The streets of Los Angeles have transformed into a hotbed of tension and resistance, as a second night of curfew was enforced on Wednesday following nearly a week of protest-fuelled chaos. The uproar stems from a wave of immigration raids across the city, a move initiated by US President Donald Trump that has triggered widespread panic and fury among residents.
Protests first erupted on Friday and have since spiralled into city-wide unrest, with almost 400 people arrested. Among them, 330 undocumented migrants were taken into custody, while others faced charges ranging from assault to attempted murder of a police officer. The protests are no longer just about immigration, they have become a flashpoint in a growing power struggle between federal and state authorities.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass laid the blame for the unrest squarely on President Trump, saying his immigration raids have ¡°provoked¡± the community and turned calm streets into war zones. She accused the administration of turning LA into a "national experiment" to test how far federal power can override local jurisdiction.
Bass justified the curfew as a means to stop what she called ¡°bad actors,¡± claiming the situation tipped into chaos following Friday's raids. On Tuesday night, law enforcement made ¡°mass arrests,¡± including individuals for firearm possession and violent assault on officers.
To control the spiralling unrest, the White House deployed 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines across LA. Major General Scott Sherman confirmed that some of these troops are authorised to detain civilians until police can process arrests¡ªa controversial tactic that critics say blurs the line between military force and civil law enforcement.
President Trump has defended his decision, stating the troops were necessary to prevent the city from being ¡°conquered by a foreign enemy.¡± California Governor Gavin Newsom, however, fired back, branding the deployment an ¡°assault on democracy.¡±
Los Angeles police have reported over 200 people arrested for failure to disperse, with several others facing serious charges. As rubber bullets fly and riot shields block protest lines, the city remains locked in a standoff between federal ambition and local resistance.
Police Chief Jim McDonnell tried to reassure the public, saying the chaos was ¡°not a city-wide crisis,¡± but residents watching downtown LA under siege would likely disagree.