Riot police and anti-ICE protesters clashed in downtown Los Angeles on Friday evening following a series of federal immigration raids across the city, which led to dozens of arrests.
Officers in riot gear lined the streets, holding batons and what appeared to be tear gas launchers, confronting demonstrators after authorities ordered the crowd to disperse as night fell. Early in the standoff, some protesters threw chunks of broken concrete at the police, who responded with tear gas, pepper spray, and “flash-bang” concussion devices. It was unclear if any arrests were made during the confrontation.
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department said the gathering was declared an unlawful assembly, warning that those who remained could be arrested.
Earlier in the day, footage captured convoys of unmarked military-style vehicles and vans carrying federal agents moving through Los Angeles as part of the immigration enforcement operation. Agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement targeted several locations including a Home Depot in the Wetlake District, an apparel store in the Fashion District, and a clothing warehouse in South Los Angeles.
Local news outlets reported that dozens of people were detained during the raids, which are part of a broader crackdown on undocumented immigration initiated under President Donald Trump, who has promised to increase arrests and deportations significantly.
The LAPD was not involved in the raids themselves but was deployed to manage the unrest after protesters spray-painted anti-ICE messages on a federal courthouse and gathered outside a nearby jail believed to be holding some detainees.
Spontaneous demonstrations also broke out at several raid sites earlier in the day. David Huerta, president of the Service Employees International Union of California, was reportedly injured and taken into custody by ICE while observing and documenting law enforcement activity. The union said he was arrested while exercising his First Amendment rights, though details about his injury or any charges were not disclosed.
ICE did not provide immediate comment regarding the enforcement actions or Huerta’s detention.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass condemned the raids, stating that the tactics used “sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city.”
