Twitch streamer Hasan Piker was caught up in the Los Angeles riots, with footage capturing the moment he was disoriented by loud flashbangs.
Piker, who lives in LA and is known for posting YouTube videos under the moniker “HasanAbi”, was interrogated by border agents last month upon returning from overseas over his anti-Trump political views.
On Monday, photos and footage of him attending the protests were shared on social media.
“They’re firing into the crowd now. I don’t think that’s fireworks, buddy,” Piker is heard saying as he streamed from the scene.
“They’re already deploying flashbangs. Not great. Look, what they’re going to try and do is close down the other side of the road,” he said while standing in a throng of protestors on a highway underneath a bridge.
“I think they’re going to push in from this side of the road. Oh ****, oh *****. That *f***ed my hair up,” he adds as loud bangs are heard. Piker continues to walk through the crowd, as the loud bangs continue and fans are seen approaching him to shake his hand and take selfies.
The riots erupted on Friday after federal immigration officers arrested large groups of undocumented immigrants in areas of the city with large Latino populations. What began as a peaceful protest has since escalated with dozens of arrests and reports of looting.
President Donald Trump responded to the riots by deploying 2,000 National Guard troops to the city, followed by 700 marines on Monday.
California Governor Gavin Newsom slammed his decision, calling it “reckless” and “pointless,” claiming that only a few hundred of the original Guard troops have been deployed, despite the president’s insistence that thousands are there.
Newsom has said that California will sue the government for its deployment of the National Guard to quell the protests.
“Donald Trump has created the conditions you see on your TV tonight. He’s exacerbated the conditions. He’s, you know, lit the proverbial match.
“He’s putting fuel on this fire, ever since he announced he was taking over the National Guard — an illegal act, an immoral act, an unconstitutional act,” Newsom said on MSNBC Sunday evening.
