LA police swiftly enforce downtown curfew as protests against Trump's
immigration crackdown continue
[June 11, 2025]
By JAKE OFFENHARTZ, JAIMIE DING, LOLITA C. BALDOR and TARA
COPP
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles police swiftly enforced a downtown curfew
Tuesday night, making arrests moments after it took effect, while
deploying officers on horseback and using crowd control projectiles to
break up a group of hundreds demonstrating against President Donald
Trump’s immigration crackdown.
Members of the National Guard stood watch behind plastic shields, but
did not appear to participate in the arrests.
Hours later, many of the protesters had dispersed, although sporadic
confrontations continued that were much smaller than in previous nights.
Officials said the curfew was necessary to stop vandalism and theft by
agitators looking to cause trouble.
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier accused Trump of drawing a
“military dragnet” across the nation’s second-largest city with his
escalating use of the National Guard. He also deployed Marines, though
none were seen on the streets Tuesday.
Newsom asked a court to put an emergency stop to the military helping
federal immigration agents, with some guardsmen now standing in
protection around agents as they carried out arrests. He said it would
only heighten tensions and promote civil unrest. The judge set a hearing
for Thursday, giving the administration several days to continue those
activities.
The change moves troops closer to engaging in law enforcement actions
like deportations as Trump has promised as part of his administration’s
immigration crackdown. The Guard has the authority to temporarily detain
people who attack officers but any arrests ultimately would be made by
law enforcement.
Trump has activated more than 4,000 National Guard members and 700
Marines over the objections of city and state leaders. They were
originally deployed to protect federal buildings.
Demonstrations have spread to other cities nationwide, including Dallas
and Austin, Texas, Chicago and New York, where a thousand people rallied
and multiple arrests were made.
In Texas, where police in Austin used chemical irritants to disperse
several hundred demonstrators Monday, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s
office said Texas National Guard troops were “on standby" in areas where
demonstrations are planned, Abbott spokesperson Andrew Mahaleris said
Tuesday evening.
Guard members were deployed to San Antonio, according to assistant
police chief Jesse Salame. He said he did not know how many were sent or
details on the deployment.
LA mayor puts curfew in place
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass declared a local emergency on the fifth day
of protests and said the curfew will run from 8 p.m. Tuesday until 6
a.m. Wednesday. She said it was expected to last for several days.
“We reached a tipping point” after 23 businesses were looted, Bass said
during a news conference Tuesday.
The curfew covers a 1 square mile (2.5 square kilometers) section of
downtown that includes the area where protests have occurred since
Friday. The city of Los Angeles encompasses roughly 500 square miles
(1,295 square kilometers).
The curfew doesn’t apply to residents who live in the designated area,
people who are homeless, credentialed media or public safety and
emergency officials, according to Los Angeles Police Chief Jim
McDonnell.
McDonnell said “unlawful and dangerous behavior” had been escalating
since Saturday.
“The curfew is a necessary measure to protect lives and safeguard
property following several consecutive days of growing unrest throughout
the city,” McDonnell said.
[to top of second column]
|
Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during an address on Tuesday, June 10,
2025. (Office of California Governor via AP)
Trump says he's open to using Insurrection Act
Trump left open the possibility of invoking the Insurrection Act,
which authorizes the president to deploy military forces inside the
U.S. to suppress rebellion or domestic violence or to enforce the
law in certain situations. It's one of the most extreme emergency
powers available to a U.S. president.
“If there’s an insurrection, I would certainly invoke it. We’ll
see,” he said from the Oval Office.
Later the president called protesters “animals” and “a foreign
enemy” in a speech at Fort Bragg ostensibly to recognize the 250th
anniversary of the U.S. Army.
Trump has described Los Angeles in dire terms that Bass and Newsom
say are nowhere close to the truth.
In a public address Tuesday evening, Newsom called Trump’s actions
the start of an “assault” on democracy.
“California may be first, but it clearly will not end here. Other
states are next,” he said.
Newsom warned people against inciting violence, but urged them to
stand up to the president's actions.
“What Donald Trump wants most is your fealty, your silence. To be
complicit in this moment," he said. “Do not give it to him.”
The protests began Friday after federal immigration raids arrested
dozens of workers in Los Angeles. Protesters blocked a major freeway
and set cars on fire over the weekend, and police responded with
tear gas, rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades.
The demonstrations have been mostly concentrated downtown in the
city of 4 million. Thousands of people have peacefully rallied
outside City Hall and hundreds more protested outside a federal
complex that includes a detention center where some immigrants are
being held following workplace raids.
Despite the protests, immigration enforcement activity has continued
throughout the county, with city leaders and community groups
reporting ICE present at libraries, car washes and Home Depots.
School graduations in Los Angeles have increased security over fears
of ICE action and some have offered parents the option to watch on
Zoom.
McDonnell said that police had made 197 arrests on Tuesday,
including 67 who were taken into custody for unlawfully occupying
part of the 101 freeway.
Several businesses were broken into Monday, though authorities
didn't say if the looting was tied to the protests.
The vast majority of arrests have been for failing to disperse,
while a few others were for assault with a deadly weapon, looting,
vandalism and attempted murder for tossing a Molotov cocktail. Seven
police officers were reportedly injured, and at least two were taken
to a hospital and released.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suggested Tuesday that the use of
troops inside the U.S. will continue to expand.
The Pentagon said deploying the National Guard and Marines costs
$134 million.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
