In the midst of a protest storm and arrests in the center of Los Angeles, immigration authorities seem to be intensifying operations throughout the south of California, since federal officials promise to continue with an offensive against workers and residents without adequate documents.
Immigration sweeps have spread fear and uncertainty throughout the region and have forced some to hide. Federal agents have been reported outside schools, workplaces and even churches, according to defenders.
At the same time, the officials of the Los Angeles Police Department report an increase in the success of violence and property damage in the city's core, thanks in part to a curfew of the 8 PM imposed this week.
Since Friday, when federal immigration officers supported by armored vehicles carried out an immigration raid in the center of the Dress District, Los Angeles has been the central scenario of the National Immigration Debate and who the Government prioritizes deportation.
The sweep was found with a quick and furious reaction of the members of the community, who surrounded the scene to protest the application actions. According to the White House officials, more clashes followed during the weekend in Paramount and since then in the pockets of the entire county, where the agents stop immigrants without adequate documents, according to the two thirds of which until now they do not have a criminal record, according to White House officials.
On Wednesday, the masked federal agents arrested at least 12 people from the companies in Downey, but the members of the community were able to discourage them to take a man without the appropriate documents.
In a video of the encounter, you can see the unidentified man sitting on the ground surrounded by masked agents who had pursued him. The man saw the application of immigration and customs in his work and moved away on his bike, but one of the masked men grabbed his tire, which made him fall, ABC7 reported.
Melsa Rivas registered community members who accelerated federal agents with questions about why they were chasing man. It is not clear what led the agents to leave the scene.
“It seemed like a complete kidnapping scene of a movie, it was scary,” Rivas told ABC 7.
Downey Councilor, Mario Trujillo, said during a press conference on Wednesday that the raids were “creating ravages and fear” in the community.
As the federal government's response has increased, first bringing to the National Guard and then to the Marines, the demonstrations have also done.
At 7:30 pm on Wednesday, the LAPD announced that it would arrested all protesters who remained in the center. Fifteen minutes later, the protest had decreased to a few dozen stubborn protesters outside the County Court.
Apparently resigned to their destination, protesters began to sit on the way and write the bail support number in their arms. More than a hundred law agents surrounded them in the block.
A day earlier, Mayor Karen Bass promulgated a curfew of 8 pm to 6 am for the majority of the center of Los Angeles in an effort to quell violence and vandalism. That night, 17 people were arrested under suspicion of raping the curfew, police said.
The curfew, which is expected to remain in place for several days, cover the Civic Center of the Center, including the City Council, the Palace of Palacres Criminal of the main county, the headquarters of LAPD and federal buildings, which has been the objective of the protests and has resulted in damage to property and arrests.
As hundreds have protested peacefully for days, some have taken the opportunity to steal companies or launch things to the police while they are hidden within the crowd.
In an effort to respond, the LAPD has altered some of its tactics. Police are now issuing dispersion orders much earlier in the day and immediately pointing to anyone who throws objects, according to sources of application of the law familiar with planning.
Meanwhile, protesters have complained that they are being cornered, or “quiet”, between police lines and effectively trapped. Police ranks have also been driven by the mutual aid of surrounding police agencies, which increases their effectiveness, authorities say.
The Dist. Atty county. Nathan Hochman on Wednesday announced charges that included assault on a peace officer, resistance to arrest, conspiracy to commit vandalism, vandalism, commercial theft and reckless minor crimes driving against five people related to protests.
On Wednesday night, hundreds of protesters marched from Pershing Square to the City Council, where the Los Angeles Police warned the protesters to leave the area. Dozens of LAPD officers, backed by the agents of the Los Angeles County Sheriff, declared that the meeting is an illegal assembly.
The authorities fired the so -called less lethal ammunition, which caused the crowd to disperse. The police on horseback carried the crowd, and several protesters fell to the ground. The officers pushed hundreds of protesters to Gloria Molina Grand Park, where they met and began to sing, “shame.”
Times staff writers Andrea Castillo, Richard Winton and Hannah Fry contributed to this report.
