Federal authorities promised swift action against lawbreakers Saturday as Southland anti-ICE demonstrations continued, one day after multiple protesters were arrested for throwing objects at federal agents at downtown’s Metropolitan Detention Center.
A rally was set for 2 p.m. Saturday on the steps of City Hall at 200 N. Spring St., amid a nationwide call to end funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Nearly a dozen similar rallies were scheduled Saturday in various Southern California communities, including Baldwin Park, Compton, El Segundo, Culver City, Torrance and Aliso Viejo.
After Friday’s violence, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said Saturday that he’s requested more federal officers to Los Angeles to protect federal property.
“The violence and destruction of property directed at our federal properties in downtown Los Angeles last night is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” Essayli said. “I have authorized federal officers to arrest anyone engaged in violence on the spot.”
President Donald Trump doubled down on those sentiments.
“I have instructed Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, that under no circumstances are we going to participate in various poorly run Democrat cities with regard to their protests and/or riots unless, and until, they ask us for help,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “We will, however, guard, and very powerfully so, any and all federal buildings that are being attacked by these highly paid lunatics, agitators, and insurrectionists.
“Please be aware that I have instructed ICE and/or Border Patrol to be very forceful in this protection of federal government property,” Trump continued. “There will be no spitting in the faces of our officers, there will be no punching or kicking the headlights of our cars, and there will be no rock or brick throwing at our vehicles, or at our patriot warriors. If there is, those people will suffer an equal, or more, consequence. In the meantime, by copy of this statement, I am informing local governments, as I did in Los Angeles when they were rioting at the end of the Biden term, that you must protect your own state and local property. In addition, it is your obligation to also protect our federal property, buildings, parks, and everything else. We are there to protect federal property, only as a back up, in that it is local and state responsibility to do so.”
Eight people were arrested Friday, Officer Kevin Terzes of the Los Angeles Police Department told City News Service. Six were for failure to disperse, one for assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer and one for a curfew violation, he said.
Two officers suffered minor injuries, Terzes added.
The clashes with federal agents took place during the nationwide day of action in response to the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers in Minneapolis amid protests against ICE enforcement operations in that city.
At 7:40 p.m. Friday, the LAPD noted on X that “Officers have arrested a suspect who was allegedly using a sling shot to shoot hard metal objects at officers who were standing on the line.”
The clashes began shortly before 5 p.m.
Video from the scene showed objects being thrown toward the building, while police appeared to deploy pepper spray from inside the facility and erect a makeshift barricade using wooden skids from a loading-dock area.
The LAPD announced at 5:16 p.m. that it had gone on tactical alert because of what it said was “violent agitators” on Alameda Street between Temple and Aliso streets. A tactical alert requires all on-duty officers to stay on duty beyond their shifts and enables the reallocation of personnel.
Spring Street between Temple and First streets was closed due to demonstrations.
A dispersal order was issued around 5:45 p.m., giving protesters in the area of Alameda between Union Station 10 minutes to leave or face arrest, police said.
When officers attempted to disperse the crowd on Alameda Street between Temple and Aliso streets around 6:05 p.m., protesters immediately began to block the street with traffic control items and throw rocks and bottles at the officers, according to the department.
Freshly spray-painted graffiti using obscenities to criticize ICE and Trump was also seen on several buildings in the area.
The department announced earlier Friday that acts of vandalism during the march were being documented and asked all property owners and managers to also document all acts of vandalism and report them to lapdonline.org.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said those who became violent Friday night only hurt their own cause.
“I think the protests are extremely important, but it is equally important for these protests to be peaceful, for vandalism not to take place,” she said late Friday. “That just hurts the city. That does not impact the administration in any kind of way that is going to bring about any type of change. … If the protest gets violent, that is exactly what I believe this administration wants to see happen, because then don’t be surprised if the military re-enters our city.”
Protesters carrying signs also gathered outside a Target store in Woodland Hills earlier Friday, criticizing what they described as the retailer’s abandonment of diversity, equity and inclusion practices. Some demonstrators alleged that federal immigration enforcement agents have been allowed on store premises. Target officials denied the claims, saying the company has no cooperative agreement with the federal government regarding immigration enforcement.
Additional protests were held outside Burbank City Hall, at Abbott Kinney and Venice boulevards in Venice, at Carlson Park in Culver City and the intersection of Valencia Boulevard and McBean Parkway in Santa Clarita.
In Orange County, an afternoon rally was held at the intersection of Camino Capistrano and Del Obispo Street in San Juan Capistrano, and broadcast reports showed students on the march in Mission Viejo and La Habra.
Los Angeles Unified School District campuses remained open Friday.
“Schools are providing students with opportunities on campus for student expression, offering additional district resources and guidance for students to engage in meaningful discussions on campus,” according to a statement from the District.
The demonstrations were part of a nationwide day of action organized by University of Minnesota student groups following the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers in Minneapolis. Organizers have dubbed the effort “National Shutdown,” with the stated goal of stopping funding for ICE, according to the group’s website.
“The people of the Twin Cities have shown the way for the whole country — to stop ICE’s reign of terror, we need to SHUT IT DOWN. On Friday, January 30, join a nationwide day of no school, no work and no shopping,” organizers wrote online.
Several local businesses participated in the protest through closures or boycotts.