Los Angeles: Tensions reached a boiling point in Los Angeles on Sunday as massive crowds rallied against President Donald Trump’s controversial deployment of the National Guard, sparking violent clashes with law enforcement, the torching of self-driving vehicles, and the temporary shutdown of a major freeway.
Thousands gathered downtown in protest of the administration’s immigration crackdown, which escalated sharply with the arrival of around 300 National Guard troops — a move that bypassed the authority of California Governor Gavin Newsom and was widely condemned by local leaders. Protesters blocked portions of the 101 Freeway, set fire to Waymo vehicles, and confronted federal and local law enforcement amid clouds of tear gas and bursts from flash-bang grenades.
In a chaotic scene near the Metropolitan Detention Center, demonstrators shouted “shame” at heavily armed Guard members standing in formation. When several protesters got too close, more officers surged forward, launching smoke canisters into the crowd. Los Angeles police then fired rubber bullets and additional crowd-control munitions, driving protesters into nearby streets and parks.
As the situation spiraled, law enforcement declared an unlawful assembly and began dispersing the remaining demonstrators. Some formed makeshift barricades with public park furniture, while others hurled objects at advancing officers. By late afternoon, state troopers had cleared protesters from the freeway, though southbound lanes remained closed for hours.
A series of loud explosions from burning Waymo vehicles sent black plumes into the air, as law enforcement scrambled to regain control of downtown. Authorities shut down multiple city blocks amid the unrest.
Governor Newsom, in Los Angeles at the time, issued a formal request to the White House demanding the Guard’s withdrawal, calling the move “a serious breach of state sovereignty.” The White House pushed back, claiming the deployment was necessary due to “violent elements” in the city.
Mayor Karen Bass echoed the governor’s frustration, accusing the Trump administration of stoking unrest. “This is not about public safety — it’s about political theater,” she said during a press conference.
The unrest followed days of escalating protests, beginning Friday with demonstrations in the city’s fashion district, where federal agents carried out immigration arrests. The enforcement activity spread to nearby communities such as Paramount and Compton, drawing large crowds and igniting tensions further. Protesters attempted to block federal vehicles and clashed with Border Patrol agents, who responded with tear gas and pepper balls.
Federal authorities reported over 100 immigration-related arrests in the Los Angeles area in less than a week. Several protesters were also detained, including a prominent labor leader accused of interfering with law enforcement operations.
While the protests have not yet reached the scale of past major events — such as the 1992 Rodney King riots or the 2020 George Floyd demonstrations — the decision to deploy federal troops without state approval marks a dramatic escalation. The last such occurrence was in 1965 during civil rights protests in Alabama.
On Saturday, Trump cited a rarely used legal provision to justify the action, referencing a threat of “rebellion against the authority of the United States.” He later told reporters that federal forces would be deployed “everywhere” to restore order, adding, “We’re not going to let our country be torn apart like it was under Biden.”
Roughly 2,000 Guard members were authorized for deployment, and about 500 Marines at Twentynine Palms were placed on standby.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris, a Los Angeles resident, condemned the operation as “a cruel, calculated agenda” meant to sow fear. She expressed solidarity with protesters and defended their right to resist what she called a violation of civil liberties.
As night fell, the city braced for more unrest amid deepening divisions over federal immigration policy and the expanding role of military force in civilian life.
