Two police officers were injured on Sunday during protests against mass detentions of illegal immigrants in Los Angeles, California.
“Two people on motorcycles attempted to break through the cordon. Two police officers were injured after being hit by the motorcyclists. Both drivers were detained. The officers were receiving medical care at the scene,” local police reported in X.
Law enforcement officers are trying to clear a major Los Angeles highway for traffic, a section of which has been blocked by demonstrators. According to local media, protesters are clashing with police officers, throwing bottles and rocks at them. Rioters have set at least five cars on fire.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said at a press conference that the escalation was caused by the actions of the federal government, including the decision of US President Donald Trump to send the California National Guard to suppress protests in Los Angeles.
“I was hoping to prevent this from happening. I was trying to explain to the administration that if the National Guard were deployed in Los Angeles, it would create a sense of chaos, and that’s the last thing our city needs. Our city is still trying to recover from the wildfires, and given that, to find ourselves in this situation is truly tragic,” she said. Bass added that she has not spoken directly to Trump, but has spoken with Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Tom Homan and Attorney General Pam Bondi.