Gavin Newsom, the Governor of California, announced on Monday that he plans to sue the President over his administration’s crackdown over protests that have rocked Los Angeles over the last 48 hours. In an extraordinary move, Donald Trump had ordered the National Guard of California to be deployed in LA to confront the protesters who were demonstrating their support to migrants.
Disregarding the federal law, the Trump Administration ordered a massive crackdown on immigrants, arresting them off the streets in Los Angeles. This led to mass protests with tens of thousands descending on the streets across the city.
“Commandeering a state’s National Guard without consulting the Governor of that state is illegal and immoral,” Newsom, a Democrat, told news broadcaster MSNBC.
Tensions remain high after the Trump administration called in the National Guard – a move rejected by leaders of that state – following violent clashes allegedly instigated by the police during a series of immigration raids.
There was a deafening silence early morning Monday across Los Angeles, a city of more than 4 million people, as hundreds of California National Guard troops were seen parading in various neighbourhoods across the city. Less than 24 hours ago, law enforcement agencies were seen firing tear gas shells, rubber bullets, and flash-bang grenades as protesters retaliated by setting vehicles on fire and blocking off a major freeway.
Minutes after the California Governor’s announcement to sue the President, Donald Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social by saying, “We made a great decision in sending the National Guard to deal with the violent, instigated riots in California. If we had not done so, Los Angeles would have been completely obliterated. The very incompetent “Governor,” Gavin Newscum, and “Mayor,” Karen Bass, should be saying, “THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP, YOU ARE SO WONDERFUL. WE WOULD BE NOTHING WITHOUT YOU, SIR.” Instead, they choose to lie to the People of California and America by saying that we weren’t needed, and that these are ‘peaceful protests’.”
Earlier in the day, amid a severe crackdown by law enforcement agencies, agitated protesters resorted to violence. Some threw objects at the police, others hurled chunks of concrete, rocks, and fireworks at California Highway Patrol officers and their vehicles parked on the closed southbound 101 Freeway. Officers ran under an overpass to take cover at one point.