Acts of a dictator: Los Angeles Governor slams Trump's National Guard deployment
California National Guard troops were deployed to the streets of Los Angeles on Sunday to help quell a third day of protests over President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement, a step the state's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, called unlawful.Police were making more arrests after at least 10 on Sunday and 29 the previous night, Los Angeles police officers told a news briefing.advertisementNational Guard troops guarded federal government buildings, as police and protesters clashed in separate demonstrations over federal immigration raids in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles police declared several rallies to be "unlawful assemblies", accusing some protesters of throwing concrete projectiles, bottles and other items at police.Video images showed several self-driving cars from Alphabet's Waymo were set ablaze on a downtown street on Sunday evening.Los Angeles police officers on horseback attempted to control the crowds.Demonstrators shouted "Shame on you!" at police and some appeared to throw objects, video images showed. One group blocked the 101 Freeway, a major downtown thoroughfare.Groups of protesters, many carrying Mexican flags and signs denouncing U.S. immigration authorities, gathered in spots around the city.The Los Angeles branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation organized speakers outside City Hall for an afternoon rally.advertisementCalifornia Governor Gavin Newsom said he requested the Trump administration to withdraw its order to deploy 2,000 National Guard troops in Los Angeles county, calling it unlawful.In an interview with MSNBC, Newsom said he planned to sue the administration over the deployment, adding that Trump "has created the conditions" around the protests.Newsom accused Trump of trying to manufacture a crisis and violating California's state sovereignty. "These are the acts of a dictator, not a president," he wrote in a post on X.However, Police Chief Jim McDonnell told a media briefing on Sunday night that the protests were getting out of control.Asked if the National Guard was needed, McDonnell said police would not "go to that right away," but added, "Looking at the violence tonight, I think we've got to make a reassessment."In a social media post, Trump called on McDonnell to do so."He should, right now!!!" Trump added. "Don't let these thugs get away with this. Make America great again!!!"The White House disputed Newsom's characterization, saying in a statement, "Everyone saw the chaos, violence and lawlessness."Earlier, about a dozen National Guard, along with Department of Homeland Security personnel, pushed back a group of demonstrators outside a federal building in downtown Los Angeles, video showed.advertisementU.S. Northern Command said 300 members of the California National Guard had been deployed to three spots in the Los Angeles area. Their mission was limited to protecting federal personnel and property.In a social media post on Sunday, Trump called the demonstrators "violent, insurrectionist mobs" and said he was directing his cabinet officers "to take all such action necessary" to stop what he called "riots."Speaking to reporters in New Jersey, he threatened violence against demonstrators who spit on police or National Guard troops, saying, "They spit, we hit."He did not cite any specific incidents.Tune InMust Watch
IN THIS STORY#Donald Trump#United States of America
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Time of India
35 minutes ago
- Time of India
LA protests explode after ICE raids: National guard deployed, marines on standby as tensions surge across California
The immigration protests in Los Angeles began after ICE arrested 44 undocumented individuals. According to the US Department of Homeland Security, the total number later reached 118. Uniformed ICE agents carried out the operations in unmarked, military-style vehicles. Protesters gathered outside facilities where some of the arrested were believed to be held. This sparked large demonstrations in downtown LA and beyond. What is the government's response? President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of 2,000 National Guard soldiers to Los Angeles County on Saturday. This move was opposed by both California Governor Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass. The Trump administration has now indicated that US Marines could also be deployed if needed. The US military's Northern Command confirmed that about 500 marines are on standby. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a social media post that the Marines and National Guard 'stand with ICE.' Speaker of the House Mike Johnson supported the stance, calling it consistent with the principle of maintaining peace through strength. Where are the protests happening? The demonstrations are largely taking place in downtown Los Angeles. One protest group blocked the 101 Freeway, with reports of objects thrown onto the road and police vehicles being damaged. LAPD declared the area an 'unlawful assembly.' Protesters also spray-painted anti-ICE slogans on the Edward R Roybal Federal Building. In San Francisco, a solidarity protest near an ICE building also led to arrests. Police declared that gathering unlawful and detained about 60 people. What is an unlawful assembly? An unlawful assembly is legally defined as an intentional meeting of three or more people that disturbs public peace. LAPD enforced this definition during the protests and took action when demonstrations disrupted roads and damaged vehicles. How has law enforcement reacted? LAPD Captain Raul Jovel said 10 people were arrested on Sunday. Police Chief Jim McDonnell noted that 29 were arrested the previous day. Jovel also reported that three officers were injured in the clashes, though the injuries were minor and didn't require hospitalisation. What has been vandalised? Some protesters targeted Waymo self-driving cars, setting several on fire and spray-painting anti-ICE slogans. Media reports said the vandalism occurred between Arcadia and Alameda streets. LAPD issued an advisory asking the public to avoid the affected area. Peaceful protests in LA. LA is on fire What are leaders saying? California leaders strongly opposed Trump's actions. Newsom called the deployment a 'serious breach of state sovereignty,' and Bass termed it a 'chaotic escalation.' Both urged protesters not to resort to violence. Former Vice President Kamala Harris said the National Guard deployment was meant to provoke chaos and called it part of a broader agenda to 'spread panic and division.' Trump responded via his Truth Social platform, criticising Newsom and Bass and labelling protesters as 'insurrectionists.' Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said ICE would continue enforcing immigration law despite the protests. Are there historical parallels? The Trump administration's actions have drawn comparisons to the 1992 Rodney King riots, where marines were deployed alongside the National Guard after a jury acquitted four officers who were filmed beating a Black man. Those riots lasted six days and resulted in 63 deaths. While the current protests in LA have seen sporadic vandalism, many demonstrations remain peaceful, according to officials.
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
LA Clashes Escalate as Trump, Newsom Spar Over Troops
Tensions flared in Los Angeles on the third day of anti-deportation protests, as demonstrators clashed with law enforcement while President Donald Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom exchanged blame over the unrest and responsibility for restoring order. The deployment of National Guard troops by Trump over the weekend, despite the objections of state and city officials, led to growing friction between local leaders and the administration. Newsom said he formally requested the White House rescind the 'unlawful' order and return the troops to his command, warning it would only ramp up tensions. The governor also said Sunday that he planned to sue the administration over the action. Subscribe to the Bloomberg Daybreak Podcast on Apple, Spotify and other Podcast Platforms. LA Police Chief Jim McDonnell said Sunday evening many of the earlier protests around the city had been peaceful, but that conditions deteriorated as people committing vandalism and violence replaced daytime demonstrators. 'This violence that I've seen is disgusting,' McDonnell said at a press conference. 'What we saw the first night was was bad. What we've seen subsequent to that is getting increasingly worse and more violent.' The department issued an order telling people to immediately leave the downtown area, declaring it an 'unlawful assembly.' In a series of Truth Social posts late Sunday, Trump described the unrest as an attack on immigration enforcement efforts. 'A once great American City, Los Angeles, has been invaded and occupied by illegal aliens and criminals,' he wrote. Trump called the demonstrations 'migrant riots' and said federal agencies were directed to take 'all such action necessary' to restore order and continue deportation operations. He later urged law enforcement to escalate their response, including arresting people wearing face masks and said McDonnell should bring in the troops 'right now.' Newsom urged protesters to remain peaceful, an admonition some demonstrators ignored as crowds blocked a major roadway through downtown and people set fire to several self-driving ride-hailing vehicles nearby, sending black plumes into the sky. Newsom met Sunday evening with law enforcement leaders in Los Angeles, he posted on X. 'We're here to keep the peace — not play into Trump's political games,' he wrote. According to LD officials, nearly 30 people were arrested Saturday. At least 10 arrests were made Sunday and three officers were injured. The California Highway Patrol made 17 arrests and the LD said more are likely as immigration raids continue and the violence that's already taken place is investigated. The San Francisco police also reported that on late Sunday they arrested about 60 people after protests against ICE raids broke out downtown. Federal law enforcement officials clashed briefly with a smaller group of demonstrators earlier on Sunday when a crowd gathered outside a federal building in downtown LA. The LD declared the gathering an unlawful assembly, using less than lethal munitions, like tear gas and batons to chase the crowd back. The LD said some people in the crowd threw bottles, chunks of concrete and other objects. The ICE raids are sending a sense of fear and chaos into the city, LA Mayor Karen Bass said during a press conference late Sunday afternoon, adding that people who want to protest should do so peacefully. The First Amendment grants a right to peaceful protest 'but it does not give you the right to be violent to create chaos, or to vandalize property, and that will not be tolerated,' she said. The tense demonstration follows two days of protests sparked by sweeping US immigration raids across the region. Trump directed US Northern Command to assume control of the National Guard and dispatch 2,000 soldiers to the area 'for 60 days or at the discretion of the Secretary of Defense,' the White House said in a statement. About 300 soldiers from the California National Guard's 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team have been deployed to three locations in greater LA, according to US Northern Command. The Guard is focused on 'safety and protection of federal property and personnel,' the command said in a post on X. The 79th IBCT is primarily a combat unit, though it has previously been called up to support civilian authorities, and a unit most recently responded to the LA-area wildfires earlier this year. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that Marines could be sent next if protests intensify. Newsom called Hegseth's suggestion of deploying the Marines from nearby Camp Pendleton 'deranged.' Hegseth on Sunday countered that Newsom had allowed violence to get out of hand. 'Deranged = allowing your city to burn & law enforcement to be attacked,' Hegseth said in a post on X. 'There is plenty of room for peaceful protest, but ZERO tolerance for attacking federal agents who are doing their job. The National Guard, and Marines if need be, stand with ICE.' Facing mounting pressure from the White House, ICE has ramped up arrests in recent weeks, averaging about 2,000 detentions per day nationwide — still falling short of the administration's goal of at least 3,000 daily arrests. The stepped-up enforcement is part of Trump's vow to carry out the largest deportation campaign in US history. In the LA area, ICE reported 118 arrests this week, though the agency has not released updated figures as of Sunday morning. The protests were triggered in part by federal immigration raids that swept through the city from late Friday. Demonstrators gathered outside the federal building downtown, including outside a detention center. Other protests broke out in Compton and in Paramount, south of the city, where a crowd formed near a Home Depot as raids were reportedly underway. Tensions escalated when some protesters threw objects at officers, prompting the LD to declare an unlawful assembly and order the crowd to disperse, according to local media reports. Riot police used tear gas and flash-bang grenades. US Representative Nanette Barragan, a Democrat whose district includes Paramount and other parts of Los Angeles County, accused the Trump administration of using federal troops to suppress dissent. By the time the more violent skirmishes broke out Saturday night, the original protesters had already cleared out and the 'unruly folks' had arrived, she said. 'It's going to escalate the situation,' she said Sunday on CNN's State of the Union. 'People are going to protest because they're angry about the situation. And we have to just reiterate the people to do it peacefully.' Barragan described ICE agents stopping 'anybody at a bus stop that's going to shop' and said she was warned to expect 30 days of stepped-up enforcement. Trump has repeatedly threatened to cut off federal funding to cities and states that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities — so-called 'sanctuary' jurisdictions — including LA. California law bars local law enforcement from using resources to assist in most federal immigration actions. In response to past federal crackdowns, California Attorney General Rob Bonta has defended the state's sanctuary policies and sued the Trump administration over attempts to force local compliance, arguing that California has the right to set its own public safety priorities. In an interview with NBC News, Trump border czar Tom Homan said Newsom and Bass should be thanking the president for helping to restore order. Homan warned the leaders could face arrest if they obstruct immigration enforcement efforts. The White House said the National Guard was being deployed to protect federal personnel and property, including immigration detention centers, citing what Trump described as credible threats of violence that could obstruct enforcement efforts and 'constitute a form of rebellion' against the US government. But the legal basis for the decision could face challenges. Federal law strictly limits the deployment of federal troops within US borders. The 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, along with amendments and supporting regulations, generally bars the use of the active-duty U.S. military — the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines — from carrying out domestic law enforcement. The law doesn't apply to state-controlled National Guard forces. With assistance from María Paula Mijares Torres, Catherine Lucey, Isabela Fleischmann, Virginia Van Natta, Kevin Whitelaw and Kara Wetzel.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
'Just a bunch of people having fun watching cars burn': ABC News reporter slammed for his description of LA riots
ABC7 journalist Marc Brown described LA rioters as just a bunch of people having fun watching cars burn. Los Angeles ABC7 News anchor Marc Brown, during his live commentary on the Los Angeles riots, said police should not escalate their action as that would lead to a major confrontation and the situation could turn very volatile. "If you move law enforcement in there in the wrong way and turn what is just a bunch of people having fun watching cars burn into a massive confrontation of altercation between officers and demonstrators," Brown said. MAGA commentators could not believe that a journalist could describe the riots like this. "ABC News wants you to know what is happening in California isn't a violent riot. It's 'just a bunch of people having fun watching cars burn.' — ABC 7's Marc Brown," one wrote posting the viral video. "It's not 2020 anymore. The media needs to come to grips with that fact. This will not end well," another said. "You don't hate the media enough," a third user said. LA riots updates The demonstrations began Friday outside the Federal Building against the ICE raids across the city. The protests escalated Sunday as Donald Trump called to "bring in the troops". California Dem Governor Gavin Newsom called Trump's decision illegal and immoral and threatened to sue the administration. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List He also asked Trump's border czar Tom Homan to arrest him. The riots put the immigration issue into focus once again as many of those involved were carrying Mexican flags. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller doubled down on the riots and said this is the proof of what happens when there is mass migration. "Believe it or not, California used to be a paradise. Mass migration has brought use where we are now," Miller wrote. "Los Angeles is all the proof you need that mass migration unravels societies. You can have all the other plans and budgets you want. If you don't fix migration, then nothing else can be fixed — or saved," Miller wrote in another post. "California is the largest sanctuary state in America. The state has ordered every police department and sheriffs office in the state not to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, even if they have committed grievous crimes. Illegals are given free welfare, healthcare and every other conceivable state benefit. They are made immune in every way. Simply put, the government of the State of California aided, abetted and conspired to facilitate the invasion of the United States," he wrote.
