More than 100 protesters were detained and released on Monday as hundreds gathered in Los Angeles to protest President Donald Trump’s illegal immigrant deportation operations across the country.
According to CBS News, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that anti-deportation protesters gathered at City Hall on Monday in support of the national “A Day Without Immigrants” movement. The protest, which took place after thousands of protesters gathered on Sunday to block the 101 Freeway, started peacefully; however, the protest later turned violent as protesters clashed with police officials, according to The Post Millennial.
The Post Millennial reported that protesters marched throughout the city, chanted and carried Mexican flags. The outlet noted that some protesters jumped on top of cars and blocked various intersections.
On Monday night, the Los Angeles Police Department Central Division ordered the protesters to disperse, tweeting, “All persons who remain at Arcadia, Main, Spring and Los Angeles are subject to arrest. Please leave the area.”
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In a statement obtained by CBS News, Los Angeles Police Department Commander Lillian Carranza said, “They were warned, they were identified and they were advised that if they do not leave, and if they converge again and continue this illegal activity they will be cited and in some cases arrested.”
A video shared by reporter Anthony Cabassa shows Los Angeles Police Department officials warning protesters to disperse immediately or face the possibility of arrest.
Another video shared by Cabassa shows protesters clashing with police. “Protestors and police in physical altercation as tensions continue to escalate in downtown LA protests,” Cabassa tweeted. The reporter added that multiple people were injured in Monday’s protest.
In another post, Cabassa shared a video of police officials detaining more than 100 anti-deportation protesters in a Los Angeles tunnel.
Cabassa later shared another video of Los Angeles Police Department officials releasing the protesters from custody. “LAPD so far are releasing all protestors one by one, and the people are beginning to go home,” the reporter tweeted. “No reports of anyone arrested, after a group of about 150 were detained earlier.”
CBS News reported that one protester was arrested for the alleged possession of a firearm and that police officials were searching for a suspect who allegedly shot a firework at a police helicopter that was monitoring Monday’s protest.
During the protest, Democratic Mayor Karen Bass released a statement on social media, saying, “My office is actively monitoring the protests downtown. Angelenos have the right to express their First Amendment rights, but it must be in a safe and lawful way. L.A. is a city of immigrants and we will protect all Angelenos.”
