On Sunday, over a thousand protesters engaged in confrontations with National Guard troops in downtown Los Angeles. The demonstrations were a response to immigration raids conducted across California over the weekend. Xinhua reporters witnessed National Guard soldiers, alongside agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security, using tear gas and smoke grenades to disperse the crowd. Some protesters and journalists were affected during the clashes.
Protesters expressed their desire for peaceful demonstrations, but criticized the deployment of soldiers by the Trump administration. They chanted against the National Guard soldiers who had established a perimeter around the federal building. The protests also involved the occupation of multiple locations and the blockage of a major freeway.
Following the confrontations, California Governor Gavin Newsom urged protesters to maintain peace and avoid violence. He emphasized the importance of respecting law enforcement officers.
The deployment of National Guard troops to downtown Los Angeles on Sunday morning was confirmed by the U.S. Northern Command. The 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from the California National Guard deployed approximately 300 soldiers to three locations in the greater Los Angeles area. The Northern Command stated that the troops were present to ensure the safety and protection of federal property and personnel.
Governor Newsom formally requested that U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth rescind the deployment of National Guard troops, calling it a breach of state sovereignty. He argued that the situation had escalated due to the involvement of the Trump administration and requested that control be returned to California authorities.
The clashes followed immigration raids conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal law enforcement agencies on Friday, which triggered two days of mass protests. Despite opposition, Washington vowed to continue the raids. The raids resulted in over 100 arrests, leading to confrontations between protesters and agents.
President Donald Trump authorized the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to address the immigration protests in the Los Angeles region, bypassing the authority of Governor Newsom. Newsom, who had previously warned against Trump's actions, stated that the president's actions were intended to create a crisis and called for calm and peaceful protests.
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