Protests and Marine Deployment in Downtown Los Angeles

More than four Marines chose to stay at their posts despite a large group of protesters outside a federal building in downtown Los Angeles, who were vocally urging them to return home.

Earlier in the week, President Trump, along with the National Guard, had dispatched soldiers to address the violent protests targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, which focused on the arrest and deportation of illegal immigrants in the area.

According to reports, lawyer Jesus Arias rallied the crowd, attempting to persuade the Marines to withdraw, highlighting the tensions during the protests on Sunday. “We are not your enemies; we are people!” Arias shouted through a bullhorn. “You’ve broken your vows as Marines. You’ll wake up! You’ll wake up!”

Meanwhile, the demonstrators, situated just fifty feet away, were less than friendly, chanting variations of “The Marines are back home!” and “Shame! Shame!” The Marines stood silently amidst this verbal barrage, and, as outlined by reports, there were no physical confrontations reported between the crowd and the Marines.

The Marines had taken their positions at the entrance to the Edward R. Loibal Federal Building, which houses immigration offices that ICE uses to detain individuals. This location became a central point for the protesters’ activities.

Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass expressed their opposition to the deployment of Marines and National Guard troops, arguing that their presence only exacerbates tensions. President Trump defended his decision, stating that the city would be “burning to the ground” had he not sent in the troops.

In addition to the Marines at the federal building, about 200 others were deployed to another federal site on Wilshire Boulevard. During the protests, no violent incidents were recorded at this location, which coincided with a National “King” Day event led by leftist groups against the president.

The Marines in downtown were equipped with rifles, face shields, and shin guards to protect themselves from potential projectiles—including rocks, water bottles, and fireworks.

Elsewhere in downtown, protests against police actions intensified, with reports indicating that tensions escalated later in the afternoon. According to news sources, projectiles were thrown, prompting the Los Angeles Police Department to instruct the crowd to disperse, leading to a response that included tear gas and rubber bullets.

Furthermore, the Los Angeles County Sheriff reported that ten of his deputies suffered injuries from projectiles during earlier protests. So far, no injuries among the Marines have been reported.