Convoy departs from Twentynine Palms as Marines deployed to Los Angeles amid protests

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(This story has been updated with additional information.)
Roughly 700 Marines from the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms were expected to be activated and sent to Los Angeles in response to the protests and unrest there, defense officials confirmed Monday afternoon.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom immediately blasted the decision to deploy combat troops on American soil as "un-American." In addition to the Marine mobilization, a Pentagon official said later Monday on social media that an additional 2,000 California National Guard are being deployed at the order of President Donald Trump, a couple days after an initial round of hundreds of guard members were sent to LA.
A Desert Sun photojournalist observed five buses and six to 10 armed vehicles passing Park Boulevard near Joshua Tree while heading west on Highway 62 — the main route from Twentynine Palms to Los Angeles — shortly after 7 p.m. Monday. At the nearby crosswalk, about 20 protestors were gathered demonstrating against the recent immigration raids.
It was unclear what the Marines will be tasked with in Los Angeles, according to CNN, which first reported the mobilization while citing three people familiar with the matter. But one of the people familiar with the mobilization said they will be augmenting the National Guard's presence on the ground in LA.
The roughly 700 Marines from 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division "will seamlessly integrate with the Title 10 (National Guard) forces under Task Force 51 who are protecting federal personnel and federal property in the greater Los Angeles area," the U.S. Northern Command said in a prepared statement.
"The activation of the Marines is intended to provide Task Force 51 with adequate numbers of forces to provide continuous coverage of the area in support of the lead federal agency," the statement added.
The battalion is based at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms.
Reuters cited an official who said that despite the Marines being sent, the Insurrection Act was not expected to be invoked. The Marines cannot conduct law enforcement activity such as making arrests unless Trump invokes that act, per CNN.
The Marine mobilization came after hundreds of California National Guard soldiers were deployed over the weekend in downtown Los Angeles by President Donald Trump, citing 'incidents of violence and disorder' during protests against the administration's deportation policies and recent raids.
The U.S. Northern Command posted pictures on social media shortly before 5 p.m. Monday that appeared to be taken at the Twentynine Palms base showing Marines and vehicles as they prepared to depart for the Los Angeles area.
The move drew fierce pushback from California's leaders, including Newsom, who say local law enforcement agencies are more than capable of keeping the peace in the city. The National Guard is usually called in at the request of a state's governor; a president has not deployed troops without a governor's request since 1965.
The state of California announced Monday that it is suing the Trump administration over its decision to federalize the National Guard and send its members onto city streets.
Newsom criticized the decision to mobilize the Marines in Twentynine Palms in a post Monday afternoon on X.
"U.S. Marines have served honorably across multiple wars in defense of democracy. They are heroes," Newsom said. "They shouldn't be deployed on American soil facing their own countrymen to fulfill the deranged fantasy of a dictatorial President. This is un-American."
In a statement Monday, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell said his office 'has not received any formal notification that the Marines will be arriving in Los Angeles,' and he urged clear communication to 'prevent confusion' and 'avoid escalation.'
'The possible arrival of federal military forces in Los Angeles — absent clear coordination — presents a significant logistical and operational challenge for those of us charged with safeguarding the city,' McDonnell said in a prepared statement.
He added the city's police department, alongside mutual aid partners, have 'decades of experience managing large-scale public demonstrations, and we remain confident in our ability to do so professionally and effectively.'
'That said, our top priority is the safety of both the public and the officers on the ground,' McDonnell said. 'We are urging open and continuous communication between all agencies to prevent confusion, avoid escalation, and ensure a coordinated, lawful, and orderly response during this critical time.'
The LAPD arrested 29 people for failure to disperse Saturday evening, according to a press release issued Monday. On Sunday, 21 people were arrested by the department, with charges including attempted murder with a Molotov cocktail, assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer, looting and failure to disperse.
Initial figures show five LAPD officers sustained minor injuries during the confrontations with protestors, according to the department, while five LAPD horses were also 'targeted' and sustained minor injuries.
'Throughout (Sunday) evening, officers encountered groups using handheld radios to coordinate movement and evade law enforcement,' the department said. 'By approximately 2:30 a.m. on June 9, the crowd had (dispersed) enough for LAPD personnel to begin demobilizing.'
The police department is reviewing body-worn video and other evidence related to the incidents and said it would work with prosecutors 'to seek appropriate charges for those involved in criminal activity.'
Additionally, the LAPD Professional Standards Bureau will investigate allegations of excessive force and other issues related to officers' actions during the protests.
Taya Gray and Jay Calderon of The Desert Sun and USA TODAY contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Convoy departs Twentynine Palms after Marines ordered to LA