Immigration protests: LA appears relatively calm after police moved in before curfew

Roughly 45 minutes after the curfew took effect, downtown LA appears fairly quiet, a departure from the last few evenings.

There are no signs of Marines or National Guard members.

In Seattle, hundreds of protesters gathered at a rally in a park in the city’s Capitol Hill neighborhood before starting to march toward downtown as dusk approached.

No police were visible at the rally, which got underway peacefully.

The curfew will end at 6 a.m. PDT. Police downtown began making arrests before the curfew officially took effect.

As with last night, some protesters say they don’t plan to leave the downtown area when the 8 p.m. curfew arrives.

For now, police appear to have successfully segmented the crowd into smaller groups.

On one corner, protesters were dancing to “La Chona,” a popular Mexican song, while waving flags of Honduras and El Salvador. A few steps away, a line of police stood with their hands on their guns and batons. One officer cracked a slight smile, prompting cheers from the group.

Officers are chasing groups of protestors through the streets, seemingly trying to push them further from the federal buildings in the area.

The downtown curfew is set to begin at 8 p.m. PDT.

A demonstration in Los Angeles’ civic center suddenly turned chaotic, as police in riot gear — many on horseback — charged at a group, striking them with rods and pushing them out of a park in front of City Hall. Officers also fired crowd control projectiles, striking at least one young woman, who writhed in pain on the ground as she bled from her hip.

It wasn’t clear what initiated the confrontation. But minutes earlier, some protesters had lit fireworks as they approached the federal building, the site of numerous showdowns in recent nights.

Simultaneously, a larger portion of the protest had been in the midst of a dance party.

“It was chill the whole time, it was cool vibes, peaceful protesting,” said Raymond Martinez, a 23-year-old from Hemet, California. “Once we got by the federal building, the horses started coming. They started shooting in the air and pushing up, and that woman got shot. It’s crazy.”

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A man shouts into a megaphone outside City Hall during a protest on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

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The mood was exuberant and festive, with demonstrators pausing in front of City Hall for a Mexican line dance, backed by trumpet players, drummers and loud truck speakers.

“This is not a war zone,” said Yaneth Bonilla, a 50-year-old lifelong resident of Los Angeles, whose parents immigrated from Mexico. Members of her family were afraid to leave the house, she said, fearful they would be picked by ICE.

“We have to realize Trump is going after innocent, hardworking people,” she added. “That’s why we’re here.”

The curfew for a section of downtown Los Angeles will begin for a second night at 8 p.m. PDT.

More than 400 people were at the anti-ICE demonstration Wednesday evening, according to local authorities.

The protest was largely peaceful, with many blasting music and some handing out water. Nearby streets were closed off as law enforcement watched from hundreds of feet away.

Dozens of the demonstrators had walked to City Hall from the Alamo after police there closed off the area where a protest was scheduled to take place.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s sued the Trump administration in an effort to stop the military helping immigration agents in Los Angeles.

The administration’s official response on Wednesday says that President Donald Trump is “exercising his lawful statutory and constitutional power to ensure that federal personnel and facilities are protected.”

Trump has activated more than 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines to quell protests over immigration enforcement.

The lawsuit argues that the deployment of troops trampled on the state’s sovereignty and pushes for a restraining order.

In the Trump administration’s response, it called this “unprecedented,” saying: “It would be constitutionally anathema. And it would be dangerous.”

A judge has set a hearing for Thursday.

Demonstrators critical of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency returned to lower Manhattan on Wednesday evening, a day after dozens of protesters were detained.

Groups of people chanting and holding anti-ICE signs once again gathered around the area of Foley Square. New York City police did not immediately have information about possible arrests.

Police detained more than 80 people during protests Tuesday evening into early Wednesday.

More than two dozen officers with the Texas Department of Public Safety told a small group of protestors that the Alamo in San Antonio, where a demonstration was planned to take place, was closed.

Dozens of people gathered hundreds of feet outside of the Alamo holding signs in support of immigrants and in opposition to President Trump.

“I think the National Guard made a lot of people afraid,” Pinky Ochoa, 21, said at City Hall, where another protest was scheduled to take place.

“I think a lot of people fear what’s going to happen,” Pedro Ruiz, 53, said about the mostly quiet downtown.

Officers with the Public Safety Department said the Texas National Guard was present at a protest in downtown San Antonio. Members were not seen standing with law enforcement in front of a small crowd of demonstrators.

The commander in charge said while some troops have already gone on such missions, he said it’s too early to say if that will continue even after the protests die down.

Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman, speaking in an interview with The Associated Press and ABC, also warned that he expects the protest situation will escalate, noting that protests across the nation are being planned and discussed now.

“I’m focused right here in LA, what’s going on right here,” Sherman said. “But you know, I think we’re, we’re very concerned.”

Sherman, commander of Task Force 51 that is overseeing the Guard troops and Marines deployed to LA, initially said that National Guard troops had already temporarily detained some civilians. He later said he was incorrect, and that he had based his comments on photos and footage he had seen that turned out to not be a representation of Guard members in Los Angeles.

District Attorney Nathan Hochman highlighted five cases brought in recent days, with charges including assault, grand theft and felony vandalism.

In one case, suspects allegedly shot fireworks at police officers. Two other defendants are accused of driving their motorcycles into a line of officers.

Hochman said investigators were reviewing video from demonstrations that turned violent over the weekend and more charges are pending.

He said people are encouraged to engage in peaceful demonstration, “but the moment they engage in illegal acts, they are no longer legitimate First Amendment protestors. They are criminals.”

The Los Angeles Police Department has made nearly 400 arrests and detentions since Saturday in connection to immigration protests.

The vast majority of which have been for failing to leave the area in defiance of requests from law enforcement, according to police. There have been a handful of more serious charges including for assault against police officers and for possession of a Molotov cocktail and a gun.

Nine police officers have been wounded, most were minor injuries and some were transported to a hospital and released.

Editor’s Note: The Associated Press has withdrawn its story about the National Guard temporarily detaining civilians in the Los Angeles protests. The commander of the troops told the AP that National Guard members had already detained some civilians. He later said his information was incorrect and Guard members have not detained civilians. The AP will publish a corrected version of the story.

Some of those arrested in connection with downtown protests during rush hour Tuesday were charged for vandalism, police say. Four people face felony charges, including for aggravated battery against an officer of the peace.

Thousands of people demonstrated in a downtown plaza to call out the Trump administration’s immigration operations and his move to dispatch dispatching the military to California.

Chicago leaders say the majority of protesters were peaceful and exercising their First Amendment rights.

Speaking at a bill-signing news conference Wednesday, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott would not say how many guard members will be used or how. He added only that they will be in “strategic locations where they can provide the most robust response” if needed.

“There are others outside of this room who would like to know that. And I’m not going to tell them,” Abbott said.

Protests are planned in San Antonio on Wednesday night and in other cities around the state this weekend. San Antonio officials have said they didn’t ask for the Guard to be sent.

“We want to make sure that what has happened in California does not happen in Texas,” Abbott said.

The mayor said an overnight curfew for downtown neighborhoods will remain in effect indefinitely.

Bass said officials will consider lifting it if there are fewer arrests Wednesday night.

“What I’m hoping is that Angelenos got the message last night,” she said.

How long it will remain in place also depends on the response by the federal government, Bass said.

“If there are raids that continue, if there are soldiers marching up and down our streets, I would imagine that the curfew will continue,” she said.

Mayor Karen Bass called the raids in Southern California a provocation by the White House.

“Maybe we are part of a national experiment about how far to determine the federal government can go in reaching in and taking over power from a governor, power from a local jurisdiction,” Bass said.

Bass was joined by mayors from across the region, several of whom said they were immigrants.

They said immigrants are vital for the economy, including harvesting food for the country.

“We are not criminals. We are hard working people. We came to the United States to work, to better our families,” said South Gate Mayor Maria Davila.

Many of the city leaders said raids have been happening outside Home Depots, churches and other businesses. A woman who was nine months pregnant and a man dropping off his granddaughter were among those detained, they said.

The vast majority of people -- 203 -- were detained for failing to disperse Tuesday, and 17 others for violating the curfew that set in at 8 p.m. over part of Los Angeles, police said in a statement Wednesday.

Police arrested several more people for possessing a firearm, assaulting a police officer and shining a laser at a police “airship.”

Police said they used “numerous” less lethal munitions to control the crowd. Two officers were injured Tuesday, bringing the total number injured over the past several days of protests to nine.

At Wednesday’s Houston City Council meeting, Mayor John Whitmire did not specifically mention the possibility of Texas National Guard troops being sent to the nation’s fourth-largest city ahead of any protests.

City leaders expressed their confidence in the Houston Police Department being able to monitor any protests.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s office says National Guard troops are “on standby” in Texas in areas where demonstrations are planned.

“We’re so prepared,” Whitmire said. “We have such a great police department, a diverse police department that has so much experience. We have a history of peaceful demonstrations brought about by the faith community, our civic leaders, our political figures. And we’re going to continue down that path.”

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says the city’s police have responded appropriately in managing crowds at immigration protests in recent days.

The demonstrations have been in response to aggressive immigration arrests in the city and in solidarity with Los Angeles. The largest Chicago gathering was downtown Wednesday when thousands gathered in a downtown plaza and onto surrounding streets during the evening rush hour.

There were some incidents of vandalism, and one 66-year-old woman was injured when she was hit by a car.

“The vast majority of protesters remain peaceful and organized,” Johnson said.

No officers were hit.

Both people are charged with possession of an unregistered destructive device, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said at a press conference Wednesday.

“You can make a statement, but you can’t throw bombs or Molotov cocktails,” Essayli said.

Investigators are combing through FBI videos, body camera footage from law enforcement and other evidence on social media, said Essayli.

Authorities expect to charge more people in the coming days and weeks.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security revealed names of nine people arrested by immigration authorities in Los Angeles on Monday and Tuesday with criminal convictions, including one for homicide and burglary and others for drug trafficking and child endangerment.

It used those cases to portray violent criminals as its primary targets and accuse political opponents of coddling them.

“How much longer will Governor (Gavin) Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass continue to prioritize these criminal illegal aliens over their own citizens?” said Tricia McLaughlin, a department spokesperson. “Secretary (Kristi) Noem has a message to the LA rioters: you will not stop us or slow us down. ICE will continue to enforce the law and arrest criminal illegal aliens.”

Chicago police say a 66-year-old woman was injured when she was struck by a car during downtown protests Tuesday evening.

Crowds of demonstrators rallying in solidarity with activists in Los Angeles took over a plaza and some surrounding streets amid rush hour traffic. Video footage shows a car speeding through a roadway where people were standing and were protesting.

Police said Wednesday that the injured woman fractured her left arm and was treated at a local hospital.

No other injuries were reported.

Chicago police say detectives are investigating. No charges have been filed.

The defense of Newsom came as House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer were asked how Newsom should be dealing with Trump.

Jeffries said Newsom “has been doing a tremendous job on behalf of the people of California.” He then used the question to state Democrats believe along with Newsom that anybody who commits violence or destroys property should be held accountable to the full extent of that law. At the same time, people have a right to “peacefully protest and petition their government.”

Schumer said that Trump has been trying to intimidate Newsom.

“He has shown he’s not going to be intimidated, and we’re all for that,” Schumer said of Newsom. “All for him and proud that he is refusing to be intimidated by Donald Trump.”

The protests took place around Foley Square Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning.

Many in the large crowds, which police estimated at around 2,500 people, shouted out against federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement and waved signs that included “ICE out of NYC” as they rallied near an ICE facility and federal courthouses.

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the vast majority of demonstrators were peaceful. She blamed smaller groups for causing the disorder that required police intervention.

Police said they took 86 people into custody, including 52 who were released with criminal court summonses for minor crimes and 34 who were charged with assault, resisting arrest and other crimes.

Some protesters clashed with police when they jumped over metal barricades and were wrestled to the ground by officers. Video also showed demonstrators throwing items at law enforcement vehicles.

About 700 Marines are still undergoing civil disturbance training at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach in Orange County, California, said Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman, head of the task force that’s overseeing the deployment of the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles.

Sherman wouldn’t speculate about when the Marines might join the 2,000 or so Guard troops that have been deployed in downtown areas to protect federal buildings during sometimes violent demonstrations against President Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Another 2,000 Guard troops were expected to mobilize on Thursday, he said during a news conference.

The streets of downtown Los Angeles began bustling with residents walking dogs and commuters clutching coffee cups after the overnight curfew was lifted at 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Officials said at least two dozen people were arrested for violating the curfew, but overall they were fewer clashes between police and demonstrators than on previous nights.

There were no signs of Marines deployed to downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday, joining the National Guard troops that are protecting federal buildings and ICE agents making arrests.

A coalition of 18 Democratic attorneys general on Wednesday condemned the Trump administration for what they called the unlawful deployment of the California National Guard amid the protests in Los Angeles.

“The president’s decision to federalize and deploy California’s National Guard without the consent of California state leaders is unlawful, unconstitutional, and undemocratic,” the attorneys general said in a statement released by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. They said the Trump administration should be working with local leaders to keep everyone safe, “not mobilizing the military against the American people.”

In their capacity as the chief legal officers of the 18 states, they also expressed support for California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s court challenge to Trump’s order.

“We oppose any action from this administration that will sow chaos, inflame tensions, and put people’s lives at risk — including those of our law-enforcement officers,” they wrote.

The statement was joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, and Vermont.

The hundreds who marched Tuesday evening down thoroughfares in the city, blocking traffic and chanting, were eventually told to disperse by police.

Officers used smoke and pepper balls -- similar to paintballs but filled with a substance akin to pepper spray -- to control the crowd, the Denver Police Department said in a statement Wednesday.

Three people were arrested on assault charges, according to Denver police. Other charges included graffiti, unlawfully throwing projectiles and failing to following the police’s orders.

Claudia Sheinbaum said she would discuss the U.S. Homeland Security Secretary’s accusation with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on Wednesday as he visits Mexico.

She rejected Noem’s comments as “completely false” the day before, publishing a video of her in her morning press briefing calling for Mexicans to act in peace in the Los Angeles protests.

Sheinbaum added more details Wednesday — claiming her opponents had “completely taken out of context” her previous comments suggesting that Mexicans could protest a tax on remittances proposed by Trump.

“We have never called for a violent demonstration,” she said. “We are against all violent acts. We’ve always supported peaceful protests.”

Mayor Ron Nirenberg said city officials did not ask for the Texas National Guard to be deployed to the city ahead of planned protests Wednesday night and Saturday.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s office said Tuesday night that National Guard troops were “on standby” in areas where demonstrations are planned. That came came after police in Austin used chemical irritants to disperse several hundred demonstrators Monday near the state Capitol.

Wednesday night’s protest in San Antonio are scheduled to be near the Alamo, in the heart of the city’s downtown.

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said he has not been told by either the governor’s office or the guard how many troops would be in the city, where they would be positioned or what they will be doing. The governor’s office has not publicly released those details.

McManus said the city police are ready to handle any security issues with the demonstration.

“We are prepared for a peaceful demonstration, but we are also prepared if something goes south and it turns violent,” McManus said.

Immigration raids across Southern California are rattling the area’s immigrant communities, even among those in the country legally. More than 100 people have been detained since Friday.

In Orange County, a day laborer said he started carrying his green card everywhere. And during a news conference Monday, the family members of detained workers in Los Angeles urged officials to uphold the city and the state of California as places of sanctuary for immigrants.

▶Read more about how it’s affecting immigrant families

Protests that started in Los Angeles have begun to spread across the country, with more planned into the weekend.

From Seattle and Austin to Chicago and Washington, D.C., marchers have chanted slogans, carried signs against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and snarled traffic through downtown avenues and outside federal offices. While many have been peaceful, some have resulted in clashes with law enforcement as officers made arrests and used chemical irritants to disperse crowds.

Activists are planning more and even larger demonstrations in the coming days, with “No Kings” events across the country on Saturday to coincide with Trump’s planned military parade through Washington.

The Trump administration said it would continue its program of raids and deportations despite the protests.

“ICE will continue to enforce the law,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted Tuesday on social media.

New York City police detained more than 80 people during protests around lower Manhattan’s Foley Square against federal immigration enforcement actions Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning.

▶ Read more about some of the other protests across the country

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump left open the possibility of invoking the Insurrection Act, which authorizes the president to deploy military forces inside the U.S. to suppress rebellion or domestic violence or to enforce the law in certain situations. It’s one of the most extreme emergency powers available to a U.S. president.

“If there’s an insurrection, I would certainly invoke it. We’ll see,” he said from the Oval Office.

Los Angeles police swiftly enforced a downtown curfew, making arrests moments after it took effect, while deploying officers on horseback and using crowd control projectiles to break up a group of hundreds of demonstrators.

Members of the National Guard stood watch behind plastic shields, but did not appear to participate in the arrests Tuesday night.

Hours later, many of the protesters had dispersed, although sporadic confrontations continued that were much smaller than in previous nights.

The demonstrations have been mostly concentrated downtown and the curfew covers a 1-square-mile (2.5-square-kilometer) section that includes an area where protests have occurred since Friday in the sprawling city of 4 million.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom asked a court to put an emergency stop to the military helping federal immigration agents, with some guardsmen now standing in protection around agents as they carried out arrests. He said it would only heighten tensions and promote civil unrest. The judge set a hearing for Thursday, giving the administration several days to continue those activities.

▶ Read more about Tuesday night’s protests