A curfew of downtown Los Angeles went into effect, after being imposed by LA Mayor Karen Bass in order to prevent vandalism and looting during the ongoing immigration protests in the area.
Bass’ decision to implement the curfew followed an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order filed by the state in its lawsuit to block further deployment of troops. It runs for one-square mile in the downtown area from the 5 Freeway to the 110 Freeway and from the 10 Freeway to where the 110 Freeway and 5 Freeway merge. Bass said that “the curfew will be in place tonight [Tuesday] from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. We certainly expect for it to last for several days. The city of Los Angeles is a massive area, 502 square miles. The area of downtown, where the curfew will take place, is one square mile … Some of the imagery of the protest, of the violence gives the appearance as though this is a citywide crisis and it is not.”
Per NBC News, more than 200 people were arrested after police said they failed to leave the downtown area in compliance with the mayor’s curfew, and face charges of failure to disperse. In addition, 17 people were arrested on a charge of curfew violation, per the Los Angeles Police Department said. Others were taken into custody on charges of possessing a firearm, assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer, and discharging a laser at a police airship.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom delivered a statewide address earlier in the week, regarding the deployment of hundreds of National Guard and U.S. Marines troops to the area by President Trump. Newsom said in part: “Trump, without consulting California leaders, commandeered 2,000 of our state’s National Guard members to deploy on our streets illegally and for no reason. This brazen abuse of power by a sitting president enflamed a combustible situation, putting our people, our officers and even our National Guard at risk ..The President, he did it on purpose. As the news spread throughout L.A., anxiety for family and friends ramped up and protests started again. By night, several dozen lawbreakers became violent and destructive, they vandalized property, they tried to assault police officers. This situation was winding down and was concentrated in just a few square blocks downtown. But that, that’s not what Donald Trump wanted.”
Pres. Trump stood firm in his decision to send in the National Guard and Marines, writing on his Truth Social platform Wednesday that, “If our troops didn’t go into Los Angeles, it would be burning to the ground right now, just like so much of their housing burned to the ground. The great people of Los Angeles are very lucky that I made the decision to go in and help!! The INCOMPETENT Governor of California was unable to provide protection in a timely manner when our Ice Officers, GREAT Patriots they are, were attacked by an out of control mob of agitators, troublemakers, and/or insurrectionists. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Editorial credit: Ringo Chiu / Shutterstock.com
