Los Angeles on Edge as President Trump’s National Guard Order Turns City Into Battlefield

Anti-ICE protesters in Los Angeles amped up the violence overnight — looting businesses, setting fire to self-driving cars, and attacking police officers after President Trump’s mobilization of National Guard troops heightened tensions throughout the city.Thousands of protesters took to the streets for a third day on Sunday, blocking off a major freeway and setting self-driving cars on fire as law enforcement used tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash bangs to control the crowd. The protests continued throughout the night across the city, leading authorities to declare “unlawful assembly” as anti-ICE raid protestors refused to peacefully leave the downtown area.“Agitators have splintered into and through out the Downtown Area,” the LAPD’s Central Division wrote in a post on X. “Residents, businesses and visitors to the Downtown Area should be alert and report any criminal activity. Officers are responding to several different locations to disperse crowds.”“An ‘UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY’ is in effect for the Civic Center area of DTLA.Police fire less lethal projectiles during clashes between protesters and law enforcement on June 8, 2025, in Los Angeles. Jim Vondruska/Getty ImagesProtesters who refused to leave used chairs from a nearby park to create a barrier and threw objects at police. Above the closed southbound 101 Freeway, others hurled concrete, rocks, electric scooters, and fireworks at California Highway Patrol officers and their vehicles as officers sought cover under an overpass, according to the Associated Press.About 300 National Guard members arrived in Los Angeles early Sunday following clashes in recent days between protesters and federal immigration agents. President Trump deployed some 2,000 California National Guard troops over the objections of Governor Newsom Saturday after a second day of clashes between protesters and federal immigration authorities in riot gear.In a social media post late Sunday Mr. Trump said his administration is acting to “liberate Los Angeles from the migrant invasion.”“Now violent, insurrectionist mobs are swarming and attacking our Federal Agents to try and stop our deportation operations — But these lawless riots only strengthen our resolve,” he said. “Order will be restored, the Illegals will be expelled, and Los Angeles will be set free.”California Highway Patrol officers work to clear protesters who were blocking the 101 freeway on June 8, 2025, in Los Angeles. Mario Tama/Getty ImagesMr. Newsom asked Mr. Trump to remove the guard members in a letter on Sunday afternoon, referring to their deployment as a breach of state sovereignty. “I have formally requested the Trump Administration rescind their unlawful deployment of troops in Los Angeles county and return them to my command. We didn’t have a problem until Trump got involved,” he said in a post on X. “This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they’re actually needed.”“Rescind the order. Return control to California.”Mr. Newsom called the president’s order an inflammatory move and said local law enforcement had things under control.Protesters against immigration raids gather on June 8, 2025, in Los Angeles. Mario Tama/Getty Images“These images are unacceptable. These kids on the car, folks that are taking advantage of this — these aren’t peaceful protesters, a lot of these folks,” he said during an interview with MSNBC.Mr. Newsom also responded to comments made by Mr. Trump’s border tsar, Tom Homan, who said that he and the mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, could both face federal charges for failing to crack down on protests.“Come after me,” Mr. Newsom said. “Arrest me. Let’s just get it over with, tough guy.”

Los Angeles on Edge as President Trump’s National Guard Order Turns City Into Battlefield

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