Los Angeles, June 14, 2025 (OLA NEWS) – Troops, tear gas, and defiant chants: the sharp edge of immigration unrest. Federal forces clashed with protesters in downtown Los Angeles this weekend as anti-ICE demonstrations escalated into a show of force by the U.S. military. What began on June 6 with ICE raids on predominantly Latino neighborhoods — which saw more than 44 arrests — has grown into one of the most intense domestic standoffs in years.
President Trump mobilized 2,000 National Guard and 700 Marines to secure federal buildings, declaring force necessary to contain what federal aides labeled a budding “insurrection”. For local officials—including Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass— the deployment is unconstitutional, prompting legal challenges. A federal appeals court has temporarily allowed the military presence to continue.
Protesters, waving U.S. and Mexican flags, denounced the raids as “segregation by enforcement,” while confronting military and law-enforcement lines. A Reuters photojournalist described teargas, rubber bullets, and flash-bang munitions used to disperse crowds near federal facilities. Although largely peaceful, dozens have been arrested, at least 20 journalists injured, and multiple vehicles—including self-driving taxis—reportedly torched.
Amid mounting tensions—backed by nationwide “No Kings” solidarity marches—the standoff highlights a deep U.S. rift over immigration and federal power. With a federal court review pending and the specter of the Insurrection Act looming, the consequences could reshape the boundaries of civil protest and government authority.
Reporting and pictures by Djamel Hamdad, OLA NEWS Los Angeles; editing by Alexandre Minguez.
