The political landscape of Hollywood features a number of actors who favor the politics of former President Donald Trump, namely the likes of James Woods whose company in support of Trump include the likes of Mel Gibson, Jon Voight, Roseanne Barr, Kid Rock, Hulk Hogan, and Scott Baio, all of whom have reputations for their outspokenness and zealous approval of Trump’s actions. These personalities, past their prime, have utilized their platforms to denounce Democratic values consistently over the years. In contrast, there are others such as Antonio Sabato Jr., who claim that their vocal support of Trump has led to the premature end of their careers.
James Woods, who is known for his affiliation with the Trump camp, drew attention when he shared a video on Twitter, showcasing several police cars ablaze. The insinuation was the footage depicted recent protests in Los Angeles against Trump’s immigration policy, which was considered unconstitutional by many. In response to this contentious post, social media users requested verification from Grok, an AI created by entrepreneur Elon Musk, for the verification of the video’s origins.
Grok’s analysis of the footage pinpointed the likely date as May 30, 2020, associating it with the George Floyd protests that took place in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles. That said, Grok reiterated that the absence of comprehensive original source could permit skepticism surrounding these assumptions. While the footage indeed contained scenes of violence, Grok highlighted that many protests happening concurrently were peaceful and the use of dated footage could potentially lead to misinformation.
The atmosphere in Los Angeles became tense that same Sunday as the residents took to the streets to voice their objections to Trump’s unprecedented decision to deploy the National Guard. Demonstrators blocked a key freeway and damaged autonomous vehicles. In response, local law enforcement authorities employed measures including tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash bangs to gain control of the situation.
As the unrest magnified, law enforcement took to the streets on horseback, and others equipped with riot gear stood behind the National Guard troops in federal facilities. This series of events marked the third day of public objection to the Trump administration’s immigration policies in Southern California. The arrival of approximately 300 federal troops escalated apprehension amongst residents.
By the middle of the day, a crowd accumulated outside the Metropolitan Detention Center located in downtown Los Angeles. This was a result of individuals being detained due to previous immigration-related incidents. Protesters directed their dissatisfaction towards the National Guard chanting insults and pleas for them to vacate the premises.
However, when the crowd got too close to the Guard members, law enforcement acted swiftly. An additional group of uniformed officers pushed back against the crowd, ejecting smoke-filled canisters on the scene. Shortly thereafter, the Los Angeles Police Department released rounds of crowd-control munitions to scatter the protesters, who were deemed as unlawfully assembled.
Regrouping, a portion of the demonstrators relocated to obstruct the main flow on the 101 freeway. Law enforcement, in particular the California Highway Patrol, responded by clearing the demonstrators from the area in the late afternoon. Nonetheless, the presence and actions of the National Guard were viewed as provocative by many locals.
A letter penned by Gov. Gavin Newsom to Trump on that Sunday afternoon vocalized the perceived antagonistic role of the National Guard, calling it a chief source stirring citywide tensions. Moreover, Gov. Newsom declared this deployment of federal troops as an infringement on state sovereignty and formally requested for their removal. The city’s unrest stood as a living testament to the charged political sphere catalyzed by various actions of the Trump administration.