(KTLA) — A day of peaceful protests in downtown Los Angeles took a turn late Saturday afternoon when law enforcement began ordering the thousands of demonstrators to disperse from the area surrounding the L.A. Federal Building complex.
Officers deployed flashbangs and tear gas, and KTLA’s Sky5 chopper captured the moment officers on foot and horseback moved into the large crowd. The L.A. Police Department said that some protesters were “becoming increasingly unruly” and were throwing rocks, bricks, bottles and fireworks — despite the overall peaceful tenor of the day’s events. So far there have been no videos or other witnesses of the reported disruptive behavior in the area.
GALLERY: Anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ protests held across U.S.
The dispersal order covered Alameda Street between Aliso and Temple, and Los Angeles Street between Aliso and Temple. Additionally, the LAPD stated that all on- and off-ramps of the 101 Freeway would remain closed between Alameda Street and the 110 Freeway. Both LAPD and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department were present and active at the events.
Saturday’s nationwide “No Kings” protests in Los Angeles and hundreds of locations across the U.S. coincided with Flag Day, the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army, and President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday.
Despite the LAPD’s claims of protesters throwing objects, “No Kings” protesters were advised by the “No Kings” organization to remain non-violent and respectful on Saturday. Several cities across the U.S. had protests that unfolded smoothly throughout the day. “No Kings” aim for the day was for it to be a “nationwide day of defiance” of the Trump administration’s policies on immigration, in addition to a protest of Pres. Trump’s Washington, D.C. parade, which some argue is more about stroking Trump’s ego on his birthday than celebrating the U.S. military.
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Tens of thousands of demonstrators in the Los Angeles area took to the streets early Saturday and into the evening after weeks of action in the city’s streets, as protesters have been assembling to express disapproval of the mass ICE raids that have hit the Los Angeles and Southern California area specifically hard.
It’s unclear whether any “No Kings” protesters were the people who reportedly became disruptive or whether it was potential bad actors. KTLA reporter Rachel Menitoff was in downtown L.A. Saturday evening and reported hearing and seeing people who were attempting to leave but were unsure — and given no instructions — on how to leave the area.
According to a spokesperson with “No Kings,” over 200,000 people participated in demonstrations across the Los Angeles region, with nearly 5 million total demonstrators across the country. Official “No Kings” activities ended around 6 p.m.
The City of Los Angeles has an 8 p.m. PT curfew in place and protesters are being encouraged to clear all areas before that time. As the curfew neared on Saturday, KTLA cameras caught some increasingly tense interactions between officers and citizens.
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