Los Angeles "No Kings" Protests Increase Tension
For over two weeks, since the beginning of the riots in LA on June 6 and 7, protestors have covered the streets of Los Angeles. On Saturday, protests arose, increasing the tension between the police and protesters. However, instead of just the news catching the riots against the Trump Administration, social media apps like TikTok, X, and Instagram have also captured these protests.
At 4 PM, the police were ordered to release tear gas and crowd-control munitions to break up protests while the National Guard guarded a federal building where protesters had started crowding. During the protest, helicopters circled the area as protesters allegedly threw rocks, bottles, and fireworks at the police while yelling at the National Guard troops.
Due to the riots that have occurred in the past two weeks, on top of the 2,000 National Guard troops, the Trump Administration sent in 700 U.S. Marines and 2,000 more National Guard troops. Sending in military intervention enraged Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles. Newsom and Bass accused Trump of staging the riots as a way to enrage Californians to get back at California for allowing illegal immigration.
During the protests, content creators on social media apps like TikTok and Instagram began getting involved. Content creators on social media began recording the “No Kings” protests and posting the videos on TikTok or Instagram to spread the reality of the protests that news outlets didn’t cover. While some areas of protests in LA saw people vandalize property and assault law enforcement, others showed people simply walking with signs up. The recordings uploaded to TikTok reveal much more than what news outlets see. While news outlets show the side of violence and vandalism of the LA protests, TikTok creators show both sides, with the violence and vandalism being only a fraction of what the protests show on social media. However, social media isn’t perfect with some videos have surfaced online that spread false claims, and AI-generated videos have also made the reality behind the protests hazy.
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