Los Angeles police have made “mass arrests” following a fifth consecutive day of protests sparked by US President Donald Trump’s controversial immigration raids, which have intensified tensions across California.
Mayor Karen Bass imposed an overnight curfew on a small section of downtown LA on Tuesday, citing rising vandalism and looting. “We reached a tipping point,” she said, warning that public safety was at risk as demonstrators defied dispersal orders.
According to LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, 197 arrests were made on Tuesday alone, with most detained for refusing to disperse. The protests, he said, should not be seen as a city-wide crisis: “Some of the imagery gives the appearance of chaos across Los Angeles, but it is isolated to a confined area.”
The unrest follows President Trump’s decision to deploy 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to California in support of ongoing immigration enforcement operations. While the troops have no arrest authority, they are now protecting federal agents and property. Trump claimed the move was necessary to prevent LA from being “conquered by a foreign enemy”.
California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the deployment as an “assault on democracy”, accusing Trump of opting for escalation over dialogue. “He again chose escalation; he chose more force,” Newsom said, warning that “other states are next”.
Elsewhere in the US, protests erupted in multiple cities. In Atlanta, Georgia, police used tear gas as demonstrators launched fireworks at officers. In Manhattan, New York police arrested dozens for blocking traffic. Texas Governor Greg Abbott deployed National Guard troops to San Antonio ahead of planned rallies.
Despite the unrest, large parts of Los Angeles continued functioning normally, with children attending school and tourists filling Hollywood Boulevard.
Mayor Bass said 23 businesses had been looted on Monday night, though the full financial toll remains unknown. McDonnell stressed that the curfew was “not about silencing voices” but about preserving life and property in the face of mounting disorder.
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