Los Angeles experienced a brief moment of calm overnight amid ongoing protests stemming from recent immigration crackdowns.
Following days of unrest, downtown Los Angeles has been designated an unlawful protest zone. On Sunday, clashes between protesters and police resulted in over two dozen arrests. National Guard troops, dispatched to California by President Donald Trump, arrived to help control the demonstrations.
WATCH | ICE raids in Los Angeles lead to violent protests
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass criticized the deployment of the troops, stating it exacerbated tensions in the streets. Protesters bore signs condemning actions taken by Immigration and Customs Enforcement throughout Los Angeles County.
"You guys are taking people from their homes like ISIS taking people from their homes," one protester told the Scripps News Group. "They're not criminals."
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The Los Angeles Police Department lined the streets in riot gear, facing demonstrators head-on. While the protests began peacefully, the situation escalated, leading to officers firing rubber bullets and loud noise rounds to disperse the crowd.
As protesters shifted locations — from city and federal buildings to the freeway — some vandalized property and ignited cars, prompting law enforcement to block major access routes into the city.
Amidst the turmoil, the air thickened with black smoke as flags from various countries waved through the crowd, symbolizing widespread frustration with the federal government's actions. The future remains uncertain and it remains unclear whether this wave of protests inspire change or provoke further government retaliation.
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