Tensions flared in Los Angeles on Sunday as protests over President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown entered their third and most violent day.
Thousands rallied downtown after Trump deployed 300 National Guard troops without Gov. Gavin Newsom’s approval, prompting legal and political backlash.
Demonstrators blocked the 101 Freeway, set self-driving cars on fire, and hurled projectiles at police, who responded with tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash bangs. Dozens were arrested, including one person accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail.
Gov. Newsom called the deployment a “serious breach of state sovereignty,” while Mayor Karen Bass blamed the administration for provoking unrest. Trump defended the move, calling the protests a threat to national security.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said his officers were overwhelmed. Trump posted on Truth Social, demanding arrests and hinting at wider military deployments. Marines at Twentynine Palms were placed on standby, signaling further escalation may be imminent.
