Thousands Gather for No Kings Rally in Los Angeles, Leading to 74 Arrests in Subsequent Clashes
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Police reported that 74 individuals were arrested during Saturday’s "No Kings" protest in downtown Los Angeles after the demonstration escalated into violence. Some protesters allegedly threw concrete at federal officers and engaged in vandalism, including spray-painting a death threat near the Metropolitan Detention Center.
The arrests, which included 66 adults and eight juveniles, were made after some participants failed to disperse from the area as ordered by authorities, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. One individual was also detained on suspicion of possessing a weapon.
The rally began around 2 p.m. at Gloria Molina Grand Park, situated across from City Hall, with a subsequent march commencing at 3 p.m. This event was part of a nationwide series of protests against the Trump administration, featuring over 50 separate gatherings throughout Los Angeles and Orange County, and drawing tens of thousands of participants. Initial reports indicated that the rally remained peaceful until late afternoon.
The situation turned tense at approximately 5:10 p.m. when demonstrators began to kick a fence in front of the federal detention center at Alameda and Temple streets. In response, the LAPD declared a citywide tactical alert as they ordered protesters to vacate the area.
"Protesters on Alameda between Aliso and Temple have been warned multiple times by federal authorities to not attempt to tear down the gate and not throw items," the LAPD wrote in a social media post. "Federal authorities are using non-lethal measures to move crowd back."
Bill Essayli, the first assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, emphasized the seriousness of the situation on social media. "To those who were smashing concrete blocks and throwing them at our officers, we have you on video. We will find you and arrest you too. You’ve been warned," he stated. Earlier, he had also announced that his office would authorize immediate arrests for assaults on law enforcement, labelling them federal felonies.
Footage from the event captured LAPD officers, both on foot and horseback, working to control the crowd, and images indicated the use of tear gas. By 7:25 p.m., the department confirmed multiple arrests, and the tactical alert was called off shortly after 8 p.m.
Vandalism occurred during the protest, with graffiti criticizing Immigration and Customs Enforcement sprayed on walls near the detention center, including the phrase "Kill Your Local ICE Agent." Essayli released a video showing a masked individual committing the act and urged anyone with information to come forward.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and LAPD officials stressed the importance of maintaining peaceful demonstrations. "Peaceful protest is our constitutional right," Bass said in a social media post. "Please stay safe and look out for one another."
To manage the anticipated large crowds, Caltrans crews set up security gates on the Hollywood (101) Freeway in downtown Los Angeles. Previous "No Kings" protests had seen demonstrators surge onto the freeways, prompting street closures in the Civic Center area on Saturday.
During the roughly 1.5-mile march, participants carried a helium-filled balloon depicting Trump and displayed handmade signs advocating for his impeachment and the abolition of ICE. The organizers stated, "As unconstitutional deportations and inhumane treatment of immigrants and asylum seekers continue across the United States, Los Angeles unites in solidarity with a peaceful march and rally."
Among the scheduled speakers were actress Jodie Sweetin and Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, which represents over three million educators.
Throughout Saturday, at least 40 demonstrations took place in Los Angeles County, including locations such as Burbank, Culver City, and Hollywood. In Malibu, Doug Emhoff, the husband of former Vice President Kamala Harris, attended a rally near their home, alongside celebrities like comedian Kathy Griffin and actor Sam Elliott.
The protests were part of a larger movement, with over 3,300 events held nationwide, reportedly drawing at least eight million participants, setting a record for what many consider the largest single-day demonstrations in U.S. history.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson responded to the protests, stating, "the only people who care about these Trump derangement therapy sessions are the reporters who are paid to cover them."
