President Trump is sending 500 Marines to Los Angeles, allegedly to help police—who have not asked for it—with protests that have occurred in downtown Los Angeles. This is an extreme escalation from the Trump administration, an aggressive demonstration of force by the against its own citizens.
The troops are set to arrive on Monday evening, and without rules of engagement—which puts the lives of countless demonstrators at risk.
“The rules of engagement here, we are told, are still being finalized,” said CNN’s Natasha Bertrand. “And defense department lawyers are also looking at the kinds of rules of engagement these Marines will have as they encounter protesters, possibly on the streets of Los Angeles.”
Hundreds of Marines in a city on edge from the impact of ICE’s indiscriminate deportation raids is a recipe for a devastating tragedy.
The deployment, moreover, almost certainly is illegal. No leader in Los Angeles or California has said that it’s necessary—the situation is not out of control, and it certainly does not need hundreds of Marines and National Guard soldiers to maintain order. Instead, this is a blanket display of force, meant to intimidate protesters and municipalities that dare to stand up to an administration that is sweeping thousands of people off the street.
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