LOS ANGELES — CNN has reported that a contingent of 500 to 700 U.S. Marines from the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms is being dispatched to Los Angeles. This deployment aims to bolster federal law enforcement efforts following violent protests against immigration enforcement actions that erupted on June 8 in downtown Los Angeles. The demonstrations, which began on June 6, have sparked numerous confrontations with police, resulting in property damage and numerous arrests.
During these disturbances, law enforcement officials have documented several instances of violence, including officers being hit with rocks, scooters, and other projectiles. A video showed demonstrators hurling debris from an overpass at California Highway Patrol officers positioned on the freeway below.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna reported injuries among deputies, with one requiring hospitalization due to burns from a firework. He also mentioned that a Molotov cocktail was thrown during the chaos. In response, officers used crowd control tactics like tear gas and rubber bullets after declaring the protests an unlawful assembly. Luna emphasized that arrest teams were in place, warning that anyone involved in violence or damage to property would be detained.
As the Marines prepare for their assignment, the Department of Defense is still working out the details of their involvement, including use-of-force guidelines. CNN noted that the rules of engagement for military personnel who may face protestors in the city are still being crafted.
On June 9, California Governor Gavin Newsom filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, aiming to regain state authority over the California National Guard. Newsom opposed the president’s decision to deploy National Guard troops to Los Angeles without his consent.
In response to the lawsuit, President Trump suggested Governor Newsom should face arrest. “I think his primary crime is running for governor, because he’s done such a bad job,” Trump remarked while speaking in Washington, D.C.
The deployment of active-duty Marines domestically is rare, and Pentagon officials have yet to disclose how long the forces will remain in the Los Angeles area.
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