Mayor Bass Discusses Violence Prevention Amid National Guard Deployment
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass expressed concerns during a recent appearance on MSNBC’s “Everything with Chris Hayes,” emphasizing her reluctance to cut funding for violence prevention amid ongoing protests and riots related to National Guard deployments by former President Donald Trump.
In June, following widespread unrest triggered by increased actions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Trump sent National Guard troops to Los Angeles. When asked by Hayes about the situation in Washington, D.C., Bass remarked that these cities, including Los Angeles and Chicago, have become “testing grounds” for overreach. She pointed out that the National Guard’s presence in her city, where thousands of soldiers were deployed, felt unnecessary as they mostly stood by without intervening.
Even as Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized Trump’s actions, Los Angeles experienced substantial looting and vandalism in its downtown area. The arrival of troops seemingly did not deter protesters, who continued to flood the streets, as noted in reports from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
By mid-June, the LAPD declared illegal assembly in parts of downtown, leading Bass to impose a curfew in response. Observers also noted that protesters were vocal in their demands for ICE to leave Los Angeles.
Bass remarked on the perception of the military’s role, sharing that many personnel spent time on bases rather than actively engaging with the community. She also reflected on historical mass arrests in the ’80s and ’90s, advocating for continued violence prevention funding as essential to reducing crime in the city.
Trump had earlier drawn attention to crime rates in Washington, D.C., which he attributed partially to new legislative measures. Although some reports indicated a decrease in crime, critics pointed out that certain serious offenses were not factored into these statistics.
On Friday, Trump hinted at deploying National Guard troops to Chicago, calling it a “disturbance.” In response, local officials, including Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, urged against the deployment, noting that crime rates in Chicago had reportedly decreased.
Recent data showed a 25% drop in murders in Chicago over the past year, though homicide rates still exceed pre-pandemic levels. Meanwhile, Los Angeles has seen an overall crime decline, although incidents involving police shootings have risen in early 2025 compared to the previous year.
