Parts of Downtown Los Angeles were placed under a nighttime curfew after LA Mayor Karen Bass declared a local emergency aimed at halting vandalism and looting.
This declaration followed protests that ignited on Friday due to United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities conducting a series of immigration raids across the city.
In the wake of the protests, US President Donald Trump issued an executive order that deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles without the consent of California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Just two days later, Trump ordered the deployment of an additional 700 Marines on Monday, escalating tensions between state and federal authorities.
Governor Newsom labeled Trump’s action a “blatant abuse of power,” while Mayor Bass criticized the deployment as an “intentional effort to sow chaos.”
On the federal side, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem described Los Angeles as a “city of criminals,” alleging that local officials were ineffective in their duties.
The series of protests began on Friday, June 6.
In the morning, ICE conducted coordinated raids across Los Angeles, targeting locations such as a Home Depot, garment factories, warehouses, and areas where street vendors operate.
At least 44 individuals were taken into custody for “immigration violations,” among whom the DHS claimed included gang members and criminals.
These raids quickly sparked protests, which saw demonstrators blocking entrances and exits to the Edward R Roybal Federal Building in Downtown LA, where the detainees were being processed.
By the afternoon, David Huerta, president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), was arrested outside a garment warehouse where protesters had assembled in opposition to the immigration raid.
Huerta was taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Downtown LA, prompting assembled protesters to gather in solidarity.
In the evening, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) declared the area an unlawful assembly, deploying tear gas and issuing tactical alerts while also making several arrests.
The following day, Saturday, June 7, reports surfaced of additional immigration raids targeting day laborers at a Home Depot in Paramount, about 16 miles southeast of Downtown LA.
Protesters clashed with security forces at this location, who responded by using tear gas and flashbang grenades to disperse the crowd.
As the day progressed into the afternoon, the protests intensified, with demonstrators blocking streets, throwing stones, and even setting a vehicle on fire.
The LA County Sheriff labeled the gathering unlawful and proceeded to deploy tear gas as well to clear the area.
That evening, in response to escalations in the protests, President Trump ordered the deployment of at least an additional 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, utilizing Title 10 of the US Code—an action that allows the federal government to mobilize National Guard units without state governors’ consent.
This marked a historic moment, being the first time since 1965 a president had deployed National Guard troops to a state against a governor’s wishes.
On Sunday, June 8, approximately 300 National Guard troops arrived in Downtown LA, Paramount, and the nearby community of Compton to secure federal sites, causing outrage and fear among many residents.
On what would be one of the most intense days of demonstrations, thousands gathered in downtown LA near the Metropolitan Detention Center, facing off against the National Guard troops assigned to support immigration officials.
As the afternoon unfolded, large crowds began marching from City Hall to the Federal Detention Center, leading the LAPD to issue dispersal orders and initiate arrests.
The protests momentarily reached the 101 Freeway, disrupting one of the busiest highways in Los Angeles.
During this time, some demonstrators took drastic measures by setting fire to self-driving cars, heightening tensions further.
Authorities responded with tear gas, rubber bullets, and flashbang grenades to disperse the increasingly unruly crowd.
By Monday, June 9, after a relatively quiet night, renewed ICE raids commenced targeting various workplaces across Southern California, extending even into suburban areas like Santa Ana and Paramount.
Meanwhile, thousands gathered for a large rally at Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles organized by the SEIU.
Local officials and several members of Congress attended, as the rally advocated for an end to the raids, the immediate release of David Huerta, and the withdrawal of National Guard troops from the city.
Huerta was later released on a $50,000 bond, a small victory for the protesters.
In the afternoon, California’s state government filed a lawsuit against President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, arguing that the federal Title 10 deployment of National Guard troops overstepped state sovereignty.
In a swift response, Trump increased the number of National Guard troops from 2,000 to 4,000 and announced the deployment of 700 Marines, all of which felt unprecedented given the domestic context.
As the evening approached, protests continued around the federal building, showcasing a blend of peaceful demonstrations alongside sporadic confrontations with the police.
Throughout the day, authorities deployed tear gas and rubber bullets, resulting in hundreds of arrests.
On Tuesday, June 10, the protests entered their fifth day, characterized by a mixture of peaceful demonstrations and incidents of vandalism, looting, and rock throwing.
Mayor Bass and Governor Newsom continued their vehement opposition to the federal military presence, calling it illegal and damaging, especially as the city braced itself for major upcoming events like the 2028 Olympics and the World Cup.
As tensions surrounding the protests escalated, the Pentagon projected that the financial cost of deploying the Marines and National Guard troops to Los Angeles could reach approximately $134 million.
In light of ongoing unrest, Mayor Bass declared a curfew for sections of downtown Los Angeles, effective from 8 PM on Tuesday until 6 AM the following day.
This curfew would cover an area of approximately 20 square kilometers or 7.7 square miles, indicating the seriousness of the situation as city leaders sought to restore order.
The demographics of Los Angeles highlight its status as the United States’ second-largest city, with a population of approximately 3.8 million residents.
According to the LA city government, more than 1.35 million of these residents are migrants, comprising roughly one in every three individuals living in the city as of 2024.
Los Angeles is recognized as a sanctuary city, which refers to localities that decrease cooperation with federal immigration enforcement agencies like ICE to provide a protective buffer for undocumented individuals from detention and deportation.
Nationwide, protests against ICE have been pervasive, with at least 2,112 demonstrations tracked against the agency since January 2025, indicating a larger movement across the country that reflects community frustration and activism regarding immigration policies.
image source from：https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/11/how-the-los-angeles-protests-unfolded-a-visual-guide
