3 hours ago
1
President Trump demanded the arrest of all rioters wearing face masks as violent clashes between thousands of anti-ICE agitators and law enforcement rock Los Angeles — and spread to San Francisco.
“ARREST THE PEOPLE IN FACE MASKS, NOW!” the president boomed on Truth Social late Sunday.
Trump’s order comes as more than 2,000 protesters assaulted cops, set fire to vehicles, blocked traffic and ransacked shops, bringing downtown LA to a standstill as the unrest continues into its third consecutive day.
On Saturday, Trump ordered 2,000 National Guard troops to respond to the growing protests, which centered around federal buildings in downtown LA, where ICE officials were detaining immigrants to be deported.
The president had also placed 500 Marines on standby as chaos continues to unfold.
“BRING IN THE TROOPS!!!” Trump again ordered on Truth Social late Sunday.
“Jim McDonnell, the highly respected LAPD Chief, just stated that the protesters are getting very much more aggressive, and that he would ‘have to reassess the situation,’ as it pertains to bringing in the troops. He should, RIGHT NOW!!! Don’t let these thugs get away with this,” he shot off in another social media post.
Chief McDonnell had said the police force is “overwhelmed” by the protests, as rioters armed with hammers and cinder blocks hurled concrete at officers.
“Tonight, we had individuals out there shooting commercial-grade fireworks at our officers. That can kill you,” McDonnell said Sunday.
Many of the protesters wore face masks, directly defying the president’s no-mask mandate.
Meanwhile, the chaos also spilled into San Francisco, where rioters tore through buildings and violently clashed with police decked out in riot gear.
San Francisco Police said two officers were injured in the financial district.
“My first priority as mayor is, and has always been, the safety of everyone who lives or works in San Francisco,” Daniel Lurie, the mayor of San Francisco, wrote on X late Sunday night.
“Everyone in this country has a right to make their voice heard peacefully, and local law enforcement will always protect that right and the rights of everyone in our city to be safe. But we will never tolerate violent and destructive behavior, and as crowds dwindled, a group that remained caused injuries to police officers, vandalized Muni vehicles, and broke windows of local businesses.”
Lurie said that law enforcement has arrested approximately 60 rioters.
“Violence directed at law enforcement or public servants is never acceptable. We are working right now to clean up damage, get Muni back to full operations, and coordinating across departments to remain fully prepared for any upcoming activities,” he added.
“We will continue San Francisco’s decades-long practice of prioritizing everyone’s safety by supporting community organizations, investing in immigrant legal services, and continuing to build trust with local law enforcement,” he concluded.
English (US)