Thousands of people took to the streets of Los Angeles on Monday for a fourth day of protests targeting President Trump’s immigration raids and the deployment of National Guard soldiers to protect federal agents.
Many local and state leaders, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom, accuse the president of overstepping his authority and of inciting the crowds. Sunday afternoon saw demonstrators and outside “agitators” set cars ablaze, attack law enforcement with rocks, fireworks, and other projectiles in downtown L.A. Police responded with tear gas, flash bang grenades and non-lethal rounds.
On Monday, a large crowd of demonstrators gathered in front of the Federal Building at Los Angeles and Temple streets, which was guarded by dozens, if not hundreds, of officers. Some protesters hurled water bottles, and officers again responded with limited use of flash bangs, tear gas and non-lethal rounds.
Just before 11:30 p.m., Sky5 was overhead as demonstrators were seen setting fire to a parked car on 3rd Street.
“My message to Angelenos is that anybody who is out there, creating mayhem and violence, as I’m looking at this fire, don’t say that you support the rights of immigrants, because you don’t. You’re here on some other agenda to create chaos. But the other message is to the federal government: Stop the raids.”
President Donald Trump has authorized the deployment of an additional 2,000 National Guard members to respond to immigration protests in L.A., according to the Pentagon’s chief spokesperson, which would bring the total to more than 4,100.
The news comes hours after the Pentagon deployed about 700 Marines to the protests to work alongside local law enforcement.
Over the past days and weeks, federal immigration raids have targeted numerous Southern California businesses and common gathering places for day laborers, such as Home Depot parking lots, as part of Trump’s directive to deport millions of immigrants who are in the United States illegally.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
