Los Angeles, June 11, 2025 — Late Tuesday night, part of downtown Los Angeles was placed under a curfew as protests flared in response to recent federal immigration raids. This measure, designed to stop violence and looting from breaking out further across major American cities, represents an increasing level of civil unrest across many major American cities.
Mayor Karen Bass declared a local emergency and instituted a curfew from 8 pm to 6 am last night, covering one square mile area in downtown LA. Her decision came following reports of vandalism at 23 businesses as well as confrontations between demonstrators and police and was implemented last night at 8 p.m. by issuing a curfew order from 8 p.m. until 6 a.m. This decision came following reports of vandalism at these businesses as well as clashes between demonstrators and police that resulted in confrontations and confrontations between demonstrators and demonstrator clashes, The Australian reported this morning: ‘Vandalism rampages at 23 businesses” with confrontations between protestors and police and protestors as well as between demonstrators and demonstrators who engaged with police over these events’, including confrontations at roughly 23 businesses +15 with over 700 demonstrators clashing between demonstrators and demonstrators with police, according to news agencies such as AAP News +15 and Wikipedia on +15 +15inclusive
As soon as the clock struck 8, mounted police and officers equipped with crowd-control munitions quickly moved in, followed by mass arrests within minutes in the designated curfew zone. LAPD reported nearly 200 arrests in just one evening alone while crediting horseback units as key tools in restoring order (reuters.com +14; APnews +14).
State troops remained behind barricades as federal forces, including approximately 700 Marines from a nearby staging area, waited orders from there.
[APNews.com, SfChronicle and Wikipedia are sources for more information].
Over 2,100 National Guard members had already been deployed in the area as part of an overall activation total of 4,000 guardsmen approved for deployment (reuters.com/, en.wikipedia/org, and apnews/).
Gavin Newsom strongly condemned the federal response as an unlawful escalation and an “attack on democracy”. In a televised address, he denounced the military deployment to an U.S. city and announced California will seek legal action against any future federal intervention (https://apnews.com/6+6/7/875849820/20835887818)
President Donald Trump justified his decision, citing “Third World lawlessness” and pledging to liberate Los Angeles with troops deployed from Fort Bragg under Title 10, Section 12406 as justification, characterizing protesters as “rioters bearing foreign flags”. (Sources: Reuters.com + 2, The Australian + 2 and New York Post + 2)
Five nights into demonstrations prompted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids targeting immigrant communities, what began with relatively peaceful daytime marches has escalated into increasingly tense, often violent confrontations after dark. Officials noted that most daytime assemblies remained orderly and measured while groups using darkness to instigate destruction had crossed an invisible line, according to Reuter’s.com
Protests against immigration enforcement have spread beyond Los Angeles. New York, Chicago, Dallas, Austin, Atlanta and San Francisco have now all organized demonstrations against it. For example youtube.com/815 will show what is currently taking place with regard to immigration enforcement
Austin and Dallas police used tear gas against demonstrators and declared unlawful assemblies; reported incidents with demonstrators have included confrontations at multiple locales; such instances can be found at APN News (+1), Wikipedia (+1) or Apnews.com (+1).
Supporters of the protests contend that military presence on U.S. soil violates civil liberties and sets an unsettling precedent, with activists asserting: “This isn’t quelling unrest–it’s suppressing dissent!” As Governor Newsom noted: troops had been deployed “for political theater, not public safety”.
Authorities, however, insist these actions are necessary in order to protect both lives and property. Mayor Bass pointed out that their response focused on order instead of suppression.
As dawn breaks over downtown LA, demonstrators continue gathering despite the curfew. It remains to be seen if this nightly crackdown will quell unrest or further inflame national outrage; legal challenges, increasing federal presence and protests may change the conversation away from border policy and toward American democratic values in coming days.