A curfew is in effect for a second night in Los Angeles(LA) following nearly a week of unrest over US immigration raids. The curfew, which affects an area of approximately one square mile in the city’s downtown district, was implemented to “stop bad actors who are taking advantage of the president’s chaotic escalation,” according to LA Mayor Karen Bass.
Bass blamed the demonstrations on US President Donald Trump’s immigration raids, stating, “A week ago, everything was peaceful. Things began to be difficult on Friday when raids took place.” She also suggested that Los Angeles was “part of a national experiment to determine how far the federal government can go in taking over power from a local government, from a local jurisdiction”.
Nearly 400 people have been arrested in LA since protests began on Friday, including 330 undocumented migrants and 157 people arrested for assault and obstruction. Some National Guard troops are now authorized to detain people until police can arrest them.
Protests Spread Across the US
Protests against immigration enforcement raids have sprung up across the country, from Seattle and Austin to Chicago and Washington, D.C. While many have been peaceful, some have resulted in clashes with law enforcement. In Los Angeles, hundreds of protesters marched to City Hall before being dispersed by police.
Trump has defended his decision to send troops, saying it was to prevent the city being “conquered by a foreign enemy”. California Governor Gavin Newsom hit back, stating, “He again chose escalation; he chose more force.” Newsom warned that “other states are next” and accused Trump of a “brazen abuse of power”. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth backed Trump’s move, telling a Senate hearing that sending troops to Los Angeles was “lawful and constitutional”.
The military deployment to the LA area is expected to cost $134m. Trump described the protests as a “full-blown assault on peace and public order” and vowed to use “every asset at our disposal to quell the violence”. Meanwhile, Newsom criticized Trump’s rare deployment of the US military without a request from state officials, stating, “California may be first – but it clearly won’t end here. Other states are next. Democracy is next. Democracy is under assault right before our eyes”.