“Pete sent 4,700 troops here (when they weren’t needed) without adequate fuel, food, water or a place to sleep,” Gavin Newsom posted on X. [Photo: X, originally from San Francisco Chronicle]
As of publication, nearly 400 Los Angeles residents have been detained by the ICE raids currently terrorizing our neighborhoods.
Like all of the United States, LA was built by racist colonial violence, and it remains the unceded territory of the Tongva people. Today, the city continues to contend with these oppressive forces amidst a rich array of racial and cultural diversity that defines our communities.
Last Friday, June 6, the city erupted in response to the devastating raids in our communities. Throughout the week, Angelenos demonstrating their legal right to protest have been met with volleys of rubber bullets and tear gas from local and federal police. Large shows of resistance against the violence enacted by ICE have continued in defiance of Mayor Karen Bass’ attempt to silence them by placing a curfew downtown, in effect from 8 PM through 6 AM, which will last through the weekend.
As the threat of authoritarianism looms over the Army’s 250th anniversary parade this Saturday, which just happens to be Donald Trump’s birthday, “No Kings Day” protests are planned across the country. 4000 California National Guard troops, commandeered by the Trump administration, have been deployed to Los Angeles while a lawsuit challenging the federalization works its way up the courts. Marines currently guard the Federal Building and are carrying out their first known detention of a civilian in LA.
Trump told reporters at the Oval Office, “We’re going to celebrate big on Saturday. If any protesters want to come out, they will be met with very big force.”
With videos of Senator Alex Padilla violently removed from a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) press briefing and Australian reporter Lauren Tomasi targeted by a rubber bullet mid-newscast, it’s clear that any form of dissent against these raids is being met with force. At the date of publication, there have been approximately 500 arrests reported as a result of the protests, which have spread throughout the city, including at hotels where ICE agents are known to be staying. It is absolutely crucial to continue standing up to these inhumane policies and refusing to allow our communities to be torn apart.
Attacks on individuals and groups attempting to provide aid and resources have escalated to the national level. On Wednesday, Senator Josh Hawley announced an investigation into a number of organizations involved in immigration advocacy and politics, including Unión Del Barrio, the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA). In his letter accusing them of funding Los Angeles “riots”, he wrote, “Credible reporting now suggests that your organization has provided logistical support and financial resources to individuals engaged in these disruptive actions. Let me be clear: bankrolling civil unrest is not protected speech. It is aiding and abetting criminal conduct.”
Even local mutual aid efforts have been criminalized, with a man arrested for allegedly providing face shields to protestors.
Despite this suppression, the city is mobilized to protect our neighbors. Organizations like the Los Angeles Tenants Union (LATU) are setting up community defense centers, and Community Self Defense Coalition is coordinating rapid response groups to report ICE sightings. Restaurant owners and customers can educate themselves on how to legally respond to ICE raids to keep employees safe. Mutual Aid Los Angeles (MALAN) compiles a weekly list of opportunities to participate in a number of grassroots actions. As always, if unsure where to start, begin by checking on your neighbors and the people immediately around you, seeing what they might need. More resources can be found here.
Protesting is not a symbolic gesture, nor a threat to community safety, but a powerful opportunity to stand up against state violence and oppression in order to change material conditions. To do nothing as your neighbors are systematically kidnapped from their families, their friends, and their homes, without due process, is a conscious choice that actively contributes to harm. For those whose personal safety is not directly impacted by the ICE raids, who benefit from these unjust systems and the inequity they depend on, to do nothing is to be complicit.
If you are going to attend a protest, inform yourself regarding the proper protective gear, including eyewear with shatterproof glass, helmets and face coverings, knee pads, gloves, and ear plugs. Be sure to bring water, your ID, cash, non-perishable snacks, and any first aid supplies or medications you may want to have with you. It’s recommended to write important phone numbers on your body, like Jail Support LA, which is currently seeking donations for bail funds and taking volunteer shifts.
It’s important to be aware of security protocols, including how your phone can be used to track you and how facial recognition software is used on crowds. Never go to a protest alone, and make sure to have a friend off site who can check in to make sure that you get home safe. Have an exit strategy, and stay alert to your surroundings. Be wary of routes led by inexperienced organizers who may unintentionally lead groups into dangerous situations, like tunnels, which make it easy for LAPD to block them in.
Numbers, intelligence, and adaptability are the most valuable tools for a crowd – learn together, employ a diversity of tactics, and move like water. Do not take photographs or videos that could incriminate or identify anyone. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has resources for more information on keeping yourself safe during a protest and how to defend yourself if you’re arrested for exercising your rights.
The military occupation of our city is continuing to incite fear and endanger our community members, and we each have an urgent role to play in defending against this attempt at a fascist takeover.
