LA Mayor Karen Bass Responds to JD Vance's 'Lies' About Anti-ICE Protests

Mayor Bass Criticizes JD Vance's LA Visit

• 🎯 Mayor Karen Bass strongly condemned Vice President JD Vance's press conference in Los Angeles, calling his statements "lies and utter nonsense" intended to provoke division.
• ⚠️ Bass stated that Vance's visit and accusations are consistent with provocations from Washington that have disrupted lives and spread fear in the city.

Economic Impact of Protests and Accusations

• 📉 Businesses are suffering, with owners describing the situation as worse than COVID-19 due to workers being afraid to come to work and customers staying home.
• 💔 Families are experiencing trauma, with children wondering why their fathers did not come home on Father's Day.
• 🗣️ Vance accused city leaders, including Mayor Bass, of encouraging violence and "sicking mobs on ICE officers."

Questions About Unidentified Armed Individuals

• ❓ Mayor Bass raised serious questions about unidentified armed men who appeared without uniforms, masked, refusing ID, and driving unmarked cars with tinted windows.
• 🚨 She questioned if these individuals were bounty hunters or vigilantes, and why federal officials would not identify themselves.
• 😨 The presence of these individuals, described as jumping out of cars with guns and pulling people off the street, created fear and terror.

Law Enforcement and Protest Management

• ✅ Bass asserted that local law enforcement, including the LAPD and Sheriff's Department, handled crowd control effectively and maintained peace.
• 👮 Federal officials protected a federal building but were not involved in crowd control.
• ⚖️ Violence and vandalism were managed, with a curfew put in place and subsequently lifted.
• 📍 Disruptions were confined to a small area (about two square miles) within the larger 500-square-mile city.

Disrespect Towards Senator Padilla

• 😠 Mayor Bass expressed outrage at Vance's disrespect towards Senator Padilla, mispronouncing his name and questioning his identity.
• 🏛️ She highlighted that as Vice President, Vance serves with Senator Padilla in the US Senate and should know his name.

Support for Immigrant Communities and Businesses

• 💰 A million-dollar donation from the Dodgers in partnership with the city will be directed towards immigrant communities to help with basic needs like rent and groceries.
• 🤝 Mayor Bass is coordinating with over 20 foundations, both national and local, to provide support for individuals, families, and businesses impacted by the recent events.
• 📣 She urged the public to patronize local restaurants and businesses to aid their recovery.
• 💡 The city implemented a curfew at the request of the business community to maintain order, which has since been lifted.
• 🚫 The primary reason for ongoing fear and reduced patronage is not the curfew but the general atmosphere of fear created by the events and accusations.
• 💸 The city is working to rebuild and prepare for upcoming events, emphasizing that the recent "unnecessary experiment and stunt" has negatively impacted the economy.