Chaotic scenes unfolded on Friday in Los Angeles as protesters carrying Mexican and American flags clashed with police while demonstrating against Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids.
Protesters stormed the outside of a federal prison in downtown Los Angeles and came face-to-face with police officers, who protected themselves behind shields before unleashing pepper balls and tear gas.
One dramatic image depicted a protester striking an officer’s shield with a skateboard. Another revealed police firing non-lethal rounds at protesters in an effort to disperse.
The Los Angeles Police Department issued a warning just before 9 pm, ordering all protesters near Union Station to disperse within 10 minutes.
Officers then infiltrated the scene and said they were met with bottles and rocks hurled at them, according to the LAPD’s social media account.
LAPD Central Division announced a ‘tactical alert’ after federal authorities were hit with debris, bottles, and other objects.
As the night continued, the LAPD arrested ‘violent agitators’ who were allegedly ‘fighting with officers,’ one of whom was accused of ‘using a sling shot to shoot hard metal objects at officers who were standing on the line.’
Mayor Karen Bass later confirmed that five people were arrested during the dramatic confrontation. The Daily Mail has reached out to the LAPD for an update on the arrests.
Bass urged protesters in the city to remain peaceful during a press conference on Friday, adding that violence was ‘exactly what I believe this administration wants to see happen.’
‘I think the protests are extremely important, but it is equally important for these protests to be peaceful, for vandalism not to take place,’ she said.
‘That does not impact the administration in any kind of way that is going to bring about any type of change.’
Protesters told the Los Angeles Times that officers positioned themselves on the roof and fired off nonlethal rounds, deploying a green and yellow irritant that created a large cloud.
Many of the protesters were seen in gas masks as some covered their eyes and fled the scene.
Obscene messages were written on the front of the Metropolitan Detention Center, and protesters were seen pushing a large red dumpster to barricade themselves from police.
One of the demonstrators, Yamilet Segundo, 19, told the Los Angeles Times: ‘I told my friends we should come out after school to use our voice, but I wasn’t expecting to see this.’
‘It’s honestly really sad to see that it reached this point. I’m kind of nervous now because it seems like it’s getting violent.
Hellbound and Down 