
The tensions in Los Angeles started small and intensified over the course of the weekend, with both protesters and federal officials blaming each other for the escalation. Though details are still emerging, here’s what we know now about how the situation unfolded.
Immigration raids in Los Angeles on the afternoon of June 6 sparked a small protest. The next day, larger protests began in the town of Paramount, south of Los Angeles, linked to rumors of a possible immigration raid.
Towards evening on June 7, President Donald Trump ordered 2,000 National Guard members to the area. That night, protesters threw rocks, bottles, and fireworks at officers. Later that same night, local police declared a small part of downtown Los Angeles an unlawful assembly area, and large numbers of protesters were cleared from the site.