(NewsNation) — Authorities in Los Angeles announced additional charges being filed in connection with immigration protests in the city, noting that the majority of protesters were lawful and peaceful.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman began by speaking about the week of protests, saying that 99.99% of people who protested did so peacefully and lawfully.
He said, “99.99% of people who protest did so lawfully, did so expressing their First Amendment rights, as is tradition in this country.”
He noted that the protests grew from hundreds to hundreds of thousands, with only a small group of people facing charges.
“They are people for whom the protest was a cover,” Hochman said. “They looked at the protests as cover and have done a huge disservice to legitimate protesters out there.”
The charges included both state and federal charges and included charges for burglarizing commercial businesses, firearms charges, pointing a laser at an aircraft and assaults on law enforcement officers and service members.
The protests were sparked by unannounced immigration enforcement raids in the city. The Los Angeles Police Department initially handled the protests, along with other law enforcement agencies, but President Donald Trump intervened.
Trump federalized the state’s National Guard against the wishes of California Gov. Gavin Newsom and also deployed Marines to the city.
Los Angeles officials have maintained that the protests were peaceful until the White House intervened. A curfew was instituted for the downtown area after the LAPD declared an unlawful assembly on June 10 and protesters shut down part of the freeway.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass recently reduced the curfew for downtown LA after tensions eased, with the new curfew running from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
On Saturday, more than 30,000 people demonstrated in LA in peaceful protests that were part of a nationwide effort, with millions taking part in anti-Trump demonstrations across the globe.
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Author: Steph Whiteside
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