Sundays in downtown Los Angeles were fraught with conflict as law enforcement officials resorted to using tear gas and rubber bullets against protestors who had assembled due to President Trump’s audacious deployment of the National Guard. The local governor and mayor were fervently against this decision, making it all the more shocking. The past few days had seen a rising tide of opposition against Trump’s stringent policies against immigration, a tension that only heightened with the migration of about 300 federal troops into the city.
These robust reactions from people living on the West Coast were prompted by an inward surge of federal troops. The disdain for these troops was evident, hundreds convened outside the Metropolitan Detention Center, their voices fused in a unified sentiment against this perceived invasion. A forceful ‘go home’ often echoed ahead of assertions of indignation articulated as ‘shame.’ The National Guard felt the entire brunt of their ire, their riot gear and long guns failing to dissipate the crowd’s growing resentment and determination.
Despite their collective expression of disapproval, the crowd was met with a surge of uniformed officers who retaliated with force, pushing the protestors back with plumes of smoke-filled canisters, an act that further strained the tumultuous relationship. The police department in Los Angeles did not hesitate to use crowd-control munitions against the crowd, citing unlawful assembly as the reason. Parts of the crowd boldly mobilized to the 101 freeway, aiming to disrupt traffic.
Such strong military presence aggravated the city’s residents, causing a heightened state of unrest. Governor Gavin Newsom addressed this discontent, sending a pointed letter to President Trump. He requested the removal of the guard members who were actively contravening state sovereignty.
President Trump, however, remained defiant, claiming that the involvement of the National Guard was vital for maintaining law and order, an area where he believed Democratic leaders, including Newsom, have failed egregiously. The specific focus of their ineffectiveness, according to Trump, was their inability to manage the wave of protests against immigration enforcement officers. With this action, chances of any resistance to the administration’s mass deportation agenda were significantly curtailed.
The tensions soared in Paramount, a predominantly Latino city located south of Los Angeles, and its neighboring city, Compton. Both these towns witnessed increased protests following immigration officials’ sweeps the previous day. The tally of immigrant arrests in the city had exceeded 100, causing social activists and union leaders to join the resistance.
Unable to ignore the seriousness of such broad resistance, federal agents set up a strategizing center near a Home Depot in Paramount. However, determined demonstrators reacted defiantly, as some reportedly threw rocks and chunks of cement in an attempt to obstruct Border Patrol vehicles. Additionally, agents dressed in riot gear were forced to resort to using tear gas, flash-bang explosives, and pepper balls.
The weightiest accusations against the democrats and mainstream politicians have come from Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, who asserts that they are insulating deplorable immigrants while belying the safety of American citizens. One can’t help but notice the conspicuous silence from leading Democrats like Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Kamala Harris throughout these exchanges, further highlighting their disconnectedness from ground realities.
In spite of facing such severe backlash, House Speaker Mike Johnson, an ardent Trump supporter, stood firmly behind the President’s actions. In a strong condemnation against the Democrats, particularly Gavin Newsom, he stated that the President had to step in and take charge due to Newsom’s evident incompetence and seeming reluctance to address the issue appropriately.
Amidst this turmoil, it emerged that Trump had invoked a particular statute that allowed him to deploy federal service members in a situation of rebellion or suspected rebellion against the Government of the United States. In his interpretation, Trump viewed the demonstrations as a form of rebellion, warranting the deployment of 2000 National Guard members.
Interestingly, there emerged a discrepancy surrounding the timing of the National Guard’s arrival. On one hand, Trump publically praised the National Guard for their heroic efforts. But on the other hand, Los Angeles Mayor, Karen Bass, insisted that the troops were yet to reach the city at all. This contradiction highlighted the further confusion and misinformation that was rampant during these troubled times.
Previous instances of the National Guard’s involvement in Los Angeles, such as during the Watts and Rodney King riots, were brought into the discussion in light of the recent events. However, the current protests are considerably tamer in comparison, making the scale of the official response seem disproportionate and questionable.
Notably, the last instance of the National Guard being deployed without the formal request of a governor dates back to 1965, when troops were sent to protect a civil rights march during the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson. Evidently, this move by Trump marks a historic moment, where the President felt the need to override local governance in favor of federal law enforcement.
Trump’s claim that ‘violent’ people in the city would not ‘get away with it,’ coupled with his threat that officials obstructing deportations would face repercussions, added far greater severity to an already tense situation. These forceful declarations painted a picture of how severely he considered this issue, while simultaneously revealing just how out of touch Democratic leaders were to the emergent problems at hand.