For a second consecutive evening, a curfew has been imposed in downtown Los Angeles following a week-long series of confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement officials, triggered by immigration crackdowns in the area.
Over 20 individuals were apprehended by law enforcement on the initial night of the curfew, primarily for breaching the stay-at-home restrictions.
A protest took place near Los Angeles' civic center shortly before the commencement of the city’s second consecutive night of curfew, quickly escalating into chaos. Police officers wearing anti-riot equipment, with many mounted on horses, moved towards a crowd, using forceful measures including projectiles to disperse several hundred protesters.
The city’s nightly curfew will stay in place for as long as needed, stated Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
"If these raids persist and we see troops patrolling our streets, I would assume that the curfew will remain," Bass stated.
Over 400 individuals have been apprehended by the Los Angeles Police Department since Saturday, with most arrests made due to violations of restricted movements in the region. Additionally, prosecutors have filed charges against three persons for possessing a firearm, a Molotov cocktail, and assaulting an officer.
As the night-time curfew started, Bass posted on X stating that it aimed to "prevent wrongdoers from exploiting the president's disorderly ramp-up".
Previously, she attributed the protests to Trump's immigration crackdowns, asserting that this action had "angered locals." She stated at a press briefing on Wednesday, "Last week, things were calm."
Los Angeles served as "a part of a nationwide test to see just how much authority the federal government can seize from local governments and jurisdictions," she indicated.
More troops to come?
Many mayors from various parts of the Los Angeles region joined forces to urge the Trump administration to halt the immigration raids.
However, Trump gave no indication that he was listening to their requests. The US president has dispatched a total of 4,000 National Guard soldiers and 700 Marines to quell the disturbances, even though this met with opposition from California’s Democratic Governor, Gavin Newsom.
Major General Scott Sherman stated on Wednesday that approximately 500 National Guard personnel sent to Los Angeles underwent training to assist agents during immigration enforcement operations.
"We anticipate an increase," Sherman stated.
Newsom has requested that a federal court implement an urgent halt to the military assisting immigration officials in Los Angeles.
The Trump administration referred to the lawsuit as a "blatant political maneuver jeopardizing American lives" in their formal reply on Wednesday. The city "would have been reduced to ashes" if he hadn’t deployed the military, according to Trump.
The military is now nearer to participating in law enforcement activities like deportations. The Guard can hold individuals who assault officers for a short period, however, all arrests have to be conducted by official law enforcement agencies.
Demonstrations spread
On Wednesday, protests expanded to various cities such as Dallas and Austin in Texas, along with Chicago, where large crowds gathered and further arrests were made – including 86 in New York.
In Spokane, located in eastern Washington, authorities announced a state of emergency along with a curfew in specific regions after over 30 people were detained during anti-ICE demonstrations within the city.
On Wednesday, large crowds of demonstrators assembled in the urban thoroughfares, holding placards and obstructing traffic near an ICE facility.
"As the number of people increased and they refused multiple commands to disband, I announced the curfew well before the deadline for everyone to vacate the location," stated Mayor Lisa Brown from Spokane. She also mentioned that there was "great apprehension" within the immigrant and refugee populations in the city.
In Austin, police utilized chemical irritants to scatter around several hundred protesters on Monday. The office of Republican Governor Greg Abbott stated that Texas National Guard members were "on alert" in regions where protests are scheduled to take place.
A 66-year-old woman in Chicago sustained injuries after being hit by a vehicle during downtown protests on Tuesday night, according to the police.
Sherman observed that demonstrations nationwide were getting attention. "My focus is primarily on what's happening in Los Angeles. However, we're certainly worried about the situation."
Activists in various US cities report plans for even bigger protests in the upcoming days, including "No Kings" events set to take place nationwide on Saturday, aligning with President Trump’s intended military parade in Washington D.C.