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How LA erupted over rumours of immigration raid at a hardware store

How LA erupted over rumours of immigration raid at a hardware store

Yahoo2 days ago

Juan and several friends huddled in the car park of a hardware store near Los Angeles, where protests have erupted against US President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.
Typically, their gatherings include dozens of day labourers, many of whom are undocumented immigrants, seeking work from shoppers or contractors.
But on Sunday, only two small pickups advertised that they could help with roofing, repairs or paint jobs outside this branch of Home Depot in the suburb of Paramount, whose population is more than 82% Hispanic.
It was one day after the store became the centre of immigration protests, sparked by rumours that day labourers here had been rounded up and arrested.
Many who live in the community told the BBC they saw immigration enforcement vehicles in the area.
It caused instant fear and panic. Then came reports about raids and arrests of day labourers at Home Depot, a place where many undocumented migrants across the US go to find work.
Protests erupted in this Hispanic-majority city, turning violent as rocks and Molotov cocktails were thrown. Authorities used pepper spray, rubber bullets and smoke bombs to subdue the crowd.
But the demonstrations in Paramount appear to have spawned out of misinformation.
While dozens of migrants have been detained by authorities elsewhere in the area, the rumours of raids at the store were misinformation, according to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
"Despite false reports, there was no ICE 'raid' at a Home Depot in LA," the DHS told the BBC.
Follow our live updates on the LA protests
A political fight Trump is eager to have
As he leaned on the bed of a small Toyota pickup with his two friends, Juan said: "No-one really knows what happened. Everyone is afraid."
The unrest in Paramount, which also saw a car set ablaze and businesses looted, became a catalyst for what federal authorities have described as riots throughout the Los Angeles area.
On Saturday, President Donald Trump used his authority to call in the California National Guard, something typically decided by a state's governor, as a second day of protests convulsed the city.
As the protests flared up for a third day on Sunday, armed National Guard troops guarded a gated business park across the street from the hardware store.
They parked Humvees blocking the area and squared off with protesters hurling insults and waving Mexican flags and banners.
"You're not welcome here!" one man with a Los Angeles Angels ball cap shouted to the soldiers as another protester uncapped spray paint and wrote an obscenity directed at US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
DHS told the BBC that the guarded area is home to one of their offices and authorities were using it "as a staging area and rioters found it".
The agency told the BBC they have arrested 118 illegal immigrants in the Los Angeles area this week, including five they say are gang members.
The agency said some of these migrants had previous criminal histories that included drug trafficking, assault and robbery.
When can a president deploy National Guard on US soil?
As he prepared to board Air Force One in Morristown, New Jersey, on Sunday, Trump told reporters there were "violent people" in Los Angeles "and they're not gonna get away with it".
Dora Sanchez was still in disbelief from the shocking images that transformed her city the night before.
She gathered on Sunday with others in the community at the Chapel of Change church, less than a block from the centre of protests the day before.
She and others at the church talked about how this Hispanic community was revitalised over the years and became a close-knit community where neighbours know and watch out for one another.
The protests felt like a "breaking point" for the immigrant community, she noted.
Los Angeles is one of the biggest minority-majority cities in the US.
Hispanics not only make up a larger share of the population than any other ethnic background, but immigrants, specifically those from just south in Mexico, are a core part of the history and culture here.
The city boasts its status as a sanctuary city, which means it does not co-operate with federal immigration enforcement.
Some here said they felt a bubbling tension that seemed to erupt when the Republican president's administration targeted LA's undocumented immigrants.
"It was time to stand up," said Maria Gutierrez, who protested in Paramount. "These are my people."
She said she was born in Mexico, but has lived here since she was a girl.
She - like many here - say they have family members who are in the US illegally.
"This is LA," she said. "It touches us all.
"Everyone has family or knows someone who doesn't have papers."
When can a president deploy National Guard on US soil?
Trump orders National Guard to LA after clashes
Trump's intervention in LA is a political fight he is eager to have

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Los Angeles police begin ‘mass arrests' after downtown curfew kicks in
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Los Angeles police begin ‘mass arrests' after downtown curfew kicks in

Update: Date: Title: Where else are protests happening around the US? Content: Protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that kicked off in Los Angeles on Friday have since sparked similar protests in various cities around the US – some of which have broadened into protests against the Trump administration. Here's where they're taking place: Update: Date: Title: It's past midnight in LA, where a curfew is in place. Here's what to know Content: A curfew is currently in place in part of downtown Los Angeles, with police saying they have begun arresting dozens of protesters Tuesday evening. Scattered demonstrations have also popped up in multiple cities across the US, with Texas deploying the National Guard in response. Here are the latest developments: Update: Date: Title: Texas National Guard deployed to "ensure peace and order," governor says Content: Members of the Texas National Guard will be deployed to various locations in the state ahead of planned protests this week, Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday. South Texas organizations are expected to hold anti-ICE rallies on Wednesday and Saturday, CNN affiliate KSAT reported. Among the demonstrations is a 'No Kings' protest in San Antonio this Saturday. Abbott's announcement comes a day after authorities used tear gas and pepper ball projectiles to disperse demonstrators at Austin's State Capitol Complex. 'Peaceful protest is legal,' Abbott said in a post on X. 'Harming a person or property is illegal and will lead to arrest.' The Republican governor said the Guard 'will use every tool & strategy to help law enforcement maintain order.' Update: Date: Title: Where are protests happening in Texas? Content: Inspired by demonstrations in Los Angeles, protesters in Texas have gathered in droves to challenge the Trump administration's sweeping immigration crackdown. Like California, the Lone Star State is home to one of the country's largest immigrant populations. Over the past few days, demonstrators have said they are speaking out for members of their community, many who fear taking to the streets themselves. 'Immigrants are the backbone of our society. Once again, they are all of us. They are our family members. They are our community members,' Laiba Khan, an organizer with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, told CNN affiliate KEYE. What began as a show of solidarity devolved into chaos in Austin on Monday, when police declared an unlawful gathering outside the J.J. Pickle Federal Building, later deploying tear gas on demonstrators, KEYE reported. Another protest near the State Capitol building, also in Austin, ended with law enforcement deploying tear gas and pepper rounds, the Texas Department of Public Safety said. Thirteen people were arrested in the city, police said. About 290 kilometers (180 miles) away in Dallas, video from a Monday demonstration shows a tense standoff unfolding between protesters and police in riot gear. Several demonstrators, their faces covered with bandanas and masks, were heard shouting expletives. An observer told CNN that police used what he believes was mace on a person being restrained and another person attempting to intervene. Hundreds gathered outside San Antonio's City Hall on Sunday in a protest that remained peaceful, CNN affiliate KSAT reported. Ahead of more demonstrations in the southern Texas city, Mayor Ron Nirenberg urged residents to 'exercise their rights…safely and responsibly.' Nirenberg's calls for calm come after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced the deployment of the Texas National Guard, ahead of the planned protests. 'The reports of the Governor deploying the National Guard to our community underscore the need for us to remain peaceful and safe this weekend,' Nirenberg said. Update: Date: Title: "Mass arrests" in downtown LA, police say Content: The Los Angeles Police Department said late Tuesday that 'dozens of arrests' have been made as several protest groups continue to gather in the designated curfew zone. 'Multiple groups continue to congregate on 1st St between Spring and Alameda,' the LAPD wrote on X. 'Those groups are being addressed and mass arrests are being initiated.' 'Dozens of arrests have been made for failing to disperse at the scene of an Unlawful Assembly,' the police said in a later post. Update: Date: Title: Downtown Los Angeles is under curfew. Here's what to know Content: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass declared a curfew in downtown Los Angeles tonight. Here's all that you need to know: When: The curfew is in effect from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. PT. 'We certainly expect for it to last for several days,' Bass said Area affected: The area of downtown Los Angeles where the curfew will take place is 1 square mile, Mayor Karen Bass said. The total area of the city is 502 square miles, she noted. Residents affected: Officials who enacted a curfew in parts of downtown Los Angeles assess that fewer than 100,000 of the city's nearly 4 million residents actually live within the zoned off area, a law enforcement source familiar said. Businesses affected: While numerous corporations and other businesses are based in the downtown area, the source said officials believe the 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew will affect only a relatively small number of residents, which was a factor in determining the start and end time of the order. Exemptions: LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said residents of the impact area will be exempt from the curfew. Others exempted include: credentialed media, public safety and emergency personnel and people experiencing homelessness. Penalties: Anyone not deemed exempt who is within the designated curfew area in Los Angeles between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. PT will be 'subject to arrest,' McDonnell said.

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