Los Angeles, June 7 — A day of sweeping federal immigration raids across Los Angeles culminated in chaotic scenes downtown on Friday evening, as helmeted police in riot gear clashed with protesters denouncing the mass arrests.
Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), equipped with batons and tear gas rifles, confronted demonstrators after declaring an unlawful assembly. According to LAPD spokesperson Drake Madison, those who refused to disperse were subject to arrest.
Live footage broadcast by Reuters showed intense moments as protesters hurled chunks of broken concrete at officers, prompting police to respond with volleys of tear gas, pepper spray, and flash-bang rounds. No immediate arrests or injuries were officially reported during the nighttime standoff.
The unrest followed a day of coordinated federal enforcement actions led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in which dozens of individuals were reportedly taken into custody. Local media, including the Los Angeles City News Service (CNS), said ICE operations targeted multiple locations, such as a Home Depot in the Westlake District, an apparel store in the Fashion District, and a warehouse in South Los Angeles.
Footage captured earlier in the day showed caravans of unmarked vans and military-style vehicles moving through the city, ferrying uniformed agents to enforcement sites. Impromptu protests flared up at several raid locations, reflecting mounting public anger over what many view as aggressive and indiscriminate tactics.
Among those caught in the sweep was David Huerta, president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) of California, who was reportedly injured and detained while observing a raid. In a statement, SEIU said Huerta was arrested "while exercising his First Amendment right to observe and document law enforcement activity." The severity of his injury and the charges, if any, remain unclear.
The LAPD emphasized that it did not participate in the immigration raids but was deployed in response to civil unrest, including spray-painted anti-ICE messages on federal buildings and mass gatherings near detention sites.
The federal enforcement actions are part of President Donald Trump’s continuing crackdown on undocumented immigration. The administration has pledged to conduct large-scale deportations in an effort to fulfill long-standing campaign promises.
In a strongly worded statement, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass condemned the raids, saying, "These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city."
As protests and political condemnation grow, ICE has yet to release an official statement regarding the operations or Huerta’s detention.
The 48-hour fallout from the raids may be only the beginning, as civil rights groups and immigrant advocates prepare for further demonstrations and legal challenges in the days ahead.
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