There were fewer clashes between protesters and authorities Tuesday night as Mayor Bass’ curfew took effect. More than 200 people were arrested, according to LAPD.
A wave of protests erupted across downtown Los Angeles over the past weekend, triggered by aggressive Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids targeting undocumented immigrants. The demonstrations escalated into violent clashes, prompting local and federal responses.
Key Developments
- Mass arrests and raids
Since Friday, ICE operations have detained approximately 330 people in Los Angeles County, according to White House officials vox.com+15latimes.com+15apnews.com+15. In the initial round of raids on June 6, at least 44 individuals were arrested at locations including the Fashion District, a Home Depot in Westlake, and a clothing warehouse en.wikipedia.org+2en.wikipedia.org+2en.wikipedia.org+2. - Protests begin peacefully—then erupt
Demonstrators first gathered outside an LA federal courthouse, demanding an end to the ICE raids. Peaceful rallies soon gave way to violence; protesters reportedly hurled rocks, bottles, and chunks of concrete at law enforcement, leading to the deployment of tear gas, flash-bang grenades, and less-lethal munitions latimes.com+15abcnews.go.com+15en.wikipedia.org+15en.wikipedia.org+1en.wikipedia.org+1. - Curfew imposed
After four nights of unrest, Mayor Karen Bass declared a local emergency and imposed a curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. across a one-square-mile stretch of downtown—bounded by the 5, 10, and 110 freeways abcnews.go.com+7latimes.com+7nypost.com+7. The order, effective Tuesday evening, exempts residents, workers, and homeless individuals within the zone. - Large-scale arrests
On curfew’s first night, over 20 individuals were detained—or arrested for curfew violations—while calmer conditions prevailed compared to previous nights latimes.com+1nypost.com+1latimes.com+3apnews.com+3nypost.com+3. LAPD later reported 203 arrests for failing to disperse, 17 for curfew infractions, and several for weapons possession and assault—including shocking cases of lasers aimed at police helicopters latimes.com+1apnews.com+1. - Marines and National Guard activated
Responding to the mounting unrest, President Trump deployed approximately 2,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles—marking a highly unusual domestic military intervention latimes.com+15latimes.com+15youtube.com+15. Federal forces are stationed at key federal buildings while municipal law enforcement handles arrests. Notably, Marines in training at Seal Beach had not yet actively joined downtown operations as of Wednesday morning . - Political fireworks
Governor Gavin Newsom has condemned the deployment as an abuse of power and has sued, contending it violates California’s autonomy theguardian.com. Meanwhile, President Trump defended his actions and hinted he might invoke the Insurrection Act to extend troop deployment nationwide thetimes.co.uk+2washingtonpost.com+2apnews.com+2. - Nationwide ripple effect
Solidarity protests have ignited in cities from New York and Seattle to Chicago and Houston. Chicago alone saw at least 80 arrests, though city leaders described most demonstrations as peaceful en.wikipedia.org+7apnews.com+7latimes.com+7.
Human Impact & Business Fallout
Local businesses have suffered: one restaurant in the Arts District reported a 50% drop in evening patrons, prompting them to shift into early service hours to compensate . Many downtown commuters and residents were caught in the crossfire—transit lines were temporarily halted, and hundreds faced arrest simply for failing to disperse or curfew violations youtube.com+10latimes.com+10time.com+10.
Outlook
- Curfew’s fate hinges on raid frequency: Mayor Bass stated the curfew will remain until signs of de-escalation appear—and particularly if ICE operations and military presence recede apnews.com+4apnews.com+4nypost.com+4.
- Legal showdown pending: California’s lawsuit challenging federal troop deployment has seen an initial ruling deny an immediate block. Hearings are expected soon apnews.com+2theguardian.com+2timesofindia.indiatimes.com+2.
- Tensions far from over: With ICE promising continued raids and Trump voicing potential use of the Insurrection Act, further protests and confrontations are imminent thetimes.co.uk+2washingtonpost.com+2apnews.com+2.
In summary, Los Angeles is in a volatile standoff between federal immigration enforcement, federal military deployment, and fierce public backlash. The coming days will determine whether stability returns or if this chapter heralds a new era in domestic protest and federal-state confrontation—especially as the curfew remains in effect and legal battles unfold.