National Guard arrives in LA as Trump brands protests ‘insurrectionist mobs', but Governor Newsom claims White House trying to 'manufacture a crisis'

Sky News AU

3 hours ago

National Guard troops have arrived on the streets of Los Angeles after immigration enforcement raids sparked violent protests over the weekend.
President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of 2,000 Californian National Guard troops, which he has placed under the command of Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The US President justified the move in a post on Truth Social, declaring LA had been 'invaded and occupied by Illegal Aliens and Criminals'.
'Violent, insurrectionist mobs are swarming and attacking our Federal Agents to try and stop our deportation operations — But these lawless riots only strengthen our resolve,' he said.
The US President said he was directing federal agencies to 'take all such action necessary to liberate Los Angeles from the Migrant Invasion, and put an end to these Migrant riots'.
'Order will be restored, the Illegals will be expelled, and Los Angeles will be set free. Thank you for your attention to this matter!' the President said.
However the decision has been condemned by local political leaders, with Californian governor Gavin Newsom claiming the decision was made 'not to meet an unmet need, but to manufacture a crisis'.
'He's hoping for chaos so he can justify more crackdowns, more fear, more control. Stay calm. Never use violence. Stay peaceful,' Mr Newsom posted on X on Sunday.
In an earlier statement, the Californian Governor hit out at Secretary Hegseth's suggestion that the US Marines could also be called in, branding the Trump Administration 'completely deranged'.
'We have been working closely with law enforcement. There is no unmet need. The President is attempting to inflame passions and provoke a response,' Governor Newsom said.
'He would like nothing more than for this provocative show of force – and Pete Hegseth's absurd threat to deploy United States Marines on American soil – to escalate tensions and incite violence.
'They want a spectacle. They want the violence. They think this is good for them politically.
'This is not the way a civilised country behaves. It is completely deranged behaviour.
'Don't give them the spectacle they want. Never use violence. Speak out peacefully and in large numbers.'
President Trump has remained unfazed by the remarks, warning that if Governor Newsom or LA Mayor Karen Bass 'stand in the way of law and order, they will face charges.'
'We're going to have troops everywhere. We're not going to let this happen to our country. We're not going to let our country be torn apart like it was under Biden,' President Trump said.
The dispute marks the first time the National Guard has been deployed to a state against the wishes of a state's governor since 1965, when President Lyndon Johnson deployed them, to protect civil rights demonstrators in Alabama against the wishes of pro-segregation Governor George Wallace.
When asked what would justify deploying the Marines, the US President 'the bar is what I think it is'.
'If we see danger to our country and to our citizens, we'll be very strong in terms of law and order,' the President said.
President Trump also warned protesters actions would be met with force.
'When they spit at people – you know they spit, that's their new thing – they spit. And worse. You know what they throw at them, right? And when that happens, I have a little statement: they spit, we hit,' he said.
'Nobody's going to spit on our police officers. Nobody's going to spit on our military. Which they do, it's a common thing. They get up this close to them and then they start spitting in their face. If that happens, they get hit very hard.'
The first clashes erupted in LA on Friday night (local time) after ICE officials carried out raids and arrested at least 44 people on alleged immigration violations.
The raids were carried out at multiple Home Depot locations in LA, where street vendors and day labourers were picked up, as well as at a garment factory and warehouse.
Trump has pledged to deport record numbers of people in the country illegally and lock down the US-Mexico border, with the White House setting a goal for ICE to arrest at least 3,000 migrants per day.
But the administration has come under fire for depriving people of due process rights and several court challenges have been filed as people legally residing in the country – including some with permanent residents – have been caught up in the sweeping immigration crackdown.
Angelica Salas, executive director of immigrant rights organisation CHIRLA, told Reuters that lawyers had not had access to those detained on Friday, which she called "very worrying."
Footage from the clashes show dozens of green-uniformed security personnel with gas masks lined up on a road strewn with overturned shopping carts as small canisters exploded into gas clouds.
One protester said the demonstration showed federal officials 'they cannot go to anywhere in this country where our people are, and try to kidnap our workers, our people'.
'They cannot do that without an organised and fierce resistance," said protester Ron Gochez, 44.
At least one burnt-out car could be seen among the chaotic scenes, as some demonstrators displayed Mexican flags and others covered their mouths with respiratory masks.
-with Reuters