LA protests live: Curfew enforced for second night as anti-ICE protests spread to other major cities

Independent

a day ago

Los Angeles officials have enforced a curfew on the downtown area for a second night as protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids pop up in other major cities.
The Trump administration has filed a response to California Governor Gavin Newsom 's lawsuit to stop the 'unnecessary' deployment of U.S. Marines to Los Angeles, in addition to the 4,000 federalized California National Guard troops ordered into the city.
According to the filing, the LAPD is 'unable to bring order' to LA, six days after protests began against ICE raids to round up those in the country illegally as part of Donald Trump 's hardline immigration policies.
Protests and confrontations with police sparked wider problems of vandalism and looting in downtown Los Angeles. LAPD reported mass arrests. Local residents blame the president for exacerbating tensions through the deployment of troops.
Mayor Karen Bass said the curfew was a response to the president's 'chaotic escalation' of the situation through his deployment of the Guard and the upcoming addition of 700 Marines, who are training 30 miles south of the city.
Troops are authorized to temporarily detain individuals until law enforcement agents arrive to make an arrest, Major General Scott Sherman said this morning, and have begun to do so. They are backed up by unarmed Predator drones, which are being used for high-altitude surveillance.
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Where things stand today...
The Trump administration responded to California Governor Gavin Newsom's lawsuit against the deployment of U.S. Marines and National Guard troops to Los Angeles, claiming the LAPD is "unable to bring order."
Protests in Los Angeles over ICE raids led to vandalism and looting, prompting a curfew and mass arrests, with local residents blaming President Trump for escalating tensions.
Mayor Karen Bass criticised President Trump's "chaotic escalation" of the situation through the deployment of troops.
Governor Newsom slammed the federalization of the California National Guard, stating that, in addition to being 'illegal' and 'unnecessary,' it has depleted the state's ability to respond to large wildfires.
The Department of Justice defended the deployment, asserting the President's right to quell violence and protect federal personnel, accusing Newsom of a "crass political stunt."
Unarmed Predator drones are being used by the Department of Homeland Security for high-altitude surveillance of the protests in Los Angeles.
Oliver O'Connell11 June 2025 15:27
LA mayor says curfew goes into effect from 8pm
Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass has confirmed that the curfew will once again go into effect at 8pm in a section of downtown LA.
'Curfew remains in effect tonight 8 PM - 6 AM for Downtown Los Angeles to stop bad actors who are taking advantage of the President's chaotic escalation, she wrote on X.
'If you do not live or work in Downtown L.A., avoid the area and follow guidance from law enforcement.
'Vandalism and violence will not be tolerated.'
12 June 2025 04:26
California attorney general says its a 'huge red flag' that local police don't know how to engage with National Guard
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said on CNN that local law enforcement agencies don't know the protocols for engaging with the National Guard or the Marines that were deployed in response to the Los Angeles protests.
CNN's Kaitlin Collins asked Bonta on her show Wednesday night ' Are you or any of the senior officials in California aware of what the rules of engagement are for the National Guard and for the Marines who are on the ground in your state right now?'
Bonta responded: I don't think anybody is, and that's a major problem and a huge red flag.'
'I think you just heard the [Los Angeles] police chief say that he's at an information deficit and would love to know more about what the protocols are, how the deconfliction is gonna work between the military forces and the civilian law enforcement agencies, how certain exigencies are gonna be addressed,' the attorney general continued. 'What happens if, God forbid, there's an officer involved shooting, who's gonna do the investigation?
That should be known and it requires communication and candor and transparency between the National Guard and the Marines on the one hand, and law enforcement on the other. And I know local law enforcement have been asking these questions because they care deeply about it, but I'm not sure they've been satisfied with all the answers.'
Rachel Dobkin12 June 2025 04:10
LA mayor warns 'vandalism and violence will not be tolerated' in reminder about city curfew
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass took to X to remind Angeleos of the city's curfew that officials started to enforce last night.
She warned bad actors: 'Vandalism and violence will not be tolerated.'
Rachel Dobkin12 June 2025 03:50
Newsom and Trump are in a strange meme war
California Governor Gavin Newsom and President Donald Trump have been going head-to-head over the handling of the Los Angeles protests against ICE raids in the city.
Newsom has challenged Trump's deployment of the National Guard in court, and the White House has been flirting with invoking the Insurrection Act.
In recent days, both sides have posted a flurry of memes on X mocking the other.
For his part, California Governor Gavin Newsom's office has shared posts mocking Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's love of wearing law-enforcement tactical gear, as well as memes comparing Donald Trump and White House deputy Stephen Miller to villains from the Star Wars franchise, and brushing off a critical video from Trump ally and actor Jon Voight using a common meme from The Simpsons, featuring an image of a newspaper with the headline, 'Old Man Yells At Cloud.'
The Trump administration, which regularly bashes critics online from government accounts, has used similar tactics.
In one post, the Department of Homeland Security borrowed a GIF featuring high-tech magnifying sunglasses from the Spy Kids movies to insinuate they would try to deport a popular fashion writer who has criticized the administration's position towards undocumented migrants.
In another, in a response to a Star Wars -themed meme from Newsom, DHS drew from The Simpsons using a common meme format with the caption, 'Don't make me tap the sign,' in this case pointing to an X post that read, 'Liberals don't know things. They don't read history, they don't obsess over stats, the few data points they do see they forget.'
Trump and Gavin Newsom locked in bizarre LA protests meme battle
The administration and the governor have locked horns in courts, in back-and-forth statements, and, increasingly, with memes write Josh Marcus
Rachel Dobkin12 June 2025 03:30
LA police chief gives shocking details about the actions of 'anarchists' at protests after dark
LA Police Chief Jim McDonnell described in shocking detail the actions of what he calls 'anarchists' at protests once nightfall comes in a Wednesday evening interview on CNN:
' For most of the day and the organized protests, it's people who are out there expressing their feelings peacefully, generally speaking. Once nightfall comes, we start to see a different group of people, and among those people are people I would describe as black block type protestors, anarchists, if you will.
They come prepared and they're very sophisticated. They do have radio communications. They do move around, they do monitor police channels and they'll create distractions in order to draw us away from a scene where we're about to make arrests. So where we have no choice but to go somewhere else.
'They have weapons of all kinds. We arrested a number of people last night for curfew violations. I think three out of the 14 were armed with weapons, handguns...We've seen in those backpacks that they'll have hammers, they'll break up curb stones and concrete bollards, break up [them] into smaller pieces, which they'll then throw at police...I've seen somebody today walking around with golf balls in a backpack...
We've seen commercial grade fireworks being fired at our people with shrapnel being put in, from what I'm told...that is pretty scary stuff when you look at it. Liquid being thrown on our officers.
The attitude of our officers and the professionalism and restraint that they've shown is remarkable. They've done a tremendous job out there, and I'm very proud of them.'
Rachel Dobkin12 June 2025 03:10
Watch LIVE: View of Downtown Los Angeles before citywide curfew
Rachel Dobkin12 June 2025 02:50
Watch LIVE: Protesters rally at Roybal Federal Building In Downtown Los Angeles
Rachel Dobkin12 June 2025 02:40
LA police chief issues warning to bad actors as city curfew nears
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell issued a warning to bad actors as the city's curfew nears: 'You will be arrested if you violate the law.'
'Today has been a better day,' McDonnell said on CNN about the protests against ICE raids in the city, calling it 'calmer.'
But he warned: 'Once nightfall comes, in particular, we start to see others come out who are intent on violence and intent on disruption in a different way.
So for those people our message is that we're watching very closely and you will be arrested if you violate the law.'
Rachel Dobkin12 June 2025 02:30
Rachel Dobkin12 June 2025 02:10