To start, on the morning of June 6, federal immigration agents carried out a wave of immigration raids throughout LA. They targeted locations such as a Home Depot in Westlake, haunts of day laborers and the Ambiance clothing store in the garment district. These actions were a real flashpoint for public outrage, but protests whipsawed over the course of the weekend, quickly catching up with public sentiment.
California Governor Gavin Newsom blasted President Donald Trump for deploying the National Guard to quell protests. Trump himself previously characterized these protests as a “rebellion” against U.S. government power. This political backdrop would only deepen the divisiveness and mistrust facing the protests that started to develop later that day.
In the afternoon of June 6, approximately 100 individuals gathered at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Alondra Boulevard in Compton. Tensions were high as three separate fires broke out along the 75-mile length. One of those fires was set to a vehicle parked in the very center of the intersection. A convoy of Waymo driverless cars was ordered to be incinerated. One of those cars even had an obviously smashed windshield.
On June 7, President Trump went a step further by unleashing the National Guard. He took this action because he was worried about the growing protests following the first set of protests. On the same day, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that 500 marines stationed at Camp Pendleton were placed on high alert.
The protests moved in a historic direction when David Huerta, president of California’s largest union, got arrested. He was just a witness to one of these administration’s clampdowns on immigration. His arrest sparked a firestorm of immediate outrage and mobilization among community members and labor advocates.
“Protest is appropriate to do, but it is just not appropriate for there to be violence.” – Karen Bass
Later that evening, protesters marched on the federal detention center in downtown Los Angeles. They had come to lend support to Huerta and others who were being detained inside. That night, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) responded by declaring the protest an unlawful assembly. In retaliation, they used tear gas to push back the protesters.
It grew to a boiling point on June 8, when hundreds of protesters took over the 101 Freeway in downtown San Francisco during rush hour. That later fell day, thousands of people filled downtown Los Angeles. Behind the banner on city miseducation, they passionately voiced their opposition to federal immigration policies and police tactics. The protests remained largely peaceful, although there were isolated incidents of vandalism reported, including graffiti on buildings and damage to vehicles.
U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli claimed that Huerta had “deliberately obstructed their access by blocking their vehicle,” leading to his arrest on suspicion of interfering with federal officers.
As the protests went on, while law enforcement had an aggressive presence pretty much everywhere in the city, they often bounced to where things were popping off. The LAPD’s rapid deployment of resources underscored the tense environment as activists sought to express their dissent against federal actions perceived as unjust.