Fortified police in riot gear clashed with protestors in downtown Los Angeles on Friday evening, following a day of federal immigration raids in which scores of people were said to have been arrested throughout the city.
According to reports, Los Angeles Police Department officers were lined up on a downtown roadway brandishing batons and what seemed to be tear gas weapons, facing battle with demonstrators after officials had urged people to evacuate about sundown.
Early in the faceoff, some protestors tossed broken concrete at cops, prompting police to fire tear gas and pepper spray. Police also used “flash-bang” concussion rounds. It was unclear if there were any immediate arrests.
Earlier in the day, television news video showed caravans of unmarked military-style trucks and vans carrying uniformed federal officials driving through Los Angeles streets as part of an immigration enforcement operation.
Impromptu demonstrations had also erupted at some of the raid locations earlier in the day.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement condemning the immigration raids, saying, “these tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city.”
