Los Angeles anti-ICE riots spiral as mayor’s response lags

Los Angeles burns again, echoing ghosts of 1992, as anti-ICE protests morph into chaos. Fury over federal immigration sweeps sparked riots starting June 7, 2025, leaving businesses looted and police under siege. The city’s leadership, caught flat-footed, scrambles to restore order.

Riots erupted Saturday, June 7, 2025, fueled by outrage against federal immigration enforcement, leading to widespread violence, 197 arrests, and military intervention. President Trump deployed the National Guard that weekend, followed by 700 Marines to shield federal assets. Local officials, criticized for dawdling, now face a city teetering on the edge.

Protests kicked off in Compton and Paramount, with one demonstrator waving American and Mexican flags defiantly. Another tossed debris into a fire outside an industrial park, signaling the unrest’s early intensity. By nightfall, downtown Los Angeles became a battleground.

Violence Escalates, Police Overwhelmed

Police faced a barrage of bottles, cinder blocks, and even a Molotov cocktail. One arrestee was charged with attempted murder for the fiery attack. The LAPD, stretched thin, resorted to tear gas to scatter crowds on June 8.

Highway onramps turned into war zones, with officers shrouded in smoke from percussion grenades. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies patrolled streets littered with spent “less lethal” munitions. The chaos mirrored the 1992 Rodney King riots, but with a modern twist—social media fanning the flames.

“History is repeating itself,” said Moses Castillo, a former LAPD detective who trained during the 1992 unrest. Social media, he noted, amplifies outrage instantly, drawing crowds eager to “create chaos.” His words cut deep: technology has weaponized dissent.

Arrests Mount, Looting Surges

By June 10, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell reported 197 arrests, including 130 near Commercial and Alameda. Sixty-seven others were nabbed after protesters seized the 101 freeway, paralyzing traffic. Charges ranged from looting to assault with deadly weapons.

Ninety-six arrests came overnight on June 9 in downtown Los Angeles alone. Businesses, already battered by economic woes, were ransacked as looters exploited the disorder. The city’s commercial heart bled while leaders dithered.

“She’s now trying to play catch-up,” Castillo said of Mayor Karen Bass’ belated crackdown. He argued a stronger stance early on could’ve curbed the violence. Instead, Bass’s late vow that “looting would not be tolerated” rang hollow.

Military Steps In, Tensions Rise

President Trump, wasting no time, sent the National Guard to quell the riots over the June 7-8 weekend. On June 9, 700 Marines arrived to safeguard federal property and agents. The move underscored Washington’s frustration with local inaction.

Castillo lamented the lack of unity among leaders, calling their public spats “like going back to high school.” He urged Trump and Governor Newsom to meet face-to-face and hash out solutions. Bickering, he warned, only fuels the fire.

“They’re not united in this front,” Castillo added, slamming the disjointed response. His critique stings: while politicians posture, Los Angeles suffers. Coordination, not finger-pointing, is the need of the hour.

Lessons From 1992 Ignored

The riots’ ferocity recalls 1992, when Rodney King’s beating sparked citywide upheaval. Castillo, a rookie then, sees eerie parallels—violence against police, looting, and delayed leadership. Yet today’s instant media makes containment trickier.

Protesters’ grievances, rooted in immigration policy, deserve debate, not destruction. Throwing cinder blocks or torching businesses solves nothing. Actions, as ever, have consequences, and Los Angeles pays the price.

Order must return, but so must dialogue. Leaders must bridge divides, not widen them with media sniping. For now, a weary city braces for what comes next.