Riots in Los Angeles: Trump sends in the National Guard

The situation in Los Angeles, California, USA, has become increasingly tense over the two-day mass protests against the large-scale raids carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the US state of California. According to DW, US President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to the city to control the situation.

Presidential press secretary Caroline Leavitt described the decision as a "strong measure against disorder and lawlessness."

According to reports, during the raids by ICE on two restaurants in San Diego, law enforcement agencies used explosive flashbang grenades. This was met with fierce resistance from citizens. Protesters attacked police officers with concrete blocks and other hard objects.

Over the past week, 118 people have been arrested in and around Los Angeles, mainly on suspicion of violating immigration laws.

President Trump addressed California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on his Truth Social page, stating that if they cannot control the situation, the federal government will take matters into its own hands and stop the riots and looting.

Currently, efforts are underway to stabilize the situation in the city with the efforts of the Los Angeles police, ICE and the National Guard. According to US law, the president has the right to activate the National Guard in certain cases to “maintain order, suppress demonstrations and ensure safety.”