Police in Los Angeles ordered crowds to disperse from the downtown area following a surge of unrest marked by torched vehicles and clashes between protesters and security forces, who responded with tear gas.

The protests, which began on Friday, were sparked by recent immigration raids that led to the arrest of dozens of individuals, whom authorities described as undocumented immigrants and suspected gang members.

The demonstrations intensified after President Donald Trump authorised the deployment of National Guard troops to the city.

According to critics, Trump’s action is inflaming tensions.

Los Angeles, a city with a significant Latino population, has seen growing outrage over the crackdown.

Opponents of the move accuse the president of using aggressive immigration enforcement and military showmanship to advance political goals during his second term.

By Sunday night, officials had declared the downtown area an “unlawful assembly zone.”

Local media broadcast images of heavily armed police units securing near-empty streets, while isolated groups of demonstrators continued to launch fireworks and throw objects at law enforcement.

Source: X | channelstv