The chief of the Los Angeles Police Department is promising that the number of arrests made at the protests roiling Los Angeles will “pale in comparison” to current numbers, as violent clashes continue to spin “out of control.”
Jim McDonnell blasted hooded “anarchists” who, he said, intend to cause mayhem and try to “get away with whatever they can,” at odds with the intentions of other peaceful protesters.
It comes as violent clashes continue in the city, prompting President Donald Trump to mobilize 2,000 more troops, and 700 U.S. Marines to assist with law enforcement. The president’s decision bypassed the authorization of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a move to federalize the state’s National Guard troops, which has not happened since the civil rights protests of the mid-1960’s .
In a statement Monday, McDonnell said the LAPD had not received any “formal” notice that Marines would be arriving in the city but Trump said a day later that he has ordered their deployment to LA.
However, speaking at a news conference the sheriff came close to contradicting the comments of both Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass, who have said the decision to bring in national guardsmen and other reinforcements was “inflammatory” and “unnecessary.”
“Do we need them? Well, looking at tonight, this thing has gotten out of control,” McDonnell said of the national guard troops, adding that he needed to know more about the role of the troops before deciding if they were needed.
“When I look at the people who are out there doing the violence, that’s not the people that we see here in the day who are out there legitimately exercising their First Amendment rights,” the police chief said.
“These are people who are all hooded up — they’ve got a hoodie on, they’ve got face masks on. They’re people that do this all the time. They get away with whatever they can. Go out there from one civil unrest situation to another, using the same or similar tactics frequently. And they are connected.”
McDonnell added that during the clashes over the weekend some protestors had thrown fireworks and pieces of cinderblock at officers.
“That can kill you,” he said.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, at least 50 people were arrested over the weekend. These included a man accused of ramming a motorbike into a line of officers and another who threw a Molotov cocktail.
“The number of arrests we made will pale in comparison to the number of arrests that will be made,” McDonnell said, adding that comprehensive examinations of body-worn cameras and other evidence would be undertaken to identify agitators.
In his statement on Monday, McDonnell said that the arrival of federal military forces in LA, without “clear coordination,” would present “a significant logistical and operational challenge for those of us charged with safeguarding this city.”
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“The Los Angeles Police Department, alongside our mutual aid partners, have decades of experience managing large-scale public demonstrations, and we remain confident in our ability to do so professionally and effectively,” he said.
“That said, our top priority is the safety of both the public and the officers on the ground.
“We are urging open and continuous lines of communication between all agencies to prevent confusion, avoid escalation, and ensure a coordinated, lawful, and orderly response during this critical time."
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