“Unrest” in Los Angeles: What Happened & What To Know

On Friday:

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) held several raids in Los Angeles; Bill Essayli, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, described these as “workplace enforcement“ where agents executed search warrants in workplaces.

This followed “a week of stepped up enforcement actions” (Los Angeles Times via Yahoo News).

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provided a summary of the week, that included “the arrest of 118 aliens, including 5 gang members, and those with prior criminal histories of: drug trafficking, assault, cruelty to children, domestic violence, robbery, alien smuggling” (DHS).

Federal efforts happened during the day; protests started in the evening.

According to DHS, “over 1,000 rioters surrounded a federal law enforcement building and assaulted ICE law enforcement officers, slashed tires, defaced buildings, and taxpayer funded property.” (DHS)

LAPD declared the gathering an “unlawful assembly” and responded. (LAPD Central Division)

On Saturday:

Border Patrol agents gathered near a Home Depot; U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli confirmed a federal Homeland Security building in an office park nearby was a “staging area” for “targeted operations.”

Protests grew with anticipation of more federal action.

Tension between the protesters and the federal agents increased throughout the day into the evening; local law enforcement responded.

“Throughout the night deputies and demonstrators engaged with each other, with demonstrators launching fireworks that exploded near the line of deputies and police vehicles. They used cars to drive toward the deputies in an attempt to scare them, prompting the deputies to fire rubber bullets, tear gas and flash-bang grenades at the vehicles.” (LA Times)

President Donald Trump issued a memo to deploy the National Guard. (White House)

On Sunday:

Several hundred National Guard troops were deployed around the city, primarily near federal buildings.

Crowds gathered in the area and eventually moved to the freeway.

Los Angeles Police Department declared the gathering an “unlawful assembly.” (LAPD)

“Our officers are under attack.” LAPD announced arrests for people, including some who used a Molotov cocktail or rammed a motorcycle into the officers’ line. (CBS News)

Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) blamed the White House, saying Pres. Trump “has manufactured a crisis” and blaming Pres. Trump for “inflaming conditions.” (Gov. Newsom X)