Clashes Erupt in Los Angeles as National Guard Deployed Amid Immigration Raid Protests
LOS ANGELES — National Guard troops clashed with protesters in Los Angeles on Sunday as demonstrations against immigration raids entered a third day and turned increasingly violent.
Federal troops were deployed to the city on orders from President Donald Trump, prompting widespread unrest, particularly in predominantly Latino neighborhoods.
Demonstrators chanted “we will not be moved” as tear gas was fired and confrontations escalated across several locations.
Violent scenes unfolded throughout the city, with cars set ablaze and objects hurled at law enforcement officers. In one instance, a group of protesters blocked the 101 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles, bringing traffic to a halt.
The Los Angeles Police Department declared a rally near City Hall an “unlawful assembly” after some protesters allegedly threw bottles, concrete, and other projectiles at officers. “Arrests are being initiated,” the department said in a statement posted on social media.
Video footage showed demonstrators shouting “shame on you” at police, and some appeared to be throwing objects during the confrontation.
Officials reported approximately 30 arrests on Saturday, including three individuals accused of assaulting officers. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that three deputies suffered minor injuries during the clashes.
The unrest follows President Trump’s controversial order to deploy approximately 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles County, a decision strongly opposed by California Governor Gavin Newsom.
The governor called the deployment “unlawful” and accused the President of attempting to “manufacture a crisis.”
“These are the acts of a dictator, not a President,” Newsom wrote on X (formerly Twitter), while calling for the immediate withdrawal of the troops.
The White House defended the federal response, stating in a release that “everyone saw the chaos, violence, and lawlessness” and that action was necessary to protect federal property and personnel.
U.S. Northern Command confirmed that around 300 California National Guard members were dispatched to three locations across the Los Angeles area.
Their stated mission was limited to safeguarding federal buildings and staff. In one incident outside a federal building downtown, Guard members, alongside Department of Homeland Security officers, pushed back crowds of protesters, according to video evidence.
Meanwhile, tensions flared in Paramount, southeast of Los Angeles, where altercations broke out near a Home Depot store on Saturday. Federal officers reportedly deployed tear gas to disperse demonstrators.
About 100 protesters gathered downtown that same day, resulting in additional arrests.
The FBI has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a suspect accused of injuring a federal officer by throwing rocks at law enforcement vehicles in Paramount.
Despite escalating tensions, President Trump has not yet invoked the Insurrection Act, a centuries-old law that allows the deployment of U.S. military forces to quell civil unrest.
When asked if he was considering the move, Trump responded: “It depends on whether or not there’s an insurrection.”
Nevertheless, his tone on social media suggested a possible shift. Early Monday (UK time), he posted on Truth Social: “Looking bad in L.A. BRING IN THE TROOPS!!!”
Speaking to reporters in New Jersey, the President offered a stark warning, saying, “If we see danger to our country and our citizens, it will be very, very strong in terms of law and order.”
He further escalated his rhetoric by threatening demonstrators who allegedly spat on officers: “They spit, we hit,” he said, though he provided no specific examples.
The growing unrest marks a significant flashpoint in the national debate over immigration enforcement and federal authority, raising fresh concerns about the balance between public safety and civil liberties. ( With Inputs from The Standard)
