More demonstrations against federal illegal immigration enforcement raids were expected in Los Angeles Saturday, after several people were arrested Friday.
Activists staged a Run Against ICE on Saturday morning along a 15-mile route from Koreatown to Olvera Street, and through other communities that have witnessed arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in recent weeks.
Organizers called it a “non-violent journey of resistance through Los Angeles” and said it was part of a 30-day “Summer of Resistance” campaign designed to push for an end to the raids and deportations they say have “torn families apart.”
Some 2,000 people registered to participate in the run, which included a stop at downtown’s Metropolitan Detention Center on Alameda Street, the site of multiple clashes between people protesting illegal immigration arrests and law enforcement officers.
A rally was also scheduled to take place at Olvera Street at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
Meanwhile, police were blaming “outside agitators” for Friday’s trouble, and said multiple arrests were made during several different demonstrations in downtown Los Angeles.
“Most (demonstrators) were peaceful but once again, as the evening approached, outside agitators began to cause issues,” the LAPD announced. “We are requesting that any and all acts of damage or vandalism be documented by photographs or video and forwarded to Central Division.”
An “End of Occupation” rally began Friday morning outside City Hall and continued into the afternoon and early evening, with several hundred protesters marching through the downtown area while police National Guard troops and some Marines stood guard.
The event was sponsored by the group 50501 SoCal in conjunction with SEIU Local 721, CARECEN, NDLON and the Community Power Collective. Videos from the scene showed many people carrying Pride flags, and flags of Mexico, the United States, California and Palestine, and a 15-foot-tall helium-filled balloon of Trump wearing a Russian military uniform.
The Los Angeles Police Department said demonstrators blocked both sides of Alameda Street by placing traffic barriers in the road. Police issued a dispersal order around 7 p.m., ordering everyone to leave the area. The LAPD said the crowd quickly dispersed, but Alameda between First Street and Aliso, and First Street between San Pedro and Alameda would remain closed until further notice.
At 8:28 p.m., police said all traffic was open on Alameda, though LAPD units were sent to clear the Sixth Street Bridge following reports that people were stopping vehicles there.
Earlier Friday, up to four people were detained in a federal immigration enforcement raid at a car wash in West Hollywood. ICE agents conducted the raid at around 11 a.m. Friday at the Santa Palm Car Wash at 8787 Santa Monica Blvd., ABC7 reported.
West Hollywood officials condemned the raid.
“On a day meant to honor the ideals of liberty, democracy, and freedom from oppression, we instead confront a deeply troubling reminder of federal overreach. Independence Day should be a time for reflection and reverence, not fear and persecution,” they said.
ICE officials did not respond to a request for comment.