US: Curfew imposed in downtown LA after protests, looting spark chaos

Los Angeles: A limited curfew will come into effect from Tuesday in several areas of downtown Los Angeles, California, following several nights of unrest triggered by the Trump administration’s immigration raids.

The announcement was made by Mayor Karen Bass, who said the city had witnessed escalating violence, arson, and looting in the wake of federal enforcement actions.

The curfew will be enforced from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. and may continue for several days. However, Mayor Bass clarified that residents and people working in the area will be exempt.

She said the decision was made in light of mounting tensions and the need to prevent further disorder.

Masked looters targeted several businesses, including an Apple Store, where they smashed windows and made away with electronic products. They also defaced the building with graffiti.

Other businesses hit included Adidas outlets, pharmacies, marijuana dispensaries, and jewellery stores. Videos circulating online show widespread vandalism, with shelves emptied and storefronts damaged.

Law enforcement responded with arrests as the chaos intensified. The Los Angeles Police Department was stretched thin in the face of the unrest.

Mayor Bass, addressing reporters, acknowledged the strain on local police but slammed federal interference, particularly the Trump administration’s decision to deploy military forces without state consent.

“People have asked me what the Marines are going to do when they get here. That’s a good question, I have no idea,” Bass said during her press conference.

“The answer is not federal troops. The answer is to stop the raids,” he said.

Her remarks come after President Donald Trump announced the deployment of more than 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to California, a move that has been widely criticised by state officials.

The President cited an “assault on peace and public order” and threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act, a rarely used federal law, to crack down on protesters.

California Governor Gavin Newsom responded sharply, saying Trump’s actions amount to an infringement on state sovereignty.

“We didn’t have a problem until Trump got involved. This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they’re actually needed,” Newsom posted on X.

Newsom also reiterated that California’s local law enforcement agencies are fully capable of managing the situation without federal intervention.

Nonetheless, Trump proceeded to cite three provisions under federal law to justify deploying National Guard units without the governor’s approval.

California is now preparing to challenge Trump’s decision in court, arguing that the President has bypassed the state’s authority.

The dual jurisdiction of the National Guard under both state and federal oversight has led to a standoff, with California asserting that Trump’s actions are both illegal and inflammatory.

At the heart of the unrest is last week’s immigration crackdown by the Trump administration, which saw Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conduct high-profile raids in Los Angeles.

Tensions reached a boiling point on Friday when ICE officers detained more than 40 immigrants at a Home Depot parking lot and at a clothing manufacturing facility.

Mayor Bass condemned these actions, pointing to them as the root cause of the recent violence.

“This is not just about looting or protests. It’s about the fear and frustration in our immigrant communities,” she said.

“What we need is a halt to these unjust raids, not an escalation from Washington,” she added.

–IANS