Protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration policies continue in Los Angeles for the third consecutive day, despite the deployment of over 2,000 National Guard members sent by the federal administration to support local authorities. However, the measure is deemed illegal by California Governor Gavin Newsom, who accuses the president of intentionally fueling tensions.
Confrontations with Police and Arrests
On Sunday, the Los Angeles police declared the gathering near City Hall „unlawful,” stating that several protesters threw objects at law enforcement. Arrests were made, and video recordings show some demonstrators chanting „Shame on you” and blocking Highway 101, a vital artery in the city center.
Other groups of protesters, many with Mexican flags and signs against ICE, gathered in various areas of the city.
According to authorities, 30 people were arrested on Saturday, including three for assaulting an officer. Three sheriff's deputies suffered minor injuries in the confrontations.
The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information about a suspect accused of injuring a federal officer in Paramount by throwing stones at official vehicles.
Australian Journalist Shot in Leg
Australian journalist from 9News, Lauren Tomasi, was shot with a rubber bullet by a law enforcement member while reporting on the demonstrations in Los Angeles. The scene was captured by the station's cameras as the journalist was concluding a live report on the use of rubber bullets.
Images posted on social media by the Australian station 9News clearly show a police officer targeting the journalist and her cameraman and then firing. The rubber bullet hit the journalist in the leg.
"After hours of waiting, the situation deteriorated rapidly. The Los Angeles police were riding in, firing rubber bullets at protesters, and pushing them towards the center of Los Angeles," said the journalist with a microphone in hand.
A few moments later, she let out a cry of pain and clutched her leg, where she was visibly hit. "You just shot a journalist, damn it!" the cameraman can be heard saying in the recording. "I'm fine, I'm fine," she reassures.
According to the Australian station, Lauren Tomasi "was targeted while reporting live near the front lines of the demonstrations around the metropolitan detention center in the city."
"Lauren and her cameraman are safe and will continue their essential work of covering these events," the station announced, emphasizing that "this incident brutally reminds of the inherent dangers journalists face in frontline coverage of demonstrations and underscores the importance of their role in providing vital information."
According to AFP, Lauren Tomasi's case is not isolated. Dozens of protesters blocked a highway in the Californian megalopolis on Sunday afternoon for over an hour, in a tense confrontation with law enforcement that led to several arrests and the use of tear gas against journalists, as observed by AFP journalists.
Local Administration Criticizes National Guard Intervention
The presence of federal troops has been strongly criticized by local officials. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass accused the Trump administration of intentional provocation while condemning the acts of violence committed by protesters.
"I don't want people to fall into the chaos that, I believe, is created by the administration completely unnecessarily," she said at a press conference.
Governor Gavin Newsom was even more categorical. He officially demanded the withdrawal of troops and stated that the deployment of the National Guard is illegal and dictatorial: "These are the acts of a dictator, not a president," Newsom wrote on X.
He accused Trump of violating California's sovereignty and inventing a crisis for political purposes. "Donald Trump is foolish, he is immoral," Newsom declared. "(Trump, ed.) Took the illegal and unconstitutional step of federalizing the National Guard and putting lives at risk," added the governor, according to The Guardian.
"There was no collaboration, no advice, no consideration of the rules. It was a foolish act that led to the exacerbation of the situation and endangered people's lives," Newsom emphasized.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, in turn, criticized the American administration for raids among immigrants and the deployment of the National Guard.
White House: "Violence and Chaos"
The White House rejected Newsom's and local officials' accusations, stating that "everyone has seen the chaos, violence, and lawlessness."
President Trump stated on social media that there are "violent, insurrectionary crowds" at the protests, and his cabinet members have been ordered to take "all necessary measures" to restore order, as reported by Reuters.
"The people causing the problem are professional agitators. They are insurrectionists. They are bad people, they should be in jail," Trump said, according to BBC.
"I made an excellent decision by sending the National Guard to deal with the violent and instigated riots in California. If we hadn't done this, Los Angeles would have been completely destroyed," the White House leader wrote on Truth Social.
However, in a statement made on Sunday, Trump stated that he is not yet ready to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807, which would allow him to mobilize the military on national territory. When asked if he sees an insurrection in Los Angeles, he responded, as quoted by CNN: "No, but there are violent people, and we won't let them get away."
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed that the Pentagon is prepared to mobilize 500 Marines from Camp Pendleton in case the protests escalate. They are "on high alert," according to an official statement.
The main controversy revolves around the legality of deploying the National Guard without the governor's consent. To justify his decision, Trump invokes Title 10 of the US Code, which allows deployment in case of "rebellion," but explicitly states that orders must be issued by state governors. It is currently unclear if the president has full legal authority in this case.
Official Purpose: Protecting Federal Buildings
According to a statement from the US Northern Command, the National Guard's mission is limited: protecting personnel and federal buildings at locations where protests have occurred. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem reiterated that the troops will not intervene in peaceful protests but will secure the perimeter around government buildings.
Raids and Controversial Targets
Meanwhile, ICE agents arrested at least 44 people in Los Angeles on Friday as part of a new immigration law enforcement campaign. According to data provided by the Department of Homeland Security, some of those arrested had criminal records.
However, local press and human rights organizations claim that among those targeted are individuals with legal residency.
Trump stated that the goal of the new campaign is to arrest 3,000 migrants per day and reiterated the commitment to "block the border" and "exile a record number of people illegally in the country."