Los Angeles [US]: Protests outside a federal detention centre in Los Angeles turned volatile on Tuesday evening as law enforcement agencies, including the California National Guard and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), resorted to firing non-lethal tear gas to disperse demonstrators gathered near the facility, according to CNN reports.
The protests were triggered by recent ICE raids across Los Angeles, during which dozens of undocumented immigrants were detained, sparking outrage and widespread demonstrations by immigrant rights activists.
As tensions flared, authorities cleared a path for an armoured vehicle to move through the protest zone while demonstrators chanted slogans such as “This is what democracy looks like!“. Protesters also reportedly threw water bottles at law enforcement personnel.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) confirmed on social media platform X that a “dispersal order” had been issued:
“The use of less lethal munitions has been authorised. Less lethal munitions may cause pain and discomfort,”
the department stated.
Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump, speaking from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he was marking the 250th anniversary of the US Army, criticised the protests, describing them as a “full-blown assault on peace, public order, and national sovereignty,” as reported by Al Jazeera.
Trump reaffirmed his push for tougher action on protest activities, revealing efforts to introduce legislation that would impose a one-year prison sentence for burning the American flag. He also harshly criticised California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, accusing them of paying “troublemakers, agitators, and insurrectionists” to fuel the unrest.
Meanwhile, the Department of Defence confirmed Trump’s order to deploy an additional 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, supplementing the 2,000 troops mobilised last Saturday. This move, meant to support ICE and federal law enforcement, comes amid mounting legal challenges; California has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, seeking to block the deployments on constitutional grounds.
Further complicating the situation, more than 700 US Marines, activated on Monday to assist the National Guard, are currently stationed outside Los Angeles awaiting formal deployment orders, CNN cited US officials as saying. These Marines are reportedly undergoing additional training before potentially being deployed to the protest zones.
As both sides brace for a prolonged standoff, the protests reflect rising public anger over immigration policies and federal enforcement tactics, raising concerns about the potential for further escalation in the coming days.