolerance for criminal activity under the guise of protest … there will be many more subsequent arrests.”
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California Governor Gavin Newsom vowed that his administration intends to take legal action against the Trump administration after National Guard troops were sent to Los Angeles to respond to ongoing protests.
Troops were dispatched to downtown Los Angeles on Sunday following a weekend of demonstrations that occasionally turned confrontational. The protests were sparked by widespread immigration enforcement actions that began on Friday. The President later took to social media to criticize Governor Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, labeling the demonstrators as “troublemakers and insurrectionists.”
Newsom initially posted on X: “Donald Trump is throwing gasoline on the fire. Taking control of a state’s National Guard without the governor’s consent is both unlawful and unethical. California will be filing a lawsuit.” Later in a follow-up message Monday morning, Newsom accused the former president of improperly taking federal control of the National Guard, stating simply, “He acted illegally to federalize the Guard — we’re suing him.” The governor also formally asked the federal government to cancel the deployment, sending a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth arguing that the presence of the National Guard in Los Angeles was unnecessary.
Footage shared by CBS Los Angeles showed National Guard members appearing to deploy tear gas and non-lethal projectiles as a crowd gathered near the Metropolitan Detention Center. On Sunday, demonstrators blocked traffic on a major freeway and set autonomous vehicles on fire. Police responded with tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash-bang devices to disperse the crowds. LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell reported during a Sunday night press conference that authorities had arrested 39 individuals amid the unrest. By Monday morning, the streets of Los Angeles calmed down following a turbulent weekend.
Law enforcement declared the gathering an unlawful assembly and began dispersing remaining protesters. Some threw debris from behind makeshift barricades, while others hurled concrete, rocks, electric scooters, and fireworks at officers and their vehicles on the southbound side of the 101 Freeway. At one point, California Highway Patrol officers had to retreat under an overpass for cover
The National Guard’s mission focused on securing federal facilities, including the downtown detention center that had become a focal point for the demonstrations. Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said his officers were stretched thin by the size and aggression of the crowd. He added that some individuals appeared to be repeat agitators known to provoke violence during protests.
Newsom has consistently maintained that state and local authorities had the situation well in hand. He also mocked Trump for prematurely praising the National Guard’s actions in a social media post before they had even reached Los Angeles. While in Los Angeles meeting with local officials and law enforcement, Newsom also addressed protesters directly to warn them against resorting to violence or destruction, saying such actions would only help Trump justify his crackdown: “Trump is sowing chaos on purpose. He wants this violence. Stay peaceful, stay organized, and don’t hand him the justification he’s looking for.”
Editorial credit: Sheila Fitzgerald / Shutterstock.com
