Monday , June 9 2025

Trump deploys National Guard after clashes in LA

09-06-2025

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump is deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen in Los Angeles to deal with unrest over raids on undocumented migrants.

His border czar, Tom Homan, told media “we are making Los Angeles safer.”

The Californian city saw a second day of unrest on Saturday as residents of a predominantly Latino district clashed with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) federal agents. Tear gas and batons were used to disperse crowds in the Paramount district.

As many as 118 arrests were made in LA this week as a result of ICE operations, including 44 on Friday. California Governor Gavin Newsom has condemned the raids as “cruel”.

Newsom called Trump on Saturday and they spoke for about 40 minutes, a spokesperson for the governor told media in the US. No other details of the conversation were immediately known.

Paramount has calmed considerably but clashes between protesters and law enforcement are still happening.

The air is acrid, thick with tear gas and smoke outside the Home Depot where the protests first erupted.

LA county sheriffs are firing flash bangs and tear gas every few minutes trying to clear protesters away.

Neighbors and protesters say there are migrants locked inside local businesses afraid to come out.

Paramount’s population is more than 80% Hispanic.

A White House press release said; “In recent days, violent mobs have attacked ICE Officers and Federal Law Enforcement Agents carrying out basic deportation operations in Los Angeles, California.

“These operations are essential to halting and reversing the invasion of illegal criminals into the United States. In the wake of this violence, California’s feckless Democrat leaders have completely abdicated their responsibility to protect their citizens. That is why President Trump has signed a Presidential Memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester.”

Speaking in Los Angeles, where he had travelled to personally supervise the continuing ICE operations, Homan said; “We’re bringing in more resources as we speak. We gonna bring the National Guard in tonight. We gonna continue doing our job.” He warned that there would be “zero tolerance” of any violence or damage to private property.

In a post, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino also issued a warning to protesters; “You bring chaos and we’ll bring handcuffs. Law and order will prevail.”

He said that “multiple arrests” had been made for “obstructing operations”.

Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth wrote on X that his department was “mobilizing the National Guard IMMEDIATELY to support federal law enforcement in Los Angeles” and “if violence continues, active duty Marines at Camp Pendleton will also be mobilized, they are on high alert,” he added.

Late on Saturday, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) issued a statement saying that “today, demonstrations across the city of Los Angeles remained peaceful and we commend all those who exercised their First Amendment rights responsibly.”

The statement added that the LAPD remained “fully prepared to respond swiftly and appropriately to any potential acts of civil unrest”. (Int’l Monitoring Desk)

Check Also

Freedom Flotilla’s Madleen reaches Egypt

09-06-2025 CAIRO: The Madleen ship, launched by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), is en route …