LA unrest threatens nationwide spillover; Texas deploys National Guard
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Los Angeles enforces a strict curfew in response to ongoing protests, as authorities escalate measures with mass arrests and a heavy police deployment downtown.
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A protester is arrested by law enforcement officers in downtown Los Angeles near the federal building on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 (AP)
Los Angeles police confirmed “mass arrests” overnight as curfew enforcement escalated amid growing protests against President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration policies and military deployment across US cities. A section of downtown LA remained under lockdown Wednesday as public outrage intensified.
The arrests mark a sharp turn in the government’s response to national dissent, with scenes of militarized crackdowns fueling fears of a creeping police state. Protesters decried the sweeping detentions and heavy-handed tactics, accusing authorities of targeting peaceful demonstrators.
The crackdown follows Trump’s deployment of US Marines and National Guard troops into Los Angeles, a move widely condemned by civil rights advocates and local officials. California is among several states resisting what critics describe as the militarization of domestic policing.
In Texas, Republican Governor Greg Abbott announced the deployment of the National Guard ahead of anticipated protests, further stoking tensions. Earlier this week, clashes between demonstrators and police erupted in Austin, with reports of excessive force used against civilians.
California pushes back with legal action
California Governor Gavin Newsom delivered a scathing rebuke of Trump’s tactics, warning that the militarized response only deepens national unrest. “This brazen abuse of power by a sitting president inflamed a combustible situation,” he said in a video address. “He again chose escalation. He chose more force. He chose theatrics over public safety. ... Democracy is under assault.”
Newsom, seen as a potential 2028 presidential contender, filed a lawsuit Monday against Trump and the Department of Defense in a bid to block the federal deployment. The White House responded with threats, with Trump suggesting Newsom should face arrest.
Tuesday saw the arrival of hundreds of US Marines in Los Angeles, joining 4,000 National Guard troops already stationed there. While federal officials claimed the forces were sent to protect infrastructure, critics argue the deployments are part of a broader effort to suppress dissent.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass challenged the need for military intervention. “The majority of protests have been peaceful,” she said, noting that activity had been limited to a few blocks. Nonetheless, a curfew was imposed in a one-square-mile downtown zone after incidents of looting and vandalism.
The confrontations in Los Angeles are emblematic of a deeper crisis gripping the US, one in which militarized policing is being used to silence opposition, especially in states defiant of federal authority. The escalating use of force reveals the growing disconnect between the federal government and communities calling for accountability, justice, and democratic rights.
As Trump and his allies continue to double down on repression, the streets of Los Angeles and cities across the country have become battlegrounds between public resistance and a government unwilling to tolerate dissent under Trump's term.
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