Protests erupted in Los Angeles on Sunday after US President Donald Trump's deployment of National Guard troops, a move that prompted clashes in the streets and drew a sharp rebuke from California's governor, who called the action "illegal". Contents POLITICAL DIVISIONS DEEPENTRUMP VOWS TO BE 'VERY STRONG'IMMIGRATION RAIDS AND ARRESTS Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets, shutting down a major freeway and setting fire to several autonomous vehicles. Law enforcement responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades to control the crowds, according to the Associated Press. The deployment has deepened political divisions, with the White House defending the move as necessary to curb "chaos and lawlessness" and Democrats accusing the president of manufacturing a crisis. On the ground, National Guard troops were stationed around federal government buildings, including a detention centre where some migrants had recently been transferred. Police officers patrolled on horseback, while others in riot gear formed lines behind the Guard. As clashes broke out, some protesters threw concrete, rocks and fireworks at California Highway Patrol officers, who took cover under an overpass. By evening, police had declared an unlawful assembly and closed off several blocks of the city centre, as the sound of explosions from crowd-control munitions echoed intermittently. POLITICAL DIVISIONS DEEPEN The deployment drew a strong condemnation from California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, who said he had demanded the Trump administration rescind its order to send 2,000 National Guard soldiers to Los Angeles County. Newsom accused Trump of committing a "serious violation of the sovereignty of the state of California." In a post on the social media platform X, he wrote, "These are the actions of a dictator, not the actions of a president." Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass echoed the governor's concerns. "What we are seeing in Los Angeles is chaos stirred up by the administration," she said at a press conference. "This is about another agenda, and this is not about public safety." While holding the administration responsible for the tensions, Bass also condemned the use of violence by protesters. Two Waymo taxis burn 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) The White House dismissed the criticism. "Everyone saw the chaos, violence, and lawlessness," it said in a statement. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson added, "It is a brazen lie for Newsom to claim there was no problem in Los Angeles before President Trump's intervention." The deployment is the first time in decades that a state's National Guard has been activated without a request from its governor. The last such instance was in 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson sent troops to protect a civil rights march in Alabama, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. TRUMP VOWS TO BE 'VERY STRONG' Speaking to reporters in New Jersey on Sunday, President Trump said there were "violent people" in Los Angeles and that "they will not get away with it." He threatened to use force against protesters who spit on police or troops, saying, "They spit, and we hit," though he did not cite specific incidents. "If we see a danger to our country and to our citizens, we will be very, very strong in terms of law and order," Trump added. The president has not invoked the Insurrection Act, an 1807 law that allows the deployment of the US military to suppress civil disobedience. When asked if he was considering it, he replied, "It depends on whether there is an insurrection or not." On Saturday, Trump issued a presidential memorandum authorising the deployment based on a law that permits federal intervention when there is an "insurrection or danger of insurrection against the authority of the United States government." US Northern Command stated that 300 members of the California National Guard had been deployed, and that about 500 US Marines stationed 125 miles (200 km) east of the city were "ready to deploy" if ordered. The political fallout continued as Republicans and Democrats exchanged criticism. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson defended the decision, saying, "One of our core principles is to maintain peace through strength. We do that in foreign affairs and domestic affairs as well." Conversely, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said, "It is important to remember that Trump is not trying to solve a problem or keep the peace. He is looking to inflame and divide." IMMIGRATION RAIDS AND ARRESTS The protests followed a week-long immigration enforcement operation in the Los Angeles area that federal authorities said resulted in more than 100 arrests. The crackdown, which has also led to the detention of some legal residents and sparked legal challenges, is part of a broader pledge by Trump to deport unprecedented numbers of undocumented immigrants. Numerous people were also arrested during the protests, including a prominent union leader accused of obstructing law enforcement. The FBI offered a $50,000 reward for information about a suspect accused of throwing rocks at police vehicles, injuring an officer. The situation also drew comment from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who criticised the US government's approach. "We do not agree with this way of addressing the issue of immigration," she said. "This phenomenon will not be addressed with raids or violence, but by sitting down and working on a comprehensive reform." The events in Los Angeles have become the latest focal point in the US debate over immigration, protest rights, and the use of federal forces in local matters, raising questions about the limits of presidential power.
