Protests that began in Los Angeles over immigration enforcement raids spread to more cities on Tuesday with more planned into the weekend.
Protesters have begun gathering in Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Dallas, Washington, and Chicago, calling for an end to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids targeting illegal immigrants.
In some locations, the demonstrations clashed with law enforcement, and were arrested.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced that a curfew would go into effect on areas of the city’s downtown as riots reached their fifth consecutive day.
“I have declared a local emergency and issued a curfew for Downtown Los Angeles to stop the vandalism, to stop the looting,” Bass said during a press conference.
Looting has been seen in areas like Compton; Bass said that 23 businesses had been looted the night before across the city. She also cited graffiti in areas affected by the riots that had caused “significant damages to businesses and a number of properties.”
A federal judge has denied California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s request for an emergency restraining order aimed at stopping President Donald Trump and the Department of Defense from federalizing the California National Guard and deploying U.S. Marines to Los Angeles, following violent clashes between immigration officers and protesters.
The complaint cites a lack of a qualifying rebellion, improper bypass of the governor, and likely violations of the Posse Comitatus Act, which bars the use of active duty armed forces and federalized National Guard for civilian law enforcement.
White House border czar Tom Homan said on Monday that he has “no intention to arrest” California Gov. Gavin Newsom after the Democratic governor dared him to arrest him as protests and riots persist in Los Angeles.
“If you cross that line, I don’t care who they are—the governor, the mayor, whatever—and when you commit a crime against ICE officers, we will seek prosecution,” Homan added, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The FBI has identified a masked protester who is accused of assaulting a federal officer during heated demonstrations against federal immigration enforcement operations in Los Angeles over the weekend.
