Tear Gas and Pellets Fired as Federal Troops Clash With Protesters in Downtown Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES – Federal troops and the California National Guard fired tear gas and non-lethal pellets to disperse hundreds of protesters outside a downtown federal detention center on Sunday, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing standoff over federal immigration raids in the city.
The confrontation represents a new and volatile phase in a deepening conflict between the Trump administration and California’s state leadership. The use of force by newly deployed troops, who were federalized and sent to the city over the explicit objections of the state’s governor, transforms the local protests into a national focal point on presidential power, the militarization of domestic law enforcement, and the rights of citizens to assemble.
The tense scene unfolded on Alameda Street outside the Metropolitan Detention Center, where a persistent coalition of activists and community members had reconvened to protest the presence of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and the arrival of approximately 300 National Guard soldiers.
According to federal authorities, the situation intensified around 3:00 p.m. when demonstrators allegedly attempted to block vehicle access to a loading dock at the facility. In response, a line of DHS officers and National Guard soldiers in riot gear advanced on the crowd, shoving protesters with riot shields before deploying tear gas canisters. Protesters reported that non-lethal pellet rounds were also fired into the ground to clear the street for a convoy of federal vehicles.
Clouds of tear gas filled the air as demonstrators retreated. Some protesters reported minor injuries, and the Los Angeles Times confirmed at least one person was struck in the foot by a tear gas canister.
“We’re not armed. We’re just peacefully protesting,” said Jose Longoria, a protester at the scene. “They’re acting out.”
The deployment of the National Guard was authorized by President Donald Trump, who federalized the state-controlled force and ordered up to 2,000 members to Los Angeles to address what he termed “lawlessness.” The move drew swift and sharp condemnation from California officials.
Governor Gavin Newsom characterized the deployment as a “purposefully inflammatory” act by the federal government. “Trump is sending 2,000 National Guard troops into L.A. County—not to meet an unmet need, but to manufacture a crisis,” Newsom stated.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called the deployment “unnecessary” and warned that a “militaristic presence could actually result in more violence.”
An Assistant Homeland Security Secretary pushed back against this criticism, accusing California politicians of “defending heinous illegal alien criminals at the expense of Americans’ safety.”
Adding to the tension, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a warning via the social media platform X, stating that active-duty Marines at Camp Pendleton are on “high alert” for potential deployment. Governor Newsom called the statement “deranged behavior.”
The backdrop for the confrontation is a series of federal raids that have resulted in the detention of over 100 undocumented immigrants in the region, according to various news reports. Federal officials have maintained that the operations are targeting individuals with criminal records, a claim disputed by activists.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) condemned the President’s decision to deploy the Guard as “akin to a declaration of war on all Californians.” Meanwhile, protest organizers are calling for continued mass mobilization to oppose what they describe as an attack on the right to peaceful assembly. The FBI has stated that anyone using violence to obstruct federal operations will be prosecuted.
