National Guard Sent to Quell Immigration Protests in Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California. The originally tranquil weekend in the sunny city was interrupted when a protest erupted after at least 44 people were arrested by immigration agents earlier on Sunday, June 8th.

The protests began when an immigration raid at a clothing wholesaler took place around downtown Los Angeles, sparking a slew of protests. The demonstrators were met with rifle fire and stun grenades from local officers. Not long afterwards, President Trump ordered the National Guard to mobilize and be in the city on Sunday.

Bill Essayli, the interim U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, said that the 2,000 troops of the National Guard were needed to help “keep the peace.”

“They threw rocks at the officers,” Mr. Essayli said. “We had Molotov cocktails thrown. We had all kinds of assaults on agents.”

BBC News footage shows that protestors have already clashed with federal police. Police batons have been used, several cars were set on fire, and a police cruiser was reportedly hit by a projectile that set it aflame.

More than a 100 people were arrested on Friday, and as many as 20 more on Saturday. Mr. Essayli said that these arrests mostly occurred in Paramount, suburbs whose populations were mostly comprised of Latino and working-class citizens.

California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta stated in a social media post that local law enforcement “have the resources they need to meet the moment.” Local authorities have not asked for outside assistance.

Gavin Newsom, Governor of California, said that the president’s order was “purposefully inflammatory.” Mr. Newsom stated that Mr. Trump did not federalize the National Guard because Los Angeles officers needed help, but because “they want a spectacle.”

In response, Mr. Essayli asserted that “The governor doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” Mr. Essayli, before he took on his current position, was a Republican state legislator who was a frequent critic of Mr. Newsom.

“It’s all about a political narrative for him.” Mr. Essayli said. “But we’re not doing politics here, we’re doing public safety. We’re out arresting violent criminals, illegal aliens who are in the country unlawfully, who have criminal records.”

Izzy Gardon, a spokesman for Mr. Newsom, said that Mr. Trump was already aware that Californian authorities had processes in place for handling civil unrest without intervention.

“Mr. Essayli may still be learning the ropes of his new job, but even a rookie should know the president doesn’t need to commandeer 2,000 soldiers to respond to a few hundred protesters — especially before using the standard mutual aid process,” Mr. Gardon said.

Mr. Essayli also blamed the Saturday protests on a “false reporting” that federal agents were about to conduct a search at a Home Depot in Paramount and arrest those who could not prove they were born in the country legally. “We were staging for our operations and people spotted the vehicles there, and just made assumptions that weren’t true,” he said.

Mr. Essayli did not say where the National Guard would be deployed, only that they would arrive on Sunday. “But they’re going to primarily be focused on protecting federal property, so I think you can expect to see them at least in downtown L.A.” Mr. Essayli said. He also stated that their arrival spot would depend on “where these agitators are congregating” and said that California’s “sanctuary” law was to blame for the chaos and confusion.

“The problem is, people have been conditioned to believe that there is an actual sanctuary from immigration laws in California,” Mr. Essayli said. “That is not true. Immigration laws are applicable and will be enforced.”

As of Friday, June 13, California engaged with the Trump administration in a legal battle. After a hearing, the court took California’s side. The National Guard has since been called off.

The chaos in L.A. has not been forgotten, however. The city has since introduced a new curfew lasting from 8 pm to 6 am in the city. Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles has advised those who do not “live or work in downtown L.A.” to stay away from the general area affected by the curfew.