Los Angeles Protests: LAPD Calls for Protesters to Disperse as Trump Says ‘Bring in the Troops’
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has urged remaining protesters to leave immediately, as the city continues to experience violent clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement officers. The call to disperse comes after a night of chaos, with police deploying teargas and "less-lethal munitions" to disperse massive crowds of people.
According to The Guardian, LAPD police chief Jim McDonnell said the police supported peaceful protest, but any acts of violence and criminality would be swiftly dealt with by law enforcement officers.
Protests Erupt Across the City
Demonstrators have gathered to reject Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown and his deployment of the national guard against the will of the state’s elected leaders. On Sunday, thousands of Angelenos swamped the streets around city hall, the federal courthouse, and a detention center where protesters arrested in days before are being held. They also brought a major freeway to a standstill.
The crowd for large parts of the day was mostly peaceful. But tensions flared several times, with police deploying teargas to disperse protesters and firing rounds of flash-bangs in an attempt to push the protesters back up the freeway off-ramps. Several autonomous vehicles were set on fire.
Trump’s Decision to Deploy National Guard Troops
Trump’s decision to deploy national guard troops into Los Angeles has sent shockwaves through America. California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, and other Democratic governors across the US have sharply criticized the move, describing it as an "alarming abuse of power". Newsom said the president had "manufactured a crisis" and described his reaction as akin to a "dictator, not a President". He urged Trump to stand down and rescind the "unlawful" deployment.
San Francisco Protests
In San Francisco, approximately 60 people, including juveniles, have been arrested and three police officers injured following unrest in the city on Sunday, the city’s police force has confirmed. The force said individuals in a group on Sansome and Washington streets became "violent" at around 7:01pm PDT, committing crimes ranging from assault to felony vandalism and property damage.
City of Glendale Terminates ICE Contract
The City of Glendale, California, has announced that it is formally terminating its agreement with the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The agreement allowed federal immigration detainees to be held at the Glendale Police Department facility.
British Photographer Hit by Non-Lethal Bullet
A British news photographer has undergone emergency surgery after being hit by non-lethal rounds during protests in Los Angeles. Nick Stern was documenting a stand-off between anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protesters and police outside a Home Depot in Paramount, a city in LA county.
LAPD Requests Residents to Report Vandalism
Police have requested all residents and businesses to report any vandalism or looting to the LAPD so that it can be documented in an official police report, asking for all damage to be photographed prior to it being cleaned up.
National Guard Deployment
National guard soldiers were seen carrying long guns and riot shields after being deployed to LA on Sunday morning. Protesters were reportedly heard shouting "shame" and "go home" at the troops.
Protests Continue
The protests in Los Angeles come as Donald Trump’s new ban on travel to the US by citizens from 12 countries, mainly in Africa and the Middle East, goes into effect. The new proclamation, which Trump signed last week, "fully" restricts the nationals of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen from entering the US.
Conclusion
The situation in Los Angeles remains volatile, with protests continuing to erupt across the city. The deployment of national guard troops has been met with criticism and resistance, and it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold in the coming days. The Guardian will continue to provide live updates on the situation.
