If you’ve been online this weekend, you’ve probably seen wild scenes coming out of Los Angeles — riot cops, burning cars, and National Guard troops on the streets. So what’s actually going on?
Here’s a breakdown of how LA ended up here, why people are protesting, and what’s happening next.
What started the LA protests?
On Friday, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers carried out a series of raids across Los Angeles. The biggest one was outside a clothing warehouse in the Fashion District, after a judge found probable cause that the employer was using fake documents for some workers. ICE also targeted places like Home Depot and even a doughnut shop, arresting over 100 people at multiple sites.
Word spread quickly, and crowds showed up to try to block ICE agents from leaving with detainees. Protests then kicked off outside a federal building in downtown LA, where demonstrators believed people were being held in the basement, per CBS News. The situation got even more heated in Paramount, a city just south of LA, and in nearby Compton, where federal officers were reportedly conducting more immigration operations.
Why did Trump send the National Guard to the LA protests?
After two days of protests and clashes — some involving rocks thrown at law enforcement, fires, and police using tear gas —President Donald Trump ordered 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles. This is a big deal: it’s the first time in decades that the National Guard has been activated in California without the governor’s request.
Trump posted on his Truth Social platform:
“If Governor Gavin Newscum, of California, and Mayor Karen Bass, of Los Angeles, can’t do their jobs, which everyone knows they can’t, then the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!”
He claimed the move was to restore law and order after what he called “riots and looters,” though most reports say the protests were focused on immigration enforcement and not widespread looting.
Trump went on to sayd in another post, “We have an incompetent Governor (Newscum) and Mayor (Bass) who were, as usual (just look at how they handled the fires, and now their VERY SLOW PERMITTING disaster. Federal permitting is complete!), unable to to handle the task.
“These radical left protests, by instigators and often paid troublemakers, will NOT BE TOLERATED. Also, from now on, MASKS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED to be worn at protests. What do these people have to hide, and why??? Again, thank you to the National Guard for a job well done!”
How have local leaders reacted to the LA protests?
California Governor Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass have both slammed Trump’s decision. Newsom called it “purposefully inflammatory” and said,
“The President is attempting to inflame passions and provoke a response. He would like nothing more than for this provocative show of force … to escalate tensions and incite violence. They want a spectacle. They want the violence. They think this is good for them politically.”
Bass echoed those concerns, telling KTLA, “I’m very disappointed. To me, this is just completely unnecessary, and I think it’s the [Trump] administration just posturing.”
Newsom has formally requested the Trump administration tp rescind its “unlawful” deployment of the National Guard.
“We didn’t have a problem until Trump got involved. This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they’re actually needed,” the announcement post said.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris also weighed in, calling the deployment “a dangerous escalation meant to provoke chaos”.
She said, “This Administration’s actions are not about public safety — they’re about stoking fear. Fear of a community demanding dignity and due process.”
What’s happening on the ground in LA?
By Sunday, National Guard troops were stationed at federal buildings and other key sites in LA. Protesters continued to gather, chanting things like “Set them free, let them stay!” and blocking law enforcement vehicles.
Some demonstrations turned tense, with police using tear gas and protesters throwing fireworks and other objects. There have been dozens of arrests, and city officials say they’re bracing for more protests in the coming days.
LA County Sheriff Robert Luna urged calm at a press conference, saying, “We will protect your right to peacefully protest, but we will not tolerate violence or destruction of property. I urge the community to approach the situation peacefully, as we do not want anyone to be harmed.”
The protests have also drawn international attention after an Australian reporter was caught in the chaos. Lauren Tomasi, a US Correspondent for 9News Australia, was hit by a rubber bullet while covering the protests live in the heart of Los Angeles.
Why are people protesting in LA?
The protests are about more than just the latest raids. LA is a sanctuary city, and a huge portion of its population is Hispanic and foreign-born. Many locals see the raids and the heavy-handed federal response as an attack on their community. As one protester, Ron Gochez told Reuters, “Now they know that they cannot go to anywhere in this country where our people are, and try to kidnap our workers, our people — they cannot do that without an organised and fierce resistance.”
What happens next?
The situation is still developing. ICE says it will continue operations in LA for at least the next month, and the National Guard is expected to stay for up to 60 days or until the Secretary of Defense decides otherwise.
For now, LA remains on edge, with the city’s immigrant communities at the centre of a national political showdown. We’ll keep watching as it unfolds.
Lead image: Getty Images
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