Federal immigration agents, helmeted police in riot gear and concrete-hurling protesters clashed in a violent melee in Los Angeles, as local officials said they wouldn’t help federal authorities pursue President Donald Trump’s tougher enforcement against undocumented immigrants.
Some protesters hurled large chunks of broken concrete at officers, slashed tires and defaced buildings, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Police declared an unlawful assembly and responded by firing tear gas, pepper spray and flash-bang concussion rounds toward the crowd.
The clash marked one of the most serious confrontations yet between agents carrying out Trump’s directives on mass arrests and deportations, and local officials who oppose the stricter enforcement measures.
The Department of Homeland Security said 118 undocumented immigrants were arrested during the week in Los Angeles, including five alleged gang members and others with criminal records for smuggling, drug trafficking and assault.
Todd Lyons, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said agents were outnumbered June 6 for hours as more than 1,000 rioters surrounded the federal building.
“What took place in Los Angeles yesterday was appalling,” Lyons said in a statement June 7.
Lyons, who vowed to continue the enforcement action, accused Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass of taking “the side of chaos and lawlessness over law enforcement.”
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said city policy since 1979 has barred officers from initiating police action based solely on trying to determine a person’s immigration status. He said the department “will not assist or participate in any sort of mass deportations.”
“I’m aware that these activities cause anxiety for many Angelenos, so I want to make it clear: the LAPD is not involved in civil immigration enforcement,” McDonnell said in a statement.
Bass said she was “deeply angered” about the enforcement actions and that she would coordinate with immigrant-rights organizations.
“These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city,” Bass said in a statement. “We will not stand for this.”
“We will,” FBI Director Kash Patel replied on social media June 7.
One of the skirmishes involved the arrest of a union leader, David Huerta, president of the Service Employees International Union of California, who was injured and detained by ICE at one site.
The union said Huerta was arrested “while exercising his First Amendment right to observe and document law enforcement activity.”
“We all collectively have to object to this madness because this is not justice,” Huerta said in a post on social media. “This is injustice.”
U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli accused Huerta of deliberately obstructing federal agents at a worksite. Huerta will be arraigned in federal court June 9, Essayli said.
“Let me be clear: I don’t care who you are – if you impede federal agents, you will be arrested and prosecuted,” Essayli said in a post on social media. “No one has the right to assault, obstruct, or interfere with federal authorities carrying out their duties.”
Federal authorities said they would continue their enforcement actions despite the protests in Los Angeles and across the country.
ICE announced June 6 that nearly 1,500 undocumented immigrants were arrested in Massachusetts during a monthlong Operation Patriot.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Federal agents, protesters clash in Los Angeles over immigration
