Los Angeles imposes curfew as unrest grows over Trump’s immigration crackdown

The Mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, has imposed a curfew on a section of the city’s downtown area in response to escalating protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

The measure, which came into force at 8:00 p.m. local time on June 10 and is set to remain in effect until 6:00 a.m. on June 11, may be extended for several days depending on developments, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

The restricted area spans approximately one square mile (2.6 square kilometres) within the city centre and is bounded by the 5, 10, and 110 freeways.

While the order applies to the general public, exemptions have been made for emergency personnel, residents, those commuting to or from work, and accredited journalists.

Announcing the curfew at a news conference alongside law enforcement officials and business leaders, Mayor Bass said the decision followed multiple nights of disturbances. “Many businesses have now been affected or vandalised. Last night, there were 23 businesses that were looted, and I think if you drive through downtown LA, the graffiti is everywhere and has caused significant damage to businesses and a number of properties,” she said.

“So my message to you is: If you do not live or work in downtown LA, avoid the area. Law enforcement will arrest individuals who break the curfew, and you will be prosecuted,” she added.

Bass emphasised that the unrest was confined to a relatively small part of the city, which spans a total area of more than 500 square miles (1,300 square kilometres). “I think it is important to point this out, not to minimise the vandalism and violence that has taken place there – it has been significant – because it is extremely important to know that what is happening in this 1 square mile is not affecting the city,” she said.

“Some of the imagery of the protests and the violence gives the appearance that this is a city-wide crisis, and it is not,” Bass continued.

The protests, now in their fifth consecutive night in Los Angeles, erupted in response to federal immigration raids ordered by the Trump administration. Demonstrations have also spread to several other major US cities, including New York, Chicago, and Atlanta.

The use of federal forces — including the National Guard and Marines — to quell the protests has drawn widespread criticism from California officials, who have accused President Trump of overstepping his authority and worsening tensions.

Addressing Californians on June 10 evening, Governor Gavin Newsom denounced the president’s actions. “That’s when the downward spiral began. He doubled down on his dangerous National Guard deployment by fanning the flames even harder, and the president – he did it on purpose,” Newsom said.

The US administration may invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act to deploy military forces domestically if necessary. This law, which permits the president to use armed forces within the country, was last employed during the 1992 Los Angeles riots.

President Donald Trump described recent unrest in parts of Los Angeles as bordering on an insurrection, citing particularly violent nights in the city. He indicated a readiness to use the Act should the situation escalate further. The National Guard remains deployed in California until the threat subsides.

Trump claimed to have spoken with California Governor Gavin Newsom, urging him to improve his handling of the situation. However, Newsom denied receiving any such communication, criticising the president’s decision to deploy Marines on city streets without apparent coordination.

By Aghakazim Guliyev