Los Angeles leaders have imposed a curfew in certain areas of LA on the fifth day of protests against Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown and his use of the National Guard.
The governor of California, Gavin Newsom, has accused the president of drawing a “military dragnet” across the country’s second-largest city.
Meanwhile, as protests spread to other states, Governor Greg Abbott tweeted that the National Guard would be deployed in locations across Texas.
This evening, mass arrests took place in downtown LA as crowds gathered in some areas despite the curfew.
Here is the latest on day five of the LA protests.
Curfew declared in Los Angeles
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass confirmed downtown LA would enter a curfew to stop “looting” taking place.
The curfew began on Tuesday at 8pm local time, scheduled until 6am the next morning.
It will last for several days.
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Ms Bass said she would consult with local law authorities beyond that.
The curfew impacts one square mile covering the downtown area.
“Law enforcement will arrest individuals who break the curfew, and you will be prosecuted,” she said.
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As the curfew took effect, the Los Angeles Police Department tweeted that groups were still congregating between Spring and Alameda streets in downtown LA.
“Those groups are being addressed, and mass arrests are being initiated,” LAPD Central Division tweeted.
Troops will stay in LA for 60 days
While appearing before the House Appropriations Committee in Congress, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was asked how long troops would be in Los Angeles.
President Donald Trump arrives to speak at Fort Bragg. (AP: Alex Brandon)
He said they would remain for 60 days, to “ensure that those rioters, looters and thugs on the other side assaulting our police officers know that we’re not going anywhere.”
But Mr Trump gave a less specific time frame when speaking with reporters today.
The president told reporters troops would stay in Los Angeles until he saw peace restored.
“If there’s peace, we get out. If there’s even a chance of no peace, we stay there,” Mr Trump said.
Later that day, the president used a speech honouring soldiers to defend his decision to deploy troops to Los Angeles.
“Generations of army heroes did not shed their blood on distant shores only to watch our country be destroyed by invasion and third-world lawlessness,” Mr Trump told soldiers at the US Army base in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
“What you’re witnessing in California is a full-blown assault on peace, on public order and on national sovereignty, carried out by rioters bearing foreign flags,” Mr Trump said, adding his administration would “liberate Los Angeles”.
The Republican president said the military deployment was needed to protect federal property and personnel.
US judge denies request to block troop deployment
Earlier this week, California’s Governor Gavin Newsom filed an emergency court request to block the Trump administration from using the National Guard and Marines from immigration raids.
California’s Governor Gavin Newsom attempted to sue the Trump administration. (Reuters: Mike Blake)
Administration lawyers had argued the state was seeking an “unprecedented and dangerous” court order that would interfere with the federal government’s ability to carry out operations.
The filing included a declaration from the deputy general counsel in the California Military Department, who said the department had been informed the Pentagon plans to direct the California National Guard to start providing support for immigration operations.
That support would include holding secure perimeters around areas where raids are taking place and securing streets for ICE agents.
Guard members were originally deployed to protect federal buildings.
It was not clear if the change in mission had begun.
US District Judge Charles Breyer denied the California governor’s request for the immediate restraining order.
Instead, he scheduled a meeting for Thursday afternoon.
So far, approximately 2,100 National Guard troops are already in LA and a further 2,000 have been deployed.
Seven hundred US Marines are also stationed south of LA waiting for deployment to locations in the city.
National Guard to be deployed in Texas
The protests today weren’t limited to LA.
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They have also happened in:
- Philadelphia
- San Francisco
- Seattle
- New York City
- Chicago
- Denver
- Santa Ana
- San Antonio
- Austin
- Dallas
- Boston
- Washington DC
Governor Greg Abbott tweeted that the Texas National Guard would be deployed to locations across his state.
“Texas [National] Guard will use every tool and strategy to help law enforcement maintain order,” Mr Abbott tweeted.
In New York, thousands protested, and police said multiple people were taken into custody.
There were no immediate charges.
Verbal attacks on Trump continue
Mr Newsom has continued his verbal attack on Mr Trump, saying the president “and his loyalists thrive on division”.
“Trump is not opposed to lawlessness and violence as long as it serves him. What more evidence do we need than January 6,” the Democratic governor added.
“He’s declared a war on culture, on history. He’s assaulting the first amendment.”
In a tweet, he also said “democracy is under assault before our eyes.”
More journalists in the crossfire
Since the protests erupted, several journalists, including two from Australia, have been injured.
On Monday, video of Channel Nine journalist Lauren Tomasi being shot with rubber bullets while reporting live on air received international attention.
Lauren Tomasi was shot in the leg with a rubber bullet while on camera while reporting on the protests for 9News. (9News)
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the incident was “not acceptable” and he had raised concerns with the US administration.
“It is not unreasonable to think that she could go about the coverage, clearly as people can see in the footage, clearly identified as media,” he said.
“We don’t find it acceptable that it occurred and we think that the role of the media is particularly important.”
Yesterday, ABC journalist Lauren Day was affected by tear gas and an ABC News camera operator was shot in the chest by a rubber bullet while filming protesters.
He was wearing a Kevlar vest at the time but said the sensation was like “being punched in the chest”.
The Committee to Protect Journalists said police in LA have shot less lethal rounds at four reporters, at least.
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They say officers shot Ryanne Mena, a crime reporter with the LA Daily News, and freelance reporter Sean Beckner-Carmitchel with pepper balls and tear-gassed them on Friday and Saturday while they reported.
Nick Stern, a British freelance photojournalist based in LA, had emergency surgery after a three-inch plastic bullet struck his leg on Sunday.
Stern told the BBC that he was wearing a press card around his neck and carrying his camera when he was shot.
Why are there protests in LA?
The protests began on Friday after immigration agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) made dozens of arrests across the city over alleged immigration violations.
It’s not uncommon for ICE to arrest people it believes are in the US illegally.
But this spate of arrests comes as part of the Trump administration’s controversial immigration crackdown.
Mr Trump has vowed to deport record numbers of illegal immigrants during his second term, and the White House has set ICE a goal to arrest at least 3,000 migrants each day.
Because of that pressure, people who are legally living in the US have been caught up in the raids.
Securing the border was one of Mr Trump’s key election promises.
California is home to the country’s largest immigrant population.
Police conduct mass arrests of protesters in downtown LA as curfew begins
