Downtown Los Angeles descended into mayhem for the third day in a row as immigration protests exploded into full-blown street warfare — with police officers caught directly in the line of fire.
What began as a protest against ICE raids and President Trump’s National Guard deployment has spiraled into a dangerous and chaotic eruption. On Sunday, crowds flooded city streets — and shockingly, even seized control of the 101 Freeway — turning their fury toward California Highway Patrol vehicles, with reports that some tried to set them ablaze.
The situation took a terrifying turn when protesters armed themselves with commercial-grade fireworks, launching them directly at LAPD officers. These weren’t ordinary fireworks — according to LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, they were powerful enough to be lethal.
“Tonight, individuals were shooting commercial-grade fireworks at our officers — fireworks that can kill you,” McDonnell warned grimly.
Violence intensified rapidly. A small fire ignited behind a line of LAPD officers, highlighting the volatile and combustible atmosphere.
As chaos escalated, law enforcement struggled to hold the line. Protesters threw objects with reckless abandon, used makeshift shields, and in a shocking escalation, allegedly hurled a Molotov cocktail. In a brazen act, another individual reportedly charged a police barricade on a motorcycle.
By nightfall, the fallout was clear: 27 arrests — 10 by LAPD, 17 by CHP — with tensions far from cooling.
“It’s gotten worse since it began,” McDonnell said, his tone grave. “The violence is escalating and becoming more dangerous.”
“Disgusting.”
At a tense press conference, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell didn’t mince words, unleashing his fury over what he called the blatant hijacking of peaceful protests by outside agitators.
“It was even more disgusting that many of the people causing this chaos come in from other places — just to hurt people and sow havoc,” he said bluntly.
“Disgusting,” he repeated, as reported by ABC, describing the brutal attacks on officers involving Molotov cocktails, fireworks, and flying rocks.
City leaders are now seriously considering a curfew to restore order. McDonnell confirmed discussions with the L.A. County Sheriff are underway, with the decision to be revisited as the situation evolves.
Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom intensified his verbal assault on President Trump, accusing the White House of fanning the flames of unrest in Southern California. Newsom has been outspoken in condemning Trump’s controversial deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to California — a highly unusual federal intervention made without the governor’s consent or request.
“That move is deliberately inflammatory and will only escalate tensions,” Newsom declared on X Saturday. “It’s the wrong mission, and it will erode public trust.”
The protests erupted across Los Angeles on Friday after federal immigration agents arrested at least 44 people in a sweeping crackdown. These detentions are part of President Trump’s broader immigration enforcement campaign, which has ignited a wave of protests and confrontations nationwide.
