Violent Immigration Protests Rock Downtown LA
For the third day in a row, downtown Los Angeles was thrown into chaos as immigration protests turned violent. Demonstrations, sparked by ICE raids and President Trump’s deployment of the National Guard, escalated into street battles. Protesters blocked the 101 Freeway, targeted CHP vehicles, and even tried to set them on fire.
LAPD officers were attacked with commercial-grade fireworks, which Chief Jim McDonnell warned could be deadly. A Molotov cocktail was reportedly thrown, and one protester rammed a police line with a motorcycle. A small fire also broke out near police lines.
By nightfall, 27 people were arrested, and officials considered imposing a curfew. McDonnell condemned the violence, blaming outsiders for hijacking peaceful protests. Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized Trump’s deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops, calling it “inflammatory” and harmful to public trust.
The unrest began after ICE arrested 44 people in LA as part of a broader immigration crackdown.