A protester is arrested by California Highway Patrol near the federal building in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
UPDATE:
LOS ANGELES – Police arrested more than 20 people, mostly on curfew violations, on the first night of restrictions in downtown Los Angeles and used crowd-control projectiles to break up hundreds of protesters demonstrating against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, officials said Wednesday.
But there were fewer clashes between police and demonstrators than on previous nights, and by daybreak the downtown streets were bustling with residents walking dogs and commuters clutching coffee cups.
Officials said the curfew was necessary to stop vandalism and theft by agitators looking to cause trouble after five days of protests, which have mostly been concentrated downtown.
ORIGINAL STORY:
LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles police swiftly enforced a downtown curfew, making arrests moments after it took effect, while deploying officers on horseback and using crowd control projectiles to break up a group of hundreds demonstrating against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
Members of the National Guard stood watch behind plastic shields, but did not appear to participate in the arrests Tuesday night.
Hours later, many of the protesters had dispersed, although sporadic confrontations continued that were much smaller than in previous nights. Officials said the curfew was necessary to stop vandalism and theft by agitators looking to cause trouble.
The demonstrations have been mostly concentrated downtown and the curfew covers a 1-square-mile section that includes an area where protests have occurred since Friday in the sprawling city of 4 million. The city of Los Angeles encompasses roughly 500 square miles.
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier accused Trump of drawing a “military dragnet” across the nation’s second-largest city with his escalating use of the National Guard. He also deployed Marines, though none were seen on the streets Tuesday.
Newsom asked a court to put an emergency stop to the military helping federal immigration agents, with some guardsmen now standing in protection around agents as they carried out arrests. He said it would only heighten tensions and promote civil unrest. The judge set a hearing for Thursday, giving the administration several days to continue those activities.
The change moves troops closer to engaging in law enforcement actions like deportations as Trump has promised as part of his administration’s immigration crackdown. The Guard has the authority to temporarily detain people who attack officers but any arrests ultimately would be made by law enforcement.
Trump has activated more than 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines over the objections of city and state leaders. They were originally deployed to protect federal buildings.
Demonstrations have spread to other cities nationwide, including Dallas and Austin, Texas, Chicago and New York, where thousands rallied and multiple arrests were made.
New York City police said they took 86 people into custody during protests around lower Manhattan’s Foley Square against federal immigration enforcement actions Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the vast majority of demonstrators were peaceful.
In Texas, where police in Austin used chemical irritants to disperse several hundred demonstrators Monday, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s office said Texas National Guard troops were “on standby” in areas where demonstrations are planned, Abbott spokesperson Andrew Mahaleris said Tuesday evening.
Guard members were deployed to San Antonio, according to assistant police chief Jesse Salame. He said he did not know how many were sent or details on the deployment.
