Armed US Marines deploy in Los Angeles ahead of mass anti-Trump protests
Armed Marines arrived on the streets of Los Angeles Friday, part of a large deployment of troops ordered by Donald Trump that has raised the stakes between the US president and opponents claiming growing authoritarianism.
Men in fatigues and carrying semi-automatic rifles were seen around a federal building, where passers-by questioned why they were in an area 18km (11 miles) from the protests against immigration raids.
Marines temporarily detained a man at the Wilshire Federal Building after he ventured into a restricted area and did not immediately hear their commands to stop. He was handed over to law enforcement and later released without charges.
The brief detention marked the first time federal troops have detained a civilian since they were deployed to the nation's second-largest city.
US Marines stand guard outside the Wilshire Federal Building in Los Angeles. Photo: Reuters
Seven hundred Marines – normally used as crack troops in foreign conflicts – along with 4,000 National Guard soldiers are tasked with protecting federal buildings, while local police handle protests over Trump's sweeps for undocumented migrants.
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