Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell and department leaders held a press conference Sunday night to update the public on the ongoing clash between law enforcement and anti-ICE protestors downtown.
Officials said that since Saturday, at least 39 people have been arrested by LAPD, with officers from the California Highway Patrol arresting an additional 17 people Sunday after protesters breached the 101 Freeway Sunday afternoon.
Among the arrests, one man was taken into custody for allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at an officer and a motorcyclist was arrested for ramming a police skirmish line.
Among the mayhem, protesters on an overpass tossed rocks, scooters and other items at police cars parked on the 101 Freeway and attempted to start cruisers on fire. Police said several individuals were shooting “commercial grade fireworks” at officers.
“That can kill you,” Chief McDonnell said. “We have adapted our tactics to be able to have a chance to be able to take these people into custody and to hold them accountable.”
L.A. Chief Jim McDonnell seen at a press conference on June 8, 2025. (KTLA) 
A California Highway Patrol vehical burns on the 101 Freeway near the metropolitan detention center of downtown Los Angeles, Sunday, June 8, 2025, following last night’s immigration raid protest. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) 
EDS NOTE: OBSCENITY A flash bomb explodes on the 101 Freeway near the metropolitan detention center of downtown Los Angeles, Sunday, June 8, 2025, following last night’s immigration raid protest. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) 
Protesters throw objects at California Highway Patrol vehicles on the 101 Freeway as officers take cover under the overpass near the metropolitan detention center of downtown Los Angeles, Sunday, June 8, 2025, following last night’s immigration raid protest. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) 
A protester throws a scooter at a police vehical near the metropolitan detention center of downtown Los Angeles, Sunday, June 8, 2025, following last night’s immigration raid protest. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) 
Two California Highway Patrol officers try to dodge rocks being thrown near the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles, Sunday, June 8, 2025, following last night’s immigration raid protest. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) 
California Highway Patrol vehicles on the 101 Freeway as officers take cover under the overpass in downtown Los Angeles, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope) 
Members of the California National Guard seen in a convoy on I-5 in Commerce on June 8, 2025. (Diego Ponce/Instagram @deeg1.0) 
Members of the California National Guard seen in a convoy on I-5 in Commerce on June 8, 2025. (Diego Ponce/Instagram @deeg1.0) 
Members of the California National Guard seen in a convoy on I-5 in Commerce on June 8, 2025. (Diego Ponce/Instagram @deeg1.0)
McDonnell, who said the department currently has limited interaction with federalized National Guard troops, admitted that officers were overwhelmed with the number of people causing mayhem.
“They’ll take a backpack, and the backpack will have a cinderblock in it. They’ll break up the cinderblock and use that, pass it around to throw at officers, to throw at cars and other people,” he said.
Asked about his feelings toward working with the National Guard, McDonnell said the department would have gone through a few more steps, including requests for mutual aid from the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department and other agencies, before asking for deployment of the Guard.
“Do we need them? Look at tonight, this has gotten out of control. I’d have to know more about what their capabilities are, what their role is intended to be,” the chief said. “But we have great cops here that work together all the time, so we have tremendous capability.”
Chief McDonnell reiterated that the LAPD does not participate in federal immigration enforcement, nor does it provide any information to federal authorities, stating that this has been the department’s policy since 1979.
“I can’t stress this enough for the people in our community who have high levels of anxiety about this issue,” he added. “We want everybody to be able to call LAPD in time of need or if they’ve been a witness to a crime. We need that, otherwise the system does not work.”
McDonnell also went out of his way to express gratitude to people who have engaged in peaceful demonstrations across the city, noting that those out committing acts of violence are not the same people seen exercising their First Amendment rights during the day.
“There are people who do this all the time, get away with whatever they can, going from one civil unrest situation to another using similar tactics and they are connected,” the chief said. “
The complete press conference can be watched in the video player above.
