Trump Deploys Marines to Los Angeles While National Resistance Grows

Irina Park

We continue our coverage of the LA uprisings here and encourage readers to study our Editorial on the same topic.

Mass mobilizations have continued through Tuesday in Los Angeles following the terrorizing immigration raids carried out by federal agents against working immigrants in LA last Friday. On Monday night, President Trump ordered 700 Marines and 2,000 additional National Guards to respond to the LA area amid the growing resistance, bringing the total troop count to nearly 5,000. This marks the first time in more than three decades that the Marines have been ordered to respond to mass uprisings, with the last instance also being in LA in 1992 in response to uprisings against police terror.

The estimated cost of the deployment is $134 million, according to Pentagon officials.

Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, condemned the response as “unprecedented” and “completely unwarranted”, filing a restraining order in federal court to block the deployments, while Mayor Karen Bass criticized the move as executive overreach. Meanwhile, both continue to call on protesters to stand down and actively cooperate with federal forces in violently attacking the masses, with Bass painting the uprising as “bad actors… taking advantage of the president’s chaotic escalation.” Bass enacted a curfew Tuesday night into Wednesday morning that will last for several days, giving the very forces she supposedly condemns more room to maneuver.

Law enforcement have used a wide array of chemical weapons and so-called “less lethal” ammunition against the demonstrators, which have caused serious injuries. Videos from the ground show state forces using stun grenades and shooting rubber bullets into crowds at protesters and even hitting a journalist. One video shows mounted police encircling a man laying on the ground and beating him with a baton after trampling him with a horse. More than 160 people have been arrested.

Protesters have defended themselves with chunks of concrete, scooters, fireworks, Molotov cocktails, and at least two instances of driving motorcycles into police lines. Videos show protesters tactically positioning themselves on top of bridges overlooking the freeway used by police and hurling heavy objects onto them and their vehicles, putting them out of commission. In another video, a protester hides by a street being used by federal agents and throws rocks onto their windshield as they pass by.

Demonstrators have also made self-driving “Waymo” cars a target, with protesters calling the robotaxi service and burning them upon their arrival. Waymo is a subsidiary of Alphabet, the tech monopoly that owns Google, and its cars are equipped with 360-degree cameras—something that has been used by law enforcement. LAPD requested that Waymo shutdown its app amidst protesters targeting them, an expression of the people’s anger towards monopolies who use automation against the people.

Anti-ICE solidarity mobilizations have spread across the country over the last few days, with at least 30 demonstrations planned so far. Protests have taken place already in San Francisco, Sacramento, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Austin, and New York in solidarity with Los Angeles as well as with David Huerta, California’s Service Employees International Union (SEIU) president. Huerta was released on Monday after being arrested for obstruction while observing the initial ICE raid on Friday. Protests are set to continue across the country throughout the week.

Photo: Protesters on a bridge throw blocks of concrete, electric scooters, street signs, and other objects at police vehicles. Credit: @caughtla on Instagram.

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