LA Tensions High Over ICE Raids and National Guard Deployment: Journalist Report

Pre-Protest Tensions in Los Angeles

• 💡 Tensions were already high in Los Angeles due to planned ICE raids before protests and National Guard deployment.
• 📌 Protesters gathered outside the federal building and immigration detention center, confronting DHS police and agents.
• ⚠️ Violence occurred between protesters and DHS agents even before the National Guard memorandum was signed.

Escalation and Federal vs. State Conflict

• ⚡ The National Guard memorandum was a response to the events that began on Friday.
• 🎯 ICE and DHS are targeting individuals with criminal records, emphasizing they are not random people but violent criminals here illegally.
• 📈 There is a strong possibility of continued escalation, especially with the SEIU leader's detention and scheduled protests.
• 🗓️ The 60-day National Guard order suggests potential for ongoing escalation, particularly on weekends.

Public Reaction to National Guard Deployment

• 📊 An independent poll indicated over 85% of followers agreed that the National Guard is needed to prevent a repeat of past protest violence.
• 😟 Business owners expressed PTSD and flashbacks from previous protests, leading them to board up shops.
• ✅ The general sentiment is that people are okay with the National Guard presence, provided there are clear boundaries and no federal government overreach.

Safety Concerns at Protests

• ⚠️ A strong recommendation was made not to bring children to protests due to the risk of things escalating quickly.
• 💬 The potential for agitators to incite violence is high, which can lead to rapid escalation.
• 🤝 Many are looking to state government and local law enforcement, like LA Mayor Bass, to manage the situation and prevent the need for the National Guard to take control.