Tear gas, flash-bangs and arrests as LA immigration detention centre protest turns violent

The Age

6 hours ago

US immigration authorities extended their activity in the Los Angeles area on Saturday (local time) in the wake of protests at a federal detention facility and a police response that included tear gas, flash-bangs and the arrest of a union leader.
Border Patrol personnel in riot gear and gas masks stood guard outside an industrial park in the city of Paramount, deploying tear gas as bystanders and protesters gathered on medians and across the street, some jeering at authorities while recording the events on smartphones.
'ICE out of Paramount. We see you for what you are,' a woman said through a megaphone. 'You are not welcome here.'
One handheld sign said: 'No Human Being is Illegal.'
The boulevard was closed to traffic as Border Patrol officers circulated through the area. ICE representatives did not respond immediately to email inquiries about weekend enforcement activities.
The immigration arrests in Los Angeles came as President Donald Trump and his administration push to fulfil promises of mass deportations across the country.
On Friday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested more than 40 people while executing search warrants at multiple locations, including outside a clothing warehouse where a tense scene unfolded as a crowd tried to block agents from driving away.