Police declare unlawful assembly in LA amid ongoing protests

The police have declared an unlawful assembly in central Los Angeles due to ongoing protests against immigration raids. Clashes continued into a third day on Sunday and hundreds of National Guard troops were deployed.

For the third day running, demonstrators have clashed with police in Los Angeles during protests against the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration. The protests began on Friday after ICE agents arrested at least 44 people for alleged immigration violations.

President Trump ordered the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops on Saturday, with around 300 arriving in the city yesterday. In a joint statement, 22 Democratic governors condemned the deployment as an "alarming abuse of power".

Earlier, the Democratic governor of California, Gavin Newsom, had described the deployment of the National Guard as unlawful. He accused Trump of attempting to manufacture a crisis and of violating California's state sovereignty. "These are the acts of a dictator, not a President," he wrote on X.

Less lethal ammunition

In posts on X on Sunday, the Los Angeles Police Department ordered protesters to leave the city's downtown area. "Those with Cell Phones in the area of the Civic Center have received the alert," said police, warning of the deployment of less lethal ammunition that could cause "pain and discomfort".

Over the weekend, two journalists were hit by such ammunition used to disperse demonstrators. British photographer Nick Stern told the AP news agency that he had to undergo emergency surgery after being hit in the thigh on Saturday.

At least 56 people were arrested during the protests over the weekend, LAPD police chief Jim McDonnell announced at a press conference on Sunday evening. By around midnight local time, the police had cleared most of the downtown area, although sporadic reports of violence and protests continued, according to The New York Times.

^{A protester holds a sign as burning Waymo cars line the street in Los Angeles, California, 8 June 2025 © AFP MARIO TAMA}