Los Angeles
US President Donald Trump has ordered 2,000 National Guardsmen to Los Angeles to deal with unrest over raids on undocumented migrants. Trump said the troops had done a great job in the Californian city, which saw a second day of clashes between protesters and by federal agents on Saturday. Tear gas was used to disperse crowds as residents of the predominantly Latino Paramount district clashed with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents earlier in the day.
As many as 118 arrests were made in LA this week as a result of ICE operations, including 44 on Friday. California Governor Gavin Newsom has condemned the raids as cruel. Trump criticised the city's Democratic governor and mayor in a post on his Truth Social platform, calling them incompetent. He also said protesters would no longer be allowed to wear masks. Newsom said the federal government's takeover of the National Guard was purposefully inflammatory and would only escalate tensions.
The National Guard is usually called by a state's governor, but Trump has used a provision that allows him to take control himself, Newsom's office told the AP news agency. Trump had earlier hit out at the governor on social media, saying that if he and LA Mayor Karen Bass could not do their jobs, then the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved.