An extraordinary weekend of protest ignited in Los Angeles after federal immigration authorities conducted a series of immigration raids across the region late last week.
Over the next two days, the protests were limited in size and occurred only in a few pockets of the area. But in some of the clashes with demonstrators, law enforcement officers responded with crowd-control munitions, tear gas and flash-bang grenades. President Trump activated the California National Guard without the assent of Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday, an unusual move the governor described as “intentionally designed to inflame the situation.” By Sunday, several hundred troops had been dispatched to the city as protesters gathered outside a detention center in downtown Los Angeles, though most troops appeared not to engage with protesters.
City and state leaders condemned the deployment, including Mayor Karen Bass, who called it “a chaotic escalation.” But Ms. Bass also urged protesters to follow the law and said not all demonstrators had been entirely peaceful. Some defaced self-driving Waymo cars and a group ventured onto the 101 freeway, bringing traffic to a halt.
Outside of downtown, life went on as normal in most parts of the city. But Mr. Trump painted a darker picture, saying the city had been “invaded and occupied” and any efforts to impede federal immigration officials would be seen as a “form of rebellion.”
Alyce McFadden is a reporter covering New York City and a member of the 2024-25 Times Fellowship class, a program for journalists early in their careers.
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