Protesters Burn American Flags, Clash With Police in Downtown L.A. as Tensions Over ICE Raids Escalate

Downtown Los Angeles saw chaotic scenes over the weekend as anti-ICE demonstrators burned and spit on American flags, prompting a strong response from local law enforcement and a controversial deployment of National Guard troops ordered by former President Donald Trump.

Videos shared online show dozens of masked protesters encircling a burning American flag, some spraying flammable liquids to intensify the blaze. Others could be seen spitting on the flames while chanting anti-Trump slogans, including “F*** Trump.” A second U.S. flag was later thrown into the fire, as participants waved flags from countries like Mexico and other parts of Latin America.

The demonstration turned confrontational as protesters moved into the L.A. Live entertainment district near Crypto.com Arena, blocking traffic on Figueroa and 11th Streets. The Los Angeles Police Department declared an unlawful assembly Sunday night as protesters refused to disperse. Officers from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department used flash bangs to push back the crowd.

“Agitators have splintered into and throughout the Downtown Area,” the LAPD’s Central Division posted on X (formerly Twitter). “Residents, businesses, and visitors should remain alert and report any criminal activity.”

The unrest comes on the heels of reported attacks on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during ongoing deportation operations in the city. In response, Trump issued a presidential memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guard troops to the area, saying California officials had failed to keep order.

“The lawlessness that has been allowed to fester must be addressed,” the White House said in a statement.

But California Governor Gavin Newsom pushed back sharply, accusing the former president of overstepping his authority.

“We didn’t have a problem until Trump got involved,” Newsom wrote on X, calling the troop deployment a “serious breach of state sovereignty” and demanding the National Guard be returned to state control. “This move is inflaming tensions and pulling critical resources from where they’re actually needed.”

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has yet to issue a full statement on the protests or the federal troop deployment.

As of Monday morning, authorities remained on alert with a continued police presence downtown, though no major arrests or injuries had been publicly reported.