Video at the bottom!
In Southern California, protests over immigration raids have escalated, leading to confrontations between police and demonstrators in Los Angeles and Orange County. The unrest has persisted for five days, prompting President Trump to mobilize an additional 2,000 National Guard members to support federal buildings in Los Angeles, effectively doubling his initial deployment. Alongside the National Guard, 700 Marines from an infantry battalion based in Twentynine Palms are being deployed, although their focus will be on crowd control, not direct engagement with protesters.
Over the weekend, more than 70 arrests were made by the LAPD, with five officers sustaining injuries. This decision by the Trump administration has drawn strong criticism from local leaders, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, who deemed the deployment as unnecessary and inflammatory. The governor and Attorney General Rob Bonta are leading a lawsuit against the federal actions, arguing that local law enforcement had the protests under control and that the federal intervention exceeded presidential authority.
In the midst of these tensions, many stores in downtown Los Angeles have been vandalized and looted, with significant damage reported at the Apple Store and Adidas store. Footage captured the chaos as crowds targeted businesses late into the night.
Meanwhile, another protest unfolded in Santa Ana, where police declared an unlawful assembly after demonstrators clashed with authorities. This protest was specifically aimed at recent ICE raids, including one at a local Home Depot, leading to multiple arrests. Local elected officials are planning to gather to express support for the immigrant community affected by these raids.
