The Los Angeles Police Department said about 60 people were arrested over the weekend after “anarchists” embedded themselves within protests against federal immigration enforcement in order to attack police officers, take over highways and loot businesses.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said Sunday that the violent agitators included a driver who plowed through a police line on a motorcycle and another person who threw a Molotov cocktail.
Protesters frequently threw bottles, rocks and cement pieces at officers in riot gear throughout Sunday, and blocked off part of U.S. 101 when they stormed the highway.
The top cop said his force was “overwhelmed” by the chaotic scenes that were largely concentrated in downtown L.A.
“This violence that I’ve seen is disgusting,” Chief McDonnell said. “Tonight, we had individuals out there shooting commercial-grade fireworks at our officers. That can kill you.”
The chief suggested the protest’s most belligerent members are the same people who regularly cause trouble at other demonstrations.
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“Get away with whatever they can, go out there from one civil unrest situation to another, using the same or similar tactics frequently,” the chief said. “Some would call them anarchists.”
He added that “even more disgusting that many of the people who are doing this come in from other places just to hurt people and to cause havoc.”
Protesters were also seen lighting Waymo self-driving cars on fire, and after nightfall, looting retailers downtown.
A business owner on Broadway near the city’s center, who asked not to be named, said the “Michael Jordan” store was targeted by thieves. Aerial footage from KABC-TV appeared to show looters carrying merchandise out of the Jordan Brand store, which is part of the Nike corporation.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said authorities arrested 29 people Sunday on charges ranging from assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, arson, looting and other offenses. That comes after another 29 people were arrested Saturday on failure to disperse charges.
The FBI also created a wanted poster for a masked man seen pegging rocks at federal vehicles in Paramount. The poster said the man was responsible for injuring an officer during his barrage.
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“When protected speech crosses the line into illegal actions, I will equally fiercely enforce the criminal laws,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman posted Sunday night on X.
“If you want to shoot fireworks at people, assault law enforcement officers or shopkeepers, slash tires, or vandalize public or private property, you will be arrested, prosecuted and punished in accordance with the law,” he said.
Attorney and civic activist Laura Powell, who is part of the nonpartisan group Californians for Good Governance, accused nongovernmental organizations of starting the protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement that later devolved into riots.
She singled out the Los Angeles-based Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, or CHIRLA, which she said has a hotline that allows callers to report ICE operations.
On Friday, CHIRLA Executive Director Angelica Salas said the hotline received more than 50 calls about potential ICE raids. The group often dispatches legal observers to the reported location, as well as rallies volunteers and activists, and begins demonstrating against federal authorities.
“Your tax dollars fund an organization that organizes efforts to directly interfere with the federal government’s lawful exercise of authority,” Ms. Powell wrote on X over the weekend. “Then, through its lobbying arm, that organization helps get Democrats elected to office, who then repay the favor by ensuring increased funding.”
Citing documents she acquired, Ms. Powell said $34 million of the $44 million CHIRLA received in fiscal 2023 came from government contrcats, with about 96% of those contracts coming from the California state government.
The group also received some funding through the federal Department of Homeland Security under former President Biden, but the Trump administration froze those grants soon after taking control of the White House.
The Washington Times contacted CHIRLA for comment.
• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.
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