Amid violent clashes between law enforcement and protesters in Los Angeles, Donald Trump has controversially advocated for the deployment of troops and the arrest of those wearing face masks. These clashes were sparked by a recent crackdown on illegal migrants happening across the United States.
The chaotic scene in Los Angeles has seen rioters setting driverless cars on fire, looting stores, confronting law enforcement with motorcycles, and creating blockades that have effectively paralyzed Downtown LA for days. The city is engulfed in a state of turmoil.
An especially brutal incident occurred when officers found themselves ambushed under an overpass on the 101 Freeway. They came under attack from above with flaming projectiles and rocks while trying to put out fires that had engulfed several highway patrol cars, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.
Meanwhile authorities have rained down rubber bullets and tear gas on demonstrators as they march against President Trump’s nationwide immigration raids.
Trump earlier sent in 2,000 National Guard troops and placed 500 Marines on standby, while the LAPD has authorized the ‘use of less lethal munitions’ to regain control of the city.
The conflict has sparked a war of words between Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom, who accused him of intentionally inflaming tensions.
Trump hit back with a Truth Social post on Sunday demanding both Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass apologize for the LA riots, insisting those involved are not ‘peaceful protesters’ as the duo had claimed, but instead ‘troublemakers and insurrectionists.’
Democrat Representative Maxine Waters, a staunch critic of the president, called the deployment of National Guard troops an unnecessary escalation, asking as she stood outside Metropolitan Detention Center: ‘Why are they out here with guns?’.
‘Who are you going to shoot?’ she asked the two dozen soldiers present. ‘If you’re going to shoot me, you better shoot straight.’
Rioters have set fire to driverless cars and been pictured waving Mexican flags and anti-ICE placards in LA
Police officers move to clear activists protesting immigration raids from the road near the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building in Los Angeles
Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers shoot rubber bullets at protesters in front of the City Hall
Rioters were pictured throwing rocks and other projectiles from a bridge at police vehicles below
A rioter sets fire to an object and throws it at LAPD police vehicles below
LA police officers were forced to take cover after their cars were attacked during wild and vicious scenes on Sunday
At the 101 Freeway, which has been the epicenter of conflict on Sunday, officers were forced to hunker under an overpass as they faced a barrage of fiery missiles from above
Los Angeles has been brought to its knees after rioters tore through the City of Angels, setting cars alight and setting deadly traps for authorities over President Donald Trump ‘s migration policies
Under siege, authorities last night declared the entirety of Downtown LA an ‘unlawful assembly’ area and ordered anyone in the vicinity to ‘leave immediately.’
‘Agitators have splintered into and through out the Downtown Area. Residents, businesses and visitors to the Downtown Area should be alert and report any criminal activity,’ police said.
As authorities in LA struggled to contain demonstrators, the carnage spread to San Francisco where vandals trashed buildings and violently clashed with police in riot gear.
San Francisco Police also declared gatherings ‘unlawful gatherings’ in the city’s financial district, reporting that rioters there injured two officers.
LA Authorities were considering implementing a curfew to quell the violence and will re-evaluate if such drastic measures are necessary as the night progresses.
Immigration officials, National Guard troops and the LAPD used rubber bullets and flash bangs in an effort to control the never-ending onslaught of an estimated 6,000 protesters, with 500 Marines on standby to join the defensive lines.
At least 60 rioters were arrested on Sunday during skirmishes across Downtown LA which stretched into a third day, bringing the total tally of arrests for the chaotic weekend to 89.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said demonstrators are arriving to protests armed with hammers and cinder blocks, throwing chunks of concrete or enormous rocks at officers simply doing their jobs.
‘We are overwhelmed,’ he said. ‘We had individuals out there shooting commercial grade fireworks at our officers. That can kill ya.’
Many, he said, were wearing masks – a direct violation of Trump’s ‘no masks’ mandate.
The revelation sparked a furious response from Trump on Truth Social, writing: ‘arrest the people in face masks, now!’
In another post, Trump added: ‘Looking really bad in L.A. BRING IN THE TROOPS!’
‘Jim McDonnell, the highly respected LAPD Chief, just stated that the protesters are getting very much more aggressive, and that he would “have to reassess the situation,” as it pertains to bringing in the troops. He should, RIGHT NOW!!! Don’t let these thugs get away with this.’
Three officers were injured in the harrowing scenes amid concerns that the clashes could turn deadly as rioters used fireworks and heavy rocks to attack authorities.
Police horses were targeted as they made their way through the streets with deadly fireworks and explosives
Trump has demanded all protesters wearing face masks be arrested on sight
Protests and vandalism spread to San Francisco on Sunday (pictured), with the ICE office targeted
Police horses were targeted as they made their way through the streets with deadly explosives, while cannisters of tear gas which police had used to disperse the crowds were instead picked up and thrown back at officers.
At the 101 Freeway, which has been the epicenter of conflict on Sunday, officers were forced to hunker under an overpass as they faced a barrage of missiles from above.
Extraordinary footage captured by independent journalist Cam Higby showed a small contingent of Los Angeles highway patrol officers under siege by protesters who had seized control of the overpass above them.
The protesters threw tinder lit on fire in an effort to blow up the police cars below, and attacked officers with rocks and tear gas from above when they made any effort to extinguish the flames.
Earlier in the evening authorities faced an uphill battle to contain violence on the same stretch of road.
More than 2,000 protesters commandeered northbound and southbound traffic, grinding motorists to a complete halt as they marched with flags and signs high above their heads.
Motorists stuck on the unmoving freeway were instructed to turn around in an effort to clear the traffic, as even more rioters gathered on overpasses and ramps.
The freeway was briefly reopened but authorities had to shut it down once again as demonstrators began tossing missiles off the overpass.
Witnesses claimed demonstrators were setting tinder alight and firing rocks from the overpass, aiming at police patrol vehicles as they passed by.
The protesters threw tinder lit on fire in an effort to blow up the police cars below, and attacked officers with rocks and tear gas from above when they made any effort to extinguish the flames
Officers made at least 60 arrests on Sunday, officials said
One protester repeatedly smashed the driver side window of a Waymo which had been surrounded by demonstrators as flames engulfed another car nearby
The scenes of carnage came on the back of an edict by Trump to send in as many as 2,000 National Guard troops, with a further 500 Marines placed on standby – sparking fury among California officials.
A man who appeared to aim his van at a crowd of protesters was among dozens detained on Sunday night, with police warning charges are likely to follow.
As LA fell to the rioters on Sunday night, Governor Gavin Newsom was locked in a war of words with federal officials, taunting Trump’s border czar with a threat to ‘arrest him.’
He has vowed to sue the federal administration over the ‘illegal, immoral and unconstitutional’ deployment of the National Guard, which he maintains stoked the violence and increased agitation on Sunday.
But a lawsuit will do little to quell the concerns of authorities on the ground who were desperately trying to restore order before nightfall amid concerns that violence historically ramps up as the sun sets.
Some of the most horrifying images to emerge from the carnage on Sunday came from Downtown LA, where at least five Waymo self-driving cars were set alight and vandalized, prompting an indefinite shutdown of Los Angeles St north of Arcadia, and south of Alameda amid safety concerns about the lithium batteries.
Horrifying vision captured the moment these rioters set fire to the robotaxis and celebrated the carnage by dancing on the roof of cars and waving Mexican flags.
‘Burn, burn, burn,’ the protesters cheered.
‘Burning lithium-ion batteries release toxic gases, including hydrogen fluoride, posing risks to responders and those nearby,’ authorities said.
The ICE office was targeted by vandals in San Francisco on Sunday as the violence spread
Extraordinary footage showed a small contingent of Los Angeles highway patrol officers under siege by protesters who had seized control of the overpass above them.
Waymo has now halted all services in and around the under-siege protest areas in an effort to protect the remainder of the fleet
A demonstrator is detained by police officers during one of the protests on Sunday
One protester repeatedly smashed the driver side window of a Waymo which had been surrounded by demonstrators as flames engulfed another car nearby.
Waymo was forced to halt all services in and around the under-siege protest areas in an effort to protect the remainder of the fleet.
Each self driving robotaxi is estimated to be worth about $150,000.
At least two officers were injured after motorcyclists ploughed through rioters and ran straight over the top of authorities. Both of the riders have been detained by police as the officers are treated by medical personnel on the scene.
Elsewhere, officers were reportedly struck by fireworks as they worked to break up a violent crowd, while protesters were filmed brandishing 3D creations of Trump’s severed head on a pole.
At the Los Angeles City Hall, authorities on horseback were locked in a tense standoff with even more demonstrators, sparking fears from local law enforcement officers that they were in for a ‘rough night.’
Throughout the day, police deployed ‘less lethal munitions’ in response to violent attacks by protesters.
Protesters gathered outside the Metropolitan Detention Center were warned that the LAPD incident commander had approved the use of such weapons.
Extraordinary vision shows at least 2,000 protesters as they commandeered both sides of the road, grinding traffic to a complete halt as they march down the streets waving flags and holding signs high above their heads
Officers covered in protective gear defend against rioters after after Trump issued an extraordinary directive vowing to ‘liberate Los Angeles’ from illegal aliens which have ‘invaded and occupied a once great American city’
A British news photographer who was hit by a non-lethal bullet while documenting the clashes later had to undergo emergency surgery to remove shrapnel from his leg.
Nick Stern was shot in the thigh by a ‘sponge bullet’ and needed to be helped to safety by protesters before passing out from the pain, he told PA. He is now recovering in hospital.
Meanwhile Australian journalist Lauren Tomasi was fired upon with a rubber bullet while delivering a live cross to the network in an area which had been given an ‘unlawful assembly’ designation.
The LAPD began issuing rolling dispersal orders and declaring some of the protests acts of ‘unlawful assembly’ as violence ramped up on Sunday afternoon.
At the site of another dispersal order near Temple Street and Main Street, demonstrators are ‘using chairs, garbage bins and other items to blockade the street.’
By early afternoon the city had been placed on ‘tactical alert’, meaning all of the department’s officers were put on notice that they could be called up for service at any given moment.
Officers who were already on duty were not allowed to end their shift until they had been relieved by their commanders, and residents of Los Angeles were warned that low priority calls may go unanswered while the alert is ongoing.
That order came after Trump issued an extraordinary directive vowing to ‘liberate Los Angeles’ from illegal aliens which have ‘invaded and occupied a once great American city.’
A combined effort led by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Attorney General Pam Bondi will restore order, Trump said.
He directed his key personnel to ‘to take all such action necessary to liberate Los Angeles from the Migrant Invasion, and put an end to these migrant riots.
Authorities clashed with rioters on Sunday in violent scenes
A protester is arrested during the wild scenes
Demonstrators take part in a protest against immigration sweeps at the ICE building in San Francisco
‘Order will be restored, the Illegals will be expelled, and Los Angeles will be set free,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday afternoon.
Trump lamented the current state of the city, expressing concern that ‘a once great American City, Los Angeles, has been invaded and occupied by Illegal Aliens and Criminals.
‘Now violent, insurrectionist mobs are swarming and attacking our Federal Agents to try and stop our deportation operations.’
But he vowed ‘these lawless riots only strengthen our resolve’ as images emerge of troops on the ground in the downtown area of the city ready to defend the city from more violent demonstrations.
The president congratulated the National Guard on doing a ‘great job’ in the city in the early hours of Sunday morning, although they hadn’t arrived yet.
But Governor Newsom shared a very different perspective just hours later, revealing he has urged Trump to ‘rescind the order [and] return control to California.’
‘We didn’t have a problem until Trump got involved,’ Newsom said in his extraordinary rebuke.
‘This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they’re actually needed.
‘These are the acts of a dictator, not a President.’
At least five Waymo cars were vandalized during the riots
These riots were set against the backdrop of Trump’s latest immigration raid, targeting the safe haven of Los Angeles on Friday
Trump issued several late night Truth Social statements in the wake of the carnage
Mayor Karen Bass echoed those statements, telling CNN: ‘This sows chaos that is not warranted nor needed in the city of Los Angeles.
‘It’s as though troops were rolled out in a provocative manner and I do not see how that is helpful to Los Angeles right now, it’s not the type of resources that we need in the city.
‘We do not need to have our city under siege.’
Former Vice President Kamala Harris joined in on the Democrat pile-on on Sunday, denouncing the ICE raids which sparked the civil unrest.
‘Deploying the National Guard is a dangerous escalation meant to provoke chaos,’ Harris wrote in a statement on X.
‘In addition to the recent ICE raids in Southern California and across our nation, it is part of the Trump Administration’s cruel, calculated agenda to spread panic and division.’
Trump hit back with a Truth Social post on Sunday demanding both Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass apologize for the LA riots, insisting those involved are not ‘peaceful protesters’ as the duo had claimed, but instead ‘troublemakers and insurrectionists.’
Defending Trump, border czar Tom Homan described Newsom as an embarrassment to the state and warned ‘it’s a felony to impede law enforcement from doing their job.’
The city has faced days of protests defending migrants
Authorities revealed rioters had shut down the 101 Freeway both southbound and northbound after they stormed the road en masse
Police in riot gear clashed with protesters in San Francisco on Sunday
Newsom quickly hit back at Homan, daring the border czar to put him in handcuffs as the conflict descended into a childish tit-for-tat despite the crisis on his doorstep.
‘Come and arrest me. Let’s just get it over with, tough guy. I don’t give a damn,’ he told MSNBC Sunday evening.
‘He’s a tough guy. Why doesn’t he do that? He knows where to find me.’
The crisis even saw Trump’s friend-turned-foe Elon Musk rush to his defense, sharing several comments on X expressing horror over the scenes of violence.
‘This is not ok,’ he wrote alongside one image of a rioter on top of a vandalized car. Separately, he reshared Trump’s Truth Social post criticizing Newsom and Bass.
These riots were set against the backdrop of Trump’s latest immigration raid, targeting the safe haven of Los Angeles on Friday.
DHS said in a statement that the recent ICE operations resulted in the arrest of 118 immigrants.
Protesters in San Francisco were arrested on Sunday after the violent demonstrations spread
Homan said those arrested included child sex offenders, gang members and national security threats.
‘They arrested a lot of bad people yesterday and today,’ Homan asserted. ‘We’re making Los Angeles safer.’
Homan also remarked that ICE agents were often wearing masks as they conducted raids because they were worried about their families being doxed.
By Saturday night federal agents reported having arrested more than a dozen ‘agitators who impeded agents in their ability to conduct law enforcement operations.
