Protests in Los Angeles turned violent on Sunday when tear gas was fired at demonstrators who approached National Guard troops and hurled insults at them. This incident occurred following President Donald Trump’s extraordinary deployment of the military, despite objections from the governor and mayor.
The clash took place as hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles, where National Guard troops were stationed behind riot shields.
Video footage showed officers releasing tear gas canisters as they advanced towards the protesters, forcing them to retreat. The reasons for the use of chemical irritants and the specific law enforcement agency responsible were not immediately clear.
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In a statement Sunday, Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin accused California’s politicians and protesters of “defending heinous illegal alien criminals at the expense of Americans’ safety.”
“Instead of rioting, they should be thanking ICE officers every single day who wake up and make our communities safer,” McLaughlin added.
