More than 70 protesters were arrested in Los Angeles on Saturday evening after police used tear gas and pepper balls to disperse the crowd. The confrontation occurred outside the federal Metropolitan Detention Center, leaving at least one teenager with an eye injury and others suffering from skin burns, according to both protesters and police reports.
The incident came after hours of peaceful protests as part of the “No Kings” demonstrations in downtown Los Angeles and other areas across the county. The rally, which had been peaceful earlier in the day, turned tense when authorities responded to a crowd that had gathered outside the federal building after the main rally had ended.
Protesters and Journalists Removed by Authorities
Authorities said the crowd ignored orders to disperse later in the afternoon, prompting them to take action. Officers forcibly removed a Los Angeles Times reporter and other journalists from the area, warning that “mass arrests” were about to take place.
Protesters who remained were lined up outside the building and had their hands zip-tied behind their backs before being loaded into vans. One protester was seen dressed as Lady Liberty, wearing a chain around her waist as part of her costume.
Teenager Injured and Police Issuing Warnings
During the chaos, a teenager was struck in the eye by a pepper ball and was taken to the hospital for treatment. A woman, who identified herself as a medic but declined to give her name, said she treated the teen and other protesters who were injured. She claimed, “They brutalized us,” and added that the police did not issue any warning before firing into the crowd.
After the LAPD issued a tactical alert at around 5 p.m., officers, some wearing gas masks and face shields, swarmed the area where the air was filled with tear gas.
Federal Authorities Threaten to Arrest Those Involved in Violence
Later, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli posted on X (formerly Twitter), claiming that federal agents had video footage of individuals who were assaulting officers during the protest. He warned those involved, saying, “To those who were smashing concrete blocks and throwing them at our officers, we have you on video. We will find you and arrest you too. You’ve been warned.”
“No Kings” Rally Turns Violent Across the U.S.
Earlier in the day, organizers of the “No Kings” rallies claimed that millions of people participated in protests across all 50 states. The rallies were fueled by anger over several issues, including fatal ICE shootings and the deployment of U.S. troops to the Middle East.
