US President Donald Trump has directed law enforcement to arrest masked protesters in Los Angeles, where mass protests broke out Sunday over immigration enforcement.
Trump banned the use of masks at demonstrations, applauding the National Guard for maintaining order. This order comes after two days of volatile protests and clashes that were induced by federal immigration raids.
On his Social Truth website, the President had announced, “ARREST THE PEOPLE IN FACE MASKS, NOW.”
Trump Announces Mask Ban
Trump had previously said, “From this point forward, MASKS WILL NOT BE PERMITTED to be worn at protests,” and ordered officials to arrest anybody who does. It is unclear, though, how much authority the federal government has to enforce it.
Demonstrators have been wearing masks to conceal their identities from police and protect themselves against tear gas and other irritants fired by police. Trump’s directive has sparked controversy with critics saying that prohibiting masks infringes on free speech rights and rights of people with disabilities.
Ignoring California Governor Gavin Newsom’s objections that the deployment was illegal, Trump deployed National Guard troops to Los Angeles to quell the protests against the immigration enforcement.
The troops were deployed outside federal buildings as protesters burned cars and engaged in combat with security forces in the country’s second-largest city.
Police Response to Protests
The protests started on Friday following federal immigration sweeps in a predominantly Latino city. The Los Angeles police labeled several rallies as ‘unlawful assemblies’, charging some protesters with hurling concrete, bottles, and other objects at police officers.
Footage taken on Sunday night had an Alphabet Waymo car burning on a downtown avenue while people ran away from the scene. The crowd was dispersed by the use of tear gas, rubber bullets, and flashbang grenades by the local police.
The Los Angeles Police Department verified that ‘Arrests are being initiated’ and had officers on horseback trying to manage the demonstrations.
Newsom attributed Governor Newsom blamed Trump’s threat to send Marines to Los Angeles for escalating tensions. On X, Newsom stated in a post that the President acted “despite protests already being handled by the LAPD.” Newsom called for calm, stating, “Los Angeles: Stay peaceful. Don’t give extremists the escalation they seek.”
