Curfew enforced in Los Angeles as immigration protests escalate

Mayor Karen Bass on Tuesday announced a nighttime curfew in a section of downtown Los Angeles as protests against President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration policies entered their fifth consecutive night.

The curfew, in effect from 8pm Tuesday to 6am Wednesday (03:00 GMT to 13:00 GMT), covers a one-square-mile area of the city’s downtown. The measure comes in response to escalating tensions, acts of vandalism, and a wave of business looting during recent demonstrations, officials said.

“Many businesses have now been affected or vandalised. Last night, there were 23 businesses that were looted. Graffiti is everywhere and has caused significant damage,” Bass said at a press briefing. She urged those who do not live or work in the affected area to avoid it, warning that law enforcement would arrest and prosecute anyone violating the curfew.

Though she acknowledged the seriousness of the unrest, Bass emphasised that the violence was confined to a limited part of the city. “It is extremely important to know that what is happening in this 1 square mile is not affecting the entire city,” she said, noting that Los Angeles spans 502 square miles.

The curfew order follows a week of protests sparked by the Trump administration’s intensified raids targeting undocumented migrants. The demonstrations, which began in Los Angeles, have since spread to major cities across the United States, including New York, Chicago, and Atlanta.

The Trump administration’s decision to deploy the National Guard and military personnel to assist in quelling protests has drawn sharp criticism from California’s leadership. Governor Gavin Newsom, in a televised address, accused the president of escalating tensions deliberately.

“Trump’s use of military force is a brazen abuse of power,” said Newsom, who has filed a lawsuit challenging the federal deployment. “That’s when the downward spiral began. He doubled down on his dangerous National Guard deployment by fanning the flames even harder – and he did it on purpose.”

The governor criticised the raids, stating they were disproportionately targeting vulnerable workers such as “dishwashers, gardeners, day labourers, and seamstresses” rather than violent offenders.

“That’s just weakness masquerading as strength,” he said. “Donald Trump’s government isn’t protecting our communities; they’re traumatising them – and that seems to be the entire point.”

Newsom stressed that constitutional rights were at stake. “If some of us can be snatched off the streets without a warrant, based only on suspicion or skin colour, then none of us are safe.”

On the ground in Los Angeles, protestors expressed frustration and fear, but also stressed a desire to keep the demonstrations peaceful. “Many people here say they are working individuals who came to the US for a better life,” said local activist Sarah Bo. “They are angry, but they are urging calm. They say that violence only gives Trump an excuse to send in more troops.”

Earlier on Tuesday, President Trump defended his use of military force while addressing soldiers at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. “Generations of army heroes did not shed their blood on distant shores only to watch our country be destroyed by invasion and third-world lawlessness here at home, like is happening in California,” he said. “As commander-in-chief, I will not let that happen.”

Mayor Bass said the curfew could remain in place for several days, depending on the situation. The Los Angeles Police Department has increased patrols in the affected area and set up checkpoints to enforce the order.