TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 2025
US: Curfew imposed in downtown Los Angeles after protests, looting spark chaos
A limited curfew will come into effect in several areas of downtown Los Angeles, California, following several nights of unrest triggered
Published on Jun 11, 2025
By IANS
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- LOS ANGELES — A limited curfew will come into effect from Tuesday in several areas of downtown Los Angeles, California, following several nights of unrest triggered by the Trump administration's immigration raids.
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- The announcement was made by Mayor Karen Bass, who said the city had witnessed escalating violence, arson, and looting in the wake of federal enforcement actions.
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- The curfew will be enforced from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. and may continue for several days. However, Mayor Bass clarified that residents and people working in the area will be exempt.
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- She said the decision was made in light of mounting tensions and the need to prevent further disorder.
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- Masked looters targeted several businesses, including an Apple Store, where they smashed windows and made away with electronic products. They also defaced the building with graffiti.
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- Other businesses hit included Adidas outlets, pharmacies, marijuana dispensaries, and jewellery stores. Videos circulating online show widespread vandalism, with shelves emptied and storefronts damaged.
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- Law enforcement responded with arrests as the chaos intensified. The Los Angeles Police Department was stretched thin in the face of the unrest.
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- Mayor Bass, addressing reporters, acknowledged the strain on local police but slammed federal interference, particularly the Trump administration's decision to deploy military forces without state consent.
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- "People have asked me what the Marines are going to do when they get here. That's a good question, I have no idea," Bass said during her press conference.
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- "The answer is not federal troops. The answer is to stop the raids," he said.
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- Her remarks come after President Donald Trump announced the deployment of more than 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to California, a move that has been widely criticised by state officials.
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- The President cited an "assault on peace and public order" and threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act, a rarely used federal law, to crack down on protesters.
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- California Governor Gavin Newsom responded sharply, saying Trump's actions amount to an infringement on state sovereignty.
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- "We didn't have a problem until Trump got involved. This is a serious breach of state sovereignty -- inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they're actually needed," Newsom posted on X.
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- Newsom also reiterated that California's local law enforcement agencies are fully capable of managing the situation without federal intervention.
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- Nonetheless, Trump proceeded to cite three provisions under federal law to justify deploying National Guard units without the governor's approval.
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- California is now preparing to challenge Trump's decision in court, arguing that the President has bypassed the state's authority.
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- The dual jurisdiction of the National Guard under both state and federal oversight has led to a standoff, with California asserting that Trump's actions are both illegal and inflammatory.
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- At the heart of the unrest is last week's immigration crackdown by the Trump administration, which saw Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conduct high-profile raids in Los Angeles.
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- Tensions reached a boiling point on Friday when ICE officers detained more than 40 immigrants at a Home Depot parking lot and at a clothing manufacturing facility.
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- Mayor Bass condemned these actions, pointing to them as the root cause of the recent violence.
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- "This is not just about looting or protests. It's about the fear and frustration in our immigrant communities," she said.
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- "What we need is a halt to these unjust raids, not an escalation from Washington," she added.
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