LOS ANGELES — The streets were quieter. The protests less tense. But the arrival of Marines has ignited a new firestorm in Los Angeles.
As dawn approached Tuesday, much of the city had returned to an uneasy calm after four days of unrest sparked by federal immigration raids. Yet the White House ordered more boots on the ground.
President Donald Trump on Monday authorised the deployment of 700 Marines and an additional 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles despite local officials insisting the worst had passed.
“We believe we have the resources right now to deal with the situation,” said Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman, speaking to media . “The political talking is not helpful at all.”
The Marines are expected to support the protection of federal buildings and personnel including immigration enforcement agents who carried out a wave of arrests late last week. It is a striking, and rare, instance of active-duty military presence in a major U.S. city outside of a natural disaster or terror threat.
California Governor Gavin Newsom called the move “a deranged fantasy,” adding that Trump was “playing dictator.”
‘Stop the Raids’
The protests began Friday, triggered by news that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents had swept through immigrant-heavy neighbourhoods in the early morning hours. Many in the city say the operations felt designed to provoke.
“There is a real fear in Los Angeles right now,” said Mayor Karen Bass in a post on social media. “We are a city of immigrants. Washington is attacking our people, our neighbourhoods and our economy.”
The response from demonstrators was swift and loud rallies in Boyle Heights, downtown, and East LA brought thousands into the streets over the weekend.
On Monday night, the mood shifted. The Los Angeles Times reported crowds dispersing by 11pm, with only scattered clashes. Still, police continued to use rubber bullets and stun grenades in some areas.
Footage circulating online shows an Australian journalist struck by a projectile while filming. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the incident “horrific.”
“We’ve raised these concerns with the U.S. administration,” Albanese said Tuesday. “There is no ambiguity this journalist was clearly just doing her job.”
A Show of Force, or a Show for the Cameras?
Critics of the military deployment argue it’s more political theatre than public safety.
Retired Lieutenant General Russel Honoré, who led the federal response to Hurricane Katrina, told the media the decision was unnecessary and inflammatory.
“This is an escalation being perpetrated by the White House,” he said. “We get bigger crowds when the Dodgers win the World Series.”
Trump has framed the unrest as a crisis requiring federal control. On Truth Social, he branded Governor Newsom and Mayor Bass “incompetent” and said the city would be “obliterated” without him.
Newsom responded sharply, threatening a lawsuit over the deployment and accusing the President of abusing power to stage a political spectacle.
“US Marines serve a valuable purpose for this country defending democracy. They are not political pawns,” he posted.
A Broader Battle
Protests have since spread beyond California, with rallies against ICE taking place in cities including Boston, Tampa and Houston. According to CBS, arrests by ICE have surpassed 100,000 since Trump’s return to the White House in January.
Federal officials insist the raids are lawful and targeted. But to many in LA, they are part of a broader pattern of fear.
“People are scared to go about their daily lives,” said Mayor Bass. “Parents, workers, grandparents, young people.”
For now, Los Angeles remains in a state of guarded calm. But the presence of armed forces on city streets and the bitter political war it has sparked ensures that the dust has yet to fully settle.
As the sun rises over Southern California, the question isn’t just how the city will respond but how far this confrontation between state and federal powers might go.
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