US politics live: Sheriff warns violent protesters ‘we will kill you' as police brace for new wave of mass protests
Hello and welcome back to our live coverage of events in the United States.
Much of the focus in American politics remains on law enforcement. The Trump administration's Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem, visited Los Angeles today and held a press conference to discuss the government's deportation drive.
Ms Noem heads the department which is responsible for enforcing immigration laws. The deportations are what set off protests in the city, prompting President Donald Trump to call in the National Guard and US Marines against the wishes of local leaders.
At one point, as Ms Noem was laying into California Governor Gavin Newsom, one of the state's US senators crashed the media conference and tried to ask her a question.
Senator Alex Padilla, who is of course a Democrat, was then shoved out of the room by federal agents as he protested, telling them: 'I'm Senator Alex Padilla, I have questions for the Secretary.' He was forced to his knees, then onto his stomach on the ground, at which point the agents handcuffed him.
No further action has been taken against him, but the incident ignited outrage among his fellow Democrats, who have characterised it as an 'assault on freedom of speech'.
Elsewhere, police are preparing to deal with another surge of protests on Saturday, US time, to coincide with Mr Trump's military parade in Washington.
The President has ordered the parade, at no small expense, to mark both his own birthday and that of the US Army.
Wayne Ivey, the Sheriff in Florida's Brevard Country, has offered an ominous warning to those who choose to attend the planned 'No Kings' rallies across the country.
'If you spit on us, you're going to the hospital, then jail,' Sheriff Ivey said.
'If you hit one of us, you're going to the hospital, and jail, and most likely get bitten by one of our big, beautiful dogs we have here.
'If you try to mob rule a car in Brevard County – gather around it, refusing to let the driver leave. In our county, you're most likely going to get run over, and dragged across the street.
'If you throw a brick, a firebomb, or point a gun at one of our deputies, we will be notifying your family where to collect your remains at. Because we will kill you, graveyard dead. We're not going to play.
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