Photo: Alamy
Tensions escalated Sunday in downtown Los Angeles as thousands of protesters flooded the streets in response to President Donald Trump’s deployment of the National Guard, prompting chaotic scenes that included a freeway blockade and the torching of self-driving cars.
Law enforcement used tear gas, rubber bullets and flash bangs to disperse demonstrators after declaring an unlawful assembly. Protesters threw rocks, fireworks and electric scooters at officers on the closed southbound 101 Freeway.
The unrest marked the third consecutive and most volatile day of protests against Trump’s immigration crackdown in the region. The mobilization of approximately 300 National Guard troops, assigned to protect federal buildings such as the downtown detention center, sparked widespread outrage and fear among many residents.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said officers were “overwhelmed” and noted that familiar agitators known for inciting unrest were among the crowd. Over the weekend, several dozen individuals were arrested, including one person for throwing a Molotov cocktail at police and another for ramming a motorcycle into a line of officers.
Trump responded on Truth Social, writing, “Looking really bad in L.A. BRING IN THE TROOPS!!!”
He also urged McDonnell to “ARREST THE PEOPLE IN FACE MASKS, NOW!”
Beginning early Sunday, Guard members stood shoulder to shoulder as protesters shouted “shame” and “go home.” Police responded with smoke canisters and crowd-control munitions after demonstrators approached too closely.
Later in the afternoon, protesters blocked traffic on the 101 Freeway until cleared by the California Highway Patrol. Nearby, at least four self-driving Waymo vehicles were set ablaze, sending black smoke into the air and producing intermittent explosions.
By evening, law enforcement shut down several blocks of downtown Los Angeles and declared an unlawful assembly. Flash bangs echoed through the area into the night.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom condemned the federal troop presence in a letter to Trump, calling it a “serious breach of state sovereignty.” He met with local officials in Los Angeles on Sunday and criticized Trump’s decision as an intentional provocation.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson pushed back, saying, “It’s a bald-faced lie for Newsom to claim there was no problem in Los Angeles before President Trump got involved.”
Trump invoked a legal authority on Saturday that allows federal deployment during insurrections, authorizing 2,000 National Guard troops.