Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello headlines immigrant rights benefit at Echoplex
After a weekend of raucous 'No Kings' protests across the country — especially throughout Los Angeles — immigrant activists in music have a new benefit show planned for tonight in Echo Park.
Tom Morello, the guitarist of Rage Against the Machine and a longtime leftist and human rights advocate, will headline a sold-out show called 'Defend L.A.' set at the Echoplex on Monday in support of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA).
The show will feature like-minded peers including B-Real of Cypress Hill, Pussy Riot, K.Flay and visual artist Shepard Fairey. The Neighborhood Kids, a rising young San Diego hip-hop group whose songs document the on-the-ground reality of communities under threat from immigration raids, will play its most prominent L.A. set to date there. Comedian George Lopez will host.
Morello joined the recent anti-ICE marches in Los Angeles, where protest signs and slogans often echoed his band's radical-resistance lyrics and imagery. The singer-songwriter wore a guitar emblazoned with anti-ICE messaging onstage at the Boston Calling festival last month.
While downtown L.A., a site of many heated protests, had been placed under a nighttime curfew, Saturday's 'No Kings' marches were broadly peaceful, with only 38 arrests in Los Angeles, mostly for curfew violations. After the marches, the Trump administration recently announced efforts to expand immigration raids in sanctuary cities like Los Angeles.
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UPI
an hour ago
- UPI
'No Kings' protests draw millions nationwide, organizers say
1 of 10 | Protesters hold signs and banners at a "No Kings Protest" in New York City on Saturday. Photo by Peter Foley/UPI | License Photo June 14 (UPI) -- Millions of people turned out for "No Kings" protests nationwide on Saturday that were largely peaceful though there were some arrests and police had to disperse unruly crowds, including in Georgia and Los Angeles. In Texas, a credible threat led to the temporary closing of the Texas Capitol building in Austin on Saturday before a planned protest there. The Texas Department of Public Safety evacuated the building and grounds after learning of a threat made against state lawmakers planning to attend the, KXAN reported. The DPS arrested one person during a traffic stop in La Grange and reopened the Capitol grounds shortly before 5 p.m. CDT, which is when the protest was scheduled to start. Law enforcement did not identify the suspect or any charges against that person. In Atlanta, members of the far-right Proud Boys appeared at the city's protest, wearing the group's distinctive black and yellow colors. Police in Georgia arrested at least eight protesters after they entered a roadway in DeKalb County during the afternoon, WSB-TV reported. Hundreds gathered to protest against President Donald Trump at a site near Chamblee Tucker Road, and many began marching in the road toward Interstate 285 northeast of Atlanta. Local police ordered the crowd to return to the sidewalk and deployed tear gas when they did not. Two motorists have been arrested in separate incidents on opposite ends of the country after driving into protesters, according to a report by The Guardian. At least four protesters suffered non-life-threatening injuries at a protest in San Francisco when a motorist allegedly drove into them. The unidentified motorist was detained. Police in Culpeper, Va., arrested Joseph Checklick Jr., 21, on reckless driving charges in an incident that caused no injuries. 1,500 protests scheduled nationwide At least 1,500 "No Kings" protests nationwide were scheduled Saturday, the same day as President Donald Trump's large-scale military parade in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the U.S. Army and his 79th birthday. The protests across all 50 states and commonwealths were "largest single-day mobilization since President Trump returned to office -- a mass, nationwide protest rejecting authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarization of our democracy," according to the organizers' website. The 50501 Movement -- 50 protests, 50 states, one movement -- is one of the main organizers of the demonstrations that are designed to be peaceful. "The 'No Kings' mobilization is a direct response to Donald Trump's self-aggrandizing $100 million military parade and birthday celebration, an event funded by taxpayers while millions are told there's no money for Social Security, SNAP, Medicaid, or public schools," according to the website. The parade is officially celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States Army and has been planned for well over a year, although it has been expanded to meet Trump's requests since he retook office. The protests were organized by a coalition of more than 200 organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, American Federation of Teachers and the Communications Workers of America. Protests nationwide began after Trump's inauguration for his second presidency on Jan. 20 over several of the Trump administration's moves, including its crackdown on immigrants and cuts to the federal workforce and services. Where protests happened A map shows where the events took place. In New York, about 50,000 protesters marched a mile on Fifth Avenue from Bryant Park to Madison Square Park, an NYPD spokesperson told WNBC-TV. As of 4:30 p.m., the NYPD reported no arrests or incidents of note related to the demonstrations. "Real power looks like the thousands of people that are going to gather here in Bryant Park and stand up to their neighbors and for their communities," 50501 organizer Hannan Strauss told CNN during an interview in New York. In Chicago, several thousand people packed streets in and around Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago. They then marched to Trump Tower, shouting "Hey hey, ho ho, Donald Trump has got to go," and "No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here." Events in Minnesota, including in Minneapolis, were canceled though several thousand showed up in the state capital, St. Paul. Minnesota State Patrol and Gov. Tim Walz asked people not to participate after State Rep. and Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were killed. State Sen. John Hoffman of Champlin and his wife Yvette were shot multiple times. Despite triple-digit temperatures, a crowd demonstrated at the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix. More than 75 protests were scheduled in Florida, including near Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach where demonstrators marched to the Mar-a-Lago gates. They were met by Trump supporters. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state is ready to "quell any violence" at events in his state. During an interview on Fox News, he said local police, county sheriffs, highway patrol and the National Guard will be ready to stop any violence or "unrest" against federal anti-illegal immigration efforts. The protests, large and small, are taking place everywhere except the nation's capital "to draw a clear contrast between our people-powered movement and the costly, wasteful, and un-American birthday parade in Washington." "We're showing up everywhere he isn't -- to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings," the website reads. Trump on Thursday told reporters that, despite the protests' title, "I don't feel like a king. I have to go through hell to get stuff approved." Demonstrators gathered outside a Metro station in Arlington, Va. D.C. residents were encouraged to go to a demonstration in Philadelphia, which is America's first capital and the birthplace of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. The protest includes plans to march from Love Park to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. A Philadelphia Police Department spokesperson told WCAU-TV an estimated 80,000 people attended the protect along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Situation in Los Angeles Protests against immigration arrests have been going on for a week in downtown Los Angeles. Some protesters in downtown Los Angeles threw objects at police officers as they attempted to clear the crowd using chemical irritants ahead of a nightly curfew, city police said. The Los Angeles Police Department issued dispersal orders in downtown and approved the use of less lethal munitions that it said "may cause discomfort and pain." On Saturday, protesters in Los Angeles carried an enormous copy of the Constitution through the streets. The protest drew about 25,000, KCBS-TV reported. And there was a 20-foot balloon of Trump wearing a diaper in downtown's Gloria Molina Grand Park. A nightly curfew that began Tuesday will remain in effect through the weekend, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said at a news conference Friday. It turns from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Trump has nationalized California's National Guard at the opposition of Gov. Gavin Newsom. There are 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Trump doubles down on expanding deportations in America's biggest cities
President Donald Trump on Monday doubled down on his goal to conduct mass deportations in some of the country's biggest cities, specifically those run by Democrats. As he met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the G7 summit in Alberta on Monday, Trump said Immigration and Customs Enforcement should turn its attention to New York and Chicago in addition to Los Angeles. "I want them to focus on the cities because the cities are where you really have what's called 'sanctuary cities,'" Trump told reporters. "And that's where the people are." MORE: 'Nation of immigrants and a nation of laws': Obama speaks out about immigration The comments came after Trump's lengthy social media post on Sunday in which said he was ordering ICE to do "all in their power" to oversee the largest mass deportation program in history. "In order to achieve this, we must expand efforts to detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America's largest Cities," Trump wrote. The president said those cities are "the core of the Democrat Power Center" and accused Democrats of using illegal immigration to influence elections -- despite the fact that noncitizens can't vote in federal or state elections and instances where it occurs are rare. He also claimed without evidence that illegal immigrants were being used to "grow the Welfare State." "To ICE, FBI, DEA, ATF, the Patriots at Pentagon and the State Department, you have my unwavering support. Now go, GET THE JOB DONE!" Trump wrote in the post. Trump's determination on deportations follows protests in LA and in other areas around the country last week to his administration's immigration crackdown. This past Saturday, immigration was one focus of nationwide "No Kings Day" demonstrations against Trump and his policies that drew thousands of people. MORE: Trump has made a number of claims about the LA protests. Here is the context. Amid the pushback, Trump last week shifted his stance on undocumented immigrants who work in the farming and hospitality industries. Trump acknowledged on social media that his "aggressive policy" was "taking very good, long time workers away." The Department of Homeland Security later confirmed they received new guidance to pause most raids on farms, restaurants and hotels. "Our farmers are being hurt badly, they have good workers that have worked for them for 20 years. They are not citizens, but turned out to be great. We will do something about that," Trump said at a White House event last week. Such comments undercut what he and his top officials have said would be a focus on the "worst of the worst" violent or criminal offenders in their deportation efforts. ABC News' Hannah Demissie contributed to this report. Trump doubles down on expanding deportations in America's biggest cities originally appeared on
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Donald Trump orders immigration raids in ‘Democratic Power Center' cities
President Donald Trump is threatening to ramp up deportation raids and target cities led by Democrats, following days of protests over deportation raids in Los Angeles, during which he seized control of the California National Guard. In a Sunday evening social media post, Trump said he had directed his administration to carry out mass deportations — one of his core campaign promises — in metropolitan areas 'at the core of the Democrat Power Center' like Los Angeles, Chicago and New York. While those cities are led by Democratic mayors, New York Mayor Eric Adams has sided with the administration over immigration crackdowns after it dismissed a federal corruption case against him. Trump's post came two days before a federal hearing to decide if a temporary injunction can go forward blocking him from taking over the California National Guard and sending U.S. Marines to put down anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco will hold a remote hearing Tuesday at noon. Congressional Republicans have also ordered an investigation into Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass's response to the protests. The White House directed a request for comment to Trump's post, and said the administration stood by 'the President's TRUTH.' An ICE spokesperson said in an unsigned email that they did not confirm or discuss operations to ensure officers' safety. Trump said in his post that he was ordering Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Border Patrol and federal law enforcement officials to 'FOCUS on our crime ridden and deadly Inner Cities,' where he said local leaders were using 'Illegal Aliens to expand their Voter Base, cheat in Elections, and grow the Welfare State, robbing good paying Jobs and Benefits from Hardworking American Citizens.' Trump's rhetoric has roots in Great Replacement Theory, a debunked far-right conspiracy that claims liberals are 'replacing' white people with non-white people via mass immigration and demographic change, according to Lafayette College political theorist Michael Feola. Mass shooters in New York, Pennsylvania and Texas have cited their belief in it, and it has gained traction among mainstream GOP politicians. Trump's success in mainstreaming this type of grievance has been in capitalizing on populist anger towards entrenched institutions and elitism, as well as backlash against immigration, Feola said. And while Trump has long run on an anti-immigration platform, Feola said his approach during his second term has been much more 'disciplined,' citing the administration's willingness to confront or ignore the courts. 'What strikes me, and a lot of people now is how he's expanding and how he's using this long trend of messaging that he's long relied upon, but now it's being matched by the internal discipline within the administration to carry this out in a far more effective manner than was ever possible for him before,' Feola said. Coincidentally, Monday was the tenth anniversary of when Trump launched his first campaign, during which the future president told attendees at Trump Tower in New York he was running to ensure Mexico was held to account for sending people who 'brought crime' to the United States. While Newsom sued Trump and sparred with him during his first administration, he recently told the Wall Street Journal that the president has been more 'vindictive' in his second term. Trump has threatened to withhold federal funds if California lawmakers didn't bar trans athletes from competitions or overhaul its immigration and environmental policies. California has, in turn, sued the White House 24 times since Trump took office 20 weeks ago. 'His plan is clear: Incite violence and chaos in blue states, have an excuse to militarize our cities, demonize his opponents, keep breaking the law and consolidate power,' Newsom said on Monday. 'It's illegal and we will not let it stand.' Leslie Gielow Jacobs, a constitutional law expert at the McGeorge School of Law, said the legal conflict between California and the White House was 'highly unusual,' but not without precedent. Lyndon B. Johnson was the last president to activate National Guard troops over a governor's objections in 1965, when Alabama Gov. George Wallace refused to protect civil rights activists planning to march from Selma to Montgomery. Gielow Jacobs said it was likely Tuesday's hearing would end up with the appeals court placing some sort of constraint on Trump's ability to nationalize California National Guard members, but not outright restrain him. She expects the case to quickly reach the Supreme Court, citing Newsom's use of an emergency order to block Trump. 'It's a conflict between the president and the judicial branch with the state in the middle of it,' Gielow Jacobs said.
