In Los Angeles (LA), United States, protests against a large-scale crackdown on undocumented immigrants continue into the sixth day, while the nighttime curfew imposed by the LA city authorities is proving effective in curbing unrest.
LA Mayor Karen Bass said in an MSNBC interview on the 11th (local time) that "the curfew has operated effectively," noting that "there were no incidents of looting or vandalism last night."
Mayor Bass issued a nighttime curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following day in the one-square-mile (approximately 2.6 square kilometers) area of downtown where protests had intensified the previous day.
He assessed that "the curfew helped to prevent looting and vandalism, which were the initial goals."
However, while the violent protests have diminished, the number of arrested protesters has not decreased.
LA police announced that more than 220 people were taken into custody at the protest site the previous night. Of these, 203 were arrested for failing to disperse and 17 for violating the curfew.
Additionally, three individuals were charged with possession of a firearm, one with attacking an officer with a deadly weapon, and one with aiming a laser at police assets. During this process, two officers were injured and received treatment, according to the Associated Press.
The 700 Marines dispatched by the Ministry of National Defense to LA have not yet been deployed to the protest site. The Marines, who arrived in LA on the 9th, are still undergoing training for riot suppression. The actual deployment time is undecided.
In contrast, 2,000 members of the California National Guard mobilized by the Trump administration on the 7th began supporting the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations to arrest undocumented immigrants, in addition to securing federal buildings.
The Department of Homeland Security released photos on social media showing National Guard troops armed while safeguarding ICE operations. This is seen as the first instance of the National Guard participating in ICE operations.
Tricia McLaughlin, Deputy Minister of the Department of Homeland Security, stated in a press release that "military personnel are performing duties to protect law enforcement officers conducting operations to arrest criminals in LA."
The Department of Homeland Security is conducting aggressive operations targeting undocumented immigrants across the country, undeterred by the protests. The previous day, large-scale crackdowns were also reported at farms in Ventura County, California, and a meat processing plant in Omaha, Nebraska, according to CNN.
At the Nebraska meat processing facility, dozens of workers were taken into custody by ICE. During the arrests, a small protest occurred outside the plant.
State representatives from Ventura County also stated in a press release that "this crackdown is not related to public safety, and those targeted are not criminals, but workers and families diligently contributing to our farms, industries, and communities," arguing that "they form the backbone of our farms and industries."
Protests against the intense crackdown on undocumented immigrants are rapidly spreading to major cities across the nation.
The previous day, protests took place in Seattle, San Francisco, Denver, Austin, New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia. In these cities, hundreds were taken into custody by police.
In Manhattan, New York, approximately 2,500 participated in the protests. Some protesters clashed with police by crossing barricades and threw objects at police vehicles. Police arrested 86 individuals, charging 34 of them with assault and resisting arrest.
In Philadelphia, about 150 gathered to protest near the federal detention center and ICE office, with 15 arrested for failing to comply with the dispersal order.
In San Francisco, about 200 protested in front of the immigration court.
In Chicago, during rush hour, hundreds of protesters occupied a square and surrounding roads, where one vehicle drove into the crowd, injuring a woman in her 60s.
In Denver, hundreds marched while blocking roads, causing traffic disruptions, and 17 were taken into custody for failing to comply with police dispersal orders.
In Texas, protests occurred on the 9th in Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio. Additional protests are scheduled to take place starting on the 14th.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced the previous day that he will deploy the National Guard throughout the state to control the protests.