By Zo Terrana
Staff Writer
Federal agents in downtown Los Angeles clashed with a group of protesters, when thousands marched through LA in a call to action against the expansive Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations sweeping the United States — including the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by federal immigration officers.
Protesters began assembling on Jan. 30 in the afternoon at LA City Hall. The crowd swelled in size as the protesters began marching, filling various downtown streets, according to CBS News
A large group of protesters marching for about an hour settled outside the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building located in the downtown area. Armed federal agents, dressed in tactical vests and riot gear masks, guarded the complex’s loading dock where protesters began throwing “items” at the guards.
A portion of the protest group pushed a large construction dumpster in front of the entrance after the agents deployed tear gas and pepper balls. Other protesters vandalized other parts of the complex, according to CBS News.
“Peaceful protest is a constitutional right. I urge Angelenos to exercise that right safely and not give this administration an excuse to escalate. Los Angeles stands together,” the Mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, said on X.
A tactical alert was issued by the Los Angeles Police Department in response to the clash, instructing officers to stay on duty regardless of their schedules. Dozens of LAPD officers dispatched to the federal building and formed skirmish lines after the tactical alert was issued, according to CBS News.
Police then issued a dispersal order and told protesters to leave the premises by 5:56 p.m. or be arrested. The police forced the protesters out of the road before the crowd started to throw bottles and rocks at the officers, according to police.
Officers began to arrest “violent agitators” after several dispersal orders were issued. While a majority of the crowd dissipated after 10 p.m., a small group from the crowd returned to the federal building, setting a large fire within the dumpster parked by the loading dock.
LA firefighters arrived on scene to then extinguish the fire, CBS News reported.
“Authorities will continue to assess arrests, property damage, and any injuries from Friday night while protest organizers plan additional actions over the weekend tied to the national ‘ICE Out’ campaign,” according to News Week.
