Anti-ICE Protests Escalate in Los Angeles as Demonstrators Clash with Federal Agents

Los Angeles, CA – June 8, 2025 – Violent protests erupted in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday evening, with anti-ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) demonstrators reportedly launching explosives at a federal building, escalating tensions following a series of immigration raids across the city. The unrest, which began Friday after ICE operations resulted in 118 arrests, prompted President Donald Trump to deploy 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles County, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from local officials.

According to reports, the protests intensified on Saturday as crowds gathered outside the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building, where detainees from Friday’s raids were allegedly being processed. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claimed that approximately 1,000 rioters surrounded the facility, assaulted ICE agents, slashed tires, and defaced government property. One source reported that protesters hurled an “unregistered destructive device” at the building, though specific details about the explosives remain unverified by multiple outlets.

The unrest followed ICE raids targeting businesses in areas such as the Garment District, Westlake, and South Los Angeles, with 44 arrests made on Friday alone. DHS stated that the operations focused on individuals with criminal histories, including five linked to criminal organizations. However, the sweeps sparked outrage among protesters and local leaders, who accused federal agents of sowing fear in immigrant communities.

Video footage captured tense confrontations, with federal agents in riot gear deploying tear gas, flash-bang grenades, and pepper balls to disperse crowds. Protesters were seen throwing rocks, fireworks, and other projectiles at law enforcement, with some setting fires and damaging vehicles, including a local news SUV. A car was also reported burning in Paramount, where clashes occurred near a Home Depot.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass condemned the violence, stating, “This is a difficult time for our city. As we recover from an unprecedented natural disaster, many in our community are feeling fear following recent federal immigration enforcement actions.” Bass accused ICE of “sowing terror” and called for accountability for those responsible for the destruction.

California Governor Gavin Newsom labeled the raids “cruel” and criticized the National Guard deployment as “purposefully inflammatory,” arguing it was designed to create a “spectacle.”

President Trump, in a Truth Social post, vowed to “crush” the protests, stating, “If Governor Gavin Newscum and Mayor Karen Bass can’t do their jobs, then the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!” The White House authorized the National Guard under Title 10, placing the troops under federal command, though some reports indicated the forces had not yet arrived in the city by late Saturday. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that active-duty Marines from Camp Pendleton could be mobilized if violence persisted.

Federal officials, including acting ICE Director Todd Lyons and FBI Director Kash Patel, condemned the protests, with Lyons calling the attacks on agents “appalling” and Patel promising full prosecution for those assaulting federal officers. Border Czar Tom Homan, overseeing operations in Los Angeles, emphasized a “zero tolerance” policy for violence, stating, “ICE will continue to enforce our nation’s immigration laws and arrest criminal illegal aliens.”

The protests have drawn mixed reactions. Immigrant rights advocates, such as Angelica Salas of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), expressed concern over the lack of access to detainees, calling the situation “very worrying.” Meanwhile, some federal officials accused local leaders of fueling the unrest with inflammatory rhetoric.

As of early Sunday, the California National Guard had arrived in downtown Los Angeles, stationed near City Hall, with authorities bracing for further demonstrations. The clashes mark a significant escalation in the ongoing debate over immigration enforcement, with Los Angeles emerging as a flashpoint in the Trump administration’s pledge to deport record numbers of undocumented migrants, targeting at least 3,000 arrests per day nationwide.

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