ALWAGHT- To curb protests triggered by aggressive immigration raids spreading to other cities, Los Angeles officials have enforced a curfew in the downtown area.
On the fifth night of unrest in Los Angeles, a curfew was imposed as hundreds of US Marines arrived under President Donald Trump’s orders, escalating tensions in the city. Protesters gathered peacefully before the curfew, chanting for peace, but many remained on the streets afterward, leading to mass arrests. The demonstrations erupted in response to aggressive immigration raids and have since spread to other major US cities.
Governor Gavin Newsom and other local officials strongly criticized Trump’s deployment of over 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines, calling it an excessive and politically motivated escalation that inflamed the situation. Newsom warned that the crisis could spread nationwide and accused the president of prioritizing theatrics over public safety, while Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to further militarize the response.
The use of active-duty military forces to manage civil protests is highly unusual and has raised alarm among political leaders, including Senator Jack Reed, who emphasized the longstanding American principle against military involvement in domestic law enforcement. Critics argue that Trump’s harsh approach distracts from the underlying issues of immigration and community distress, worsening the conflict rather than resolving it.
