Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass said on Tuesday (June 10) that her office was working with LAPD to consider the ban on walking and other preventive steps in the middle of the potential of restored unrest after a few days of protests caused by federal immigration raids, ABC News reported.
“There was some looting on Monday evening, but the protests were much smaller and less violent than the weekend,” Bass said at a press conference. “We follow the situation carefully and today there is a possibility of one assembly.”
Bass was clear in distinguishing between peace demonstrators and violent agitators. She stressed that riots were limited to “several blocks in the city center”.
“It’s not the whole center and it’s not the whole city,” said the mayor, facing a national media depiction of extended chaos.
The mayor said they believe that most protesters are truly concerned about the rights of immigrants, while those who are responsible for vandalism and looting “have another agenda”.
“I want to tell him to stop the raids”
Bass revealed plans to call President Donald Trump, who deployed 4,000 National Guard soldiers and 700 Marines in Los Angeles in response to protests. The mayor criticized the decision and repeated concerns expressed by California Governor Gavin Newsom.
“I want to tell him to stop the raids,” Bass said. “I want to tell him that it is a city of immigrants.”
She added that the raids that started on Friday left many families “frightened” and are afraid to go to school or work.
Trump prevents the deployment of soldiers
President Trump, spoke from an oval office, justified the military reaction by calling the situation a “violent occupation”.
“La would be burning right now if not for deployment,” Trump said, insisting that the guards would stay until the threat was fully neutralized.
Trump also let an open possibility to induce an rebellion – a rarely used legal mechanism that would allow the army to take over the obligations of enforcement of law. “If there is an uprising, I would definitely provoke it,” he said. “We’ll see.”
Bass: National Guard does not stop violence
Despite Trump’s claims, the mayor of Bass questioned the effectiveness of the deployment of soldiers.
“The National Guard will not stop violence,” she said. “Their only task is to protect the federal building in the city center and the other in Westwood.”
When asked what the coming Marines would be commissioned, the echo replied, “I have no idea.”
Also read | La Chaos: The speaker Johnson will release on the newsome – “he should be hoarse and birmed”
Police made over 180 arrests
On Tuesday morning, the Los Angeles police department reported more than 180 arrests from Saturday. The accusations ranged from looting and attacking officers to an attempt to murder using the Molotov cocktail.
More than 100 people were arrested on Monday, of which 14 for looting. The police confirmed that they responded to some protesters of violence, including blocking with the rocks and highways, with grenades with lightning, tear gas and pepper balls.
The city on the edge
With continuing protests and the potential of further escalation, Los Angeles remains on high readiness. The mayor of Bass, however, repeated the focus of her administration on de-schooling and the safety of the community.
Also read | Newsom Moves Court to Block Trump’s Use of Troops in La Immigration Raids (Tagstotranslate) Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (T) LAPD CURFEW CONSIDERATIONS (T) National Guard and Us Marines Deployment in Los Angeles (T) Los Angeles Protes
