LA protests: California Governor decries Trump’s troop deployment as 'Dictatorial'
Shafaq News/ California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday demanded the immediate withdrawal of 2,000 National Guard troops deployed to Los Angeles, calling the Trump administration’s move unlawful and a direct violation of state sovereignty.
“These are the acts of a dictator, not a president,” Newsom wrote on X, accusing President Donald Trump of manufacturing a crisis and vowing to take legal action if the order is not reversed. “Trump needs to pull back. He needs to stand down.”
Donald Trump has manufactured a crisis and is inflaming conditions.If he can’t solve it, we will.To the bad actors — Violent acts will not be tolerated. You will be arrested. You will be prosecuted. You are doing more than just damage to buildings and property. You are… pic.twitter.com/VMLqdUDS56
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 9, 2025
The federal troop deployment came amid intensifying protests sparked by widespread immigration raids that began Friday. Federal agents detained dozens of people in operations across the city—home to over 1.35 million immigrants, roughly one-third of its population.
By Sunday, protests escalated across key areas, including near the federal building in Downtown Los Angeles—close to immigrant-rich neighborhoods like Little Tokyo and Chinatown. At least 300 California National Guard troops were positioned at three sites, while 500 Marines at a base 230 km east of the city were placed on standby.
Trump defended the deployment as necessary to maintain “law and order,” even though it bypassed the governor’s approval. Mayor Karen Bass criticized the federal handling, warning that the unrest is “chaos provoked by the administration,” and urged demonstrators to remain peaceful.
Tensions boiled over on the critical US 101 Freeway, where traffic was brought to a standstill for over 90 minutes as hundreds of protesters blocked lanes. Though reopened briefly, all southbound lanes were closed again after objects were thrown at police vehicles.
Los Angeles Police Captain Raul Jovel said three officers sustained minor injuries during clashes. Police declared several demonstrations “unlawful assemblies,” citing incidents where protesters allegedly threw bottles at officers.
The unrest also led to property damage. Several self-driving Waymo vehicles were torched on a downtown street Sunday evening. Officers responded with tear gas and flash-bangs to disperse crowds, with reports of physical confrontations during arrests.
