XPost: alt.law-enforcement, alt.california, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh
XPost: sac.politics, talk.politics.guns
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Federal agents conducted a series of immigration sweeps across Los Angeles
on Friday, prompting anger and resistance from onlookers and immigrant
rights groups that have braced for this type of action for months.
By Saturday, tensions were rising between state and local authorities and
Trump administration officials, who said they were calling up the National Guard in response to what they said were "violent mobs" attacking "ICE
Officers and Federal Law Enforcement Agents carrying out basic deportation operations in Los Angeles."
Gov. Gavin Newsom called the plan to take over deployment from the state "purposefully inflammatory" adding that it "will only escalate tensions."
Newsom said he'd been in "close coordination with the city and county, and there is currently no unmet need."
President Donald Trump on social media said the move was needed: "If
Governor Gavin Newscum, of California, and Mayor Karen Bass, of Los
Angeles, can’t do their jobs, which everyone knows they can’t, then the
Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS,
the way it should be solved!!!”
The president signed a memorandum authorizing "at least 2,000 National
Guard personnel," as well as "any other members of the regular Armed
Forces as necessary to augment and support the protection of Federal
functions and property in any number determined appropriate in his
discretion."
What led up to Trump's action
A conflict in Paramount, a city of about 56,000 residents south of L.A., attracted national attention after protests near a Home Depot extended
into Saturday. Those protests appear to have begun when ICE agents were
spotted in the area.
Sheriff's officials said in a statement Saturday that "as the situation escalated, the crowd of protesters became increasingly agitated, throwing objects and exhibiting violent behavior toward federal agents and deputy sheriffs. In response, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) requested additional resources countywide, deploying additional deputies
to maintain order."
"We will protect your right to peacefully protest," Sheriff Robert Luna
said in an interview included in the statement, "but we will not tolerate violence or destruction of property."
The Sheriff's Department also clarified that they were not participating
in any immigration enforcement actions, saying: "When federal authorities
come under attack and request assistance, we will support them and provide
aid. However, this does not mean that we are assisting with their
immigration actions or operations; rather, our objective is to protect
them from any violent attacks. Any assault on federal or local law
enforcement is unacceptable."
In contrast, LAPD officials released a statement at about 7:30 p.m.
Saturday calling the day's protests in the city "peaceful" and commending
"all those who exercised their First Amendment rights responsibly," adding
that the department "appreciates the cooperation of organizers,
participants and community partners who helped ensure public safety
throughout the day."
Later in the evening, LAPD officers ordered protesters in downtown L.A. to disperse and closed Alameda between Los Angeles Street and 2nd Street to
both pedestrians and vehicles.
In a message sent on X at 10:18 p.m., LAPD headquarters warned:
"Multiple people have been detained for failing to disperse after multiple warnings were issued. Remaining people in the area of the UNLAWFUL
ASSEMBLY will be subject to arrest. Leave the area!!"
https://laist.com/news/federal-agents-immigration-raids-across-la
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