By rssfeeds-admin Written from live streams seen on Twitch
Los Angeles — June 8, 2025
What began as a peaceful protest against federal immigration raids escalated Sunday in downtown Los Angeles, as federal agents under the Trump administration refused to coordinate with local officials. The unrest seemed to be confined to downtown Los Angeles, and was not widespread.
President Trump deployed the National Guard earlier in the day.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said she had communicated with federal officials and asked them not to deploy National Guard troops in the city, but her requests were ignored. Bass said she doesn’t even know if these ICE raids will continue this week.
The protest escalated after demonstrators blocked the 101 Freeway and were forcibly dispersed by Los Angeles police in riot gear using tear gas, flashbang grenades, and less-lethal rounds. Protesters regrouped along Arcadia Avenue, where some began smashing the windows of self-driving vehicles—many tagged with anti-Trump and anti-ICE graffiti—and setting them on fire. Waymo cars burned as onlookers, journalists, and livestreamers captured the chaos.
One protester held a banner reading “Televise the Revolt,” while others chanted “F*** ICE” and a few wore scarves in solidarity with Gaza. As fires burned, breaking news flashed across phones: Israel had reportedly boarded a Gaza-bound vessel carrying climate activist Greta Thunberg. The news only inflamed the mood further.
President Donald Trump had earlier posted on social media:
“A once great American City, Los Angeles, has been invaded and occupied by Illegal Aliens and Criminals… I am directing Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Attorney General Pam Bondi… to liberate Los Angeles from the Migrant Invasion.”
Hegseth threatened to send active duty Marines into Los Angeles to crush the protests in a post to X on Saturday. But, California governor Gavin Newsom called the idea, “Deranged.”
Mayor Bass said LA is still recovering from devastating wildfires that leveled entire neighborhoods just a few months ago, and does not need more chaos. And now the federal government is hurting Los Angeles, when it had helped before.
While many demonstrators remained peaceful, a smaller group committed acts of vandalism and clashed with police. It’s tough to describe the entire crowd as agitators, said an ABC 7 reporter during live coverage. The vast majority are walking peacefully, but a few are ruining it for everyone else, he added.
Footage shared on Twitch and Woke.net showed protesters ducking behind motorcycles as less-lethal rounds flew. One streamer said they were struck in the head the previous night and needed stitches. In one clip, a protester asked a streamer if they could throw something. No, not very well, the streamer replied—then the feed went dark.
Throughout the afternoon, traffic still moved on streets not consumed by the unrest. “Yeah, I’m going to work tomorrow,” a woman said, while another tried to calm tensions: “They’re doing their job. Let’s protest peacefully.”
The scene in Los Angeles remains tense. With no word from the federal government about what’s next, Angelenos are left to brace for what may come in the days ahead.
A woman held a sign reading, “No one is illegal on stolen land,” as vehicles continued to burn.
Many protesters waved Mexican flags.
In February 1848, Mexico and the United States signed a treaty that ended the Mexican-American War and transferred a large part of the Southwest—including what is now California—to the United States.
But a streamer could be heard saying, “I don’t think this is the brightest day in the history of LA.”
A streamer alleged a hotel kicked ICE out, and told them not to come back. The streamer said ICE were staying at the hotel.
The post Most Remain Peaceful, But Vehicles Burn as ICE Protest Erupts Sunday in Los Angeles first appeared on The Bloomingtonian.
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