Violent Protests And Curfew Shakes Los Angeles As National Guard Deployed

By Devin Breitenberg

Los Angeles erupted into chaos over the past 24 hours as mass protests over recent federal immigration enforcement actions escalated into widespread unrest, prompting city officials to impose a citywide curfew and request assistance from the National Guard.

What began as a peaceful demonstration in downtown LA turned violent late Monday evening, when protesters clashed with law enforcement officers near City Hall and Pershing Square. Police deployed tear gas and rubber bullets as fires were set, windows were smashed, and several businesses were looted.

Authorities reported over 400 arrests and dozens of injuries, including at least 18 police officers and an unconfirmed number of civilians. Hospitals across the city received a surge of patients overnight, many suffering from impact injuries, smoke inhalation, and blunt-force trauma.

Underlying Tensions

The protests were sparked by a series of aggressive immigration raids carried out over the weekend in Southern California, part of a broader federal initiative ordered by the Trump administration targeting sanctuary cities. ICE agents reportedly detained hundreds of undocumented individuals, including several families and minors.

Civil rights groups have condemned the raids as racially motivated and inhumane. Calls for local officials to stand against federal enforcement have mounted, with activists accusing both city and state governments of failing to protect vulnerable communities.

Demonstrations began peacefully on Sunday, but quickly grew in size and intensity. By Monday afternoon, tens of thousands of protesters had gathered across the city, blocking major highways, surrounding government buildings, and chanting slogans in support of immigrant rights.

Clashes And Escalation

As night fell, tensions boiled over. In downtown Los Angeles, a group of demonstrators attempted to breach a police barricade outside the federal courthouse. Officers responded with crowd-control tactics, triggering panic and stampedes.

Looting and vandalism were reported in multiple neighbourhoods, including Echo Park, Koreatown, and parts of South LA. A number of fires broke out in commercial districts, damaging vehicles and buildings. The LAPD declared an unlawful assembly by 10:30 p.m., and the city issued an emergency curfew from 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of mayhem. “It was like a war zone,” said one downtown resident. “The police were chasing people down side streets, and people were just running everywhere, screaming.”

National Guard On The Ground

In the early hours of Tuesday morning, California Governor Gavin Newsom approved a request from the city to deploy the National Guard. Armoured vehicles and troops began arriving by sunrise, stationed around critical infrastructure and government buildings.

The mayor of Los Angeles urged calm and pleaded with residents to respect the curfew. “We understand the pain and anger,” he said during a press conference. “But we cannot allow our city to burn.”

Law enforcement sources confirmed that multiple extremist groups—both left and right-wing—were seen participating in the unrest, raising fears that the demonstrations had been infiltrated by actors seeking to escalate violence.

Political Fallout

The events in Los Angeles have reignited fierce national debate over immigration policy, federal overreach, and police accountability. President Trump praised the ICE operations as “bold and necessary” and condemned the protests as “domestic terrorism.” In contrast, critics called the administration’s tactics provocative and inflammatory.

Several members of Congress from California have called for federal investigations into the raids and the use of force by law enforcement during the protests. Others have introduced emergency legislation aimed at halting immigration detentions in sanctuary jurisdictions.

Residents On Edge

By Tuesday evening, a tense calm had settled over the city. National Guard troops patrolled major intersections, while helicopters circled overhead. The curfew was extended through the week, and schools in central LA announced closures or remote instruction.

Residents in affected neighbourhoods are grappling with fear, uncertainty, and the long clean-up ahead. Community groups and local volunteers have already begun sweeping debris and organizing food and supply drives for displaced families.

“There’s broken glass everywhere,” said a small business owner in Koreatown. “But what’s worse is the fear. People are scared—scared of the police, scared of the government, and scared of what might happen next.”

With protests expected to continue and national attention fixed on LA, the coming days will test the city’s resilience and leadership. Whether the unrest marks the peak of public anger or the beginning of a sustained movement remains uncertain.

One protester, holding a sign that read “No Human Is Illegal”, summed up the mood on the ground: “This isn’t just about immigration. It’s about dignity, about power, about being heard. And we’re not going anywhere.”

Devin Breitenberg is a legal consultant and senior counsel at Devin Law LLC and legal contributor  for Veritas Expositae.  You can reach her at devin.breitenberg@veritasexpositae.com