Camilla Jessen
What started as peaceful protests over ICE actions spiraled into violent clashes.
The streets of Los Angeles erupted into chaos over the weekend, as protests against recent actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) descended into violent confrontations.
The protests initially began as peaceful demonstrations on June 6, sparked by recent actions from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
But the situation quickly spiraled into widespread unrest.
The escalation prompted President Donald Trump to deploy the National Guard in an attempt to restore order.
Although the protests and related violence appear to have calmed for now, the shocking scenes from Los Angeles over the weekend continue to draw worldwide attention.
This was reported by Newsner.
A Weekend of Escalating Violence
The streets of Los Angeles saw a series of intense confrontations, with footage and images from the scene spreading rapidly across the globe.
As tensions grew, clashes intensified between protesters and law enforcement, while political leaders, including California Governor Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass, found themselves at odds with the Trump administration.
One particularly harrowing incident occurred on June 8, when Lauren Tomasi, U.S. correspondent for News Nine, was shot live on air by an LAPD-fired rubber bullet.
Reporting from 257 E Temple Street, Tomasi described how officers on horseback were advancing while firing rubber bullets at demonstrators. Moments later, one of those bullets struck her.
“You just f**king shot the reporter,” a bystander shouted as Tomasi was hit.
While Tomasi’s injury drew widespread attention, it was far from the only disturbing scene to emerge.
The Trampling Incident
A separate viral video captured another moment that horrified viewers.
The clip shows a man wearing a backpack lying on the ground as police officers on foot and horseback surround him.
In the footage, the man is kicked by one police horse, trampled by another, and then struck over the head by a mounted officer wielding a baton-like tool.
Although the man briefly gets back on his feet, another officer knocks him down again amid the ongoing chaos.
Reports suggest that police resorted to more aggressive crowd control tactics after being pelted with Molotov cocktails and rocks by some protesters.
As the violence escalated, President Trump announced on June 7 that he had authorized the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops in response to the unrest and violence against ICE agents.
Later, Governor Newsom stated that he had been informed of an additional 2,000 federal troops being dispatched, while federal authorities confirmed that roughly 700 marines would also be deployed to assist in stabilizing the situation.