Fighting broke out between federal agents and protesters outside the Federal Building in Los Angeles tonight following the No Kings protests.
Agents fired tear gas, mace, and sting balls as protesters attempted to throw the gas canisters back over the fence.
Protesters attempted to use shields and leaf blowers to block chemical irritants fired by the federal agents and fan away the fumes from the crowd.
The gas caused most of the crowd to leave, but Homeland Security agents opened the fence, threw tear gas, and pushed out into the street as LAPD agents also began marching in.
DHS agents rushed in to make a targeted arrest as LAPD began closing in on the group from both directions.
Agents fired pepper spray at the crowd surrounding the arrest in progress.
Surrounded by police on both sides, activists attempted an escape onto the train tracks. One hopped the fence, opening a door from the other side, and the crowd rushed onto the tracks.
Police urgently rushed in, insisting a train was coming, and forcing the crowd off.
They were not bluffing; a train did come minutes later.
The agents and police surrounded remaining protesters in a kettle formation.
They allowed credentialed media to leave escorted one-by-one, but pushed back those who attempted to leave without creds.
Protesters turned on one of their own, throwing liquid and items at her while accusing her of being a “snitch” and a “rat.”
Police escorted her across the street, where she explained that she reported a man to the police who “said he was gonna shoot me” online.
Police pushed protesters back in a few bursts of running, making a couple more targeted arrests along the way.
Officers arrived on horseback to reinforce the police line pushing the remaining protesters away from the federal building.
LAPD officers on horseback used batons to strike and continue to push back remaining protesters, now a few blocks from where the initial confrontation with federal agents had occurred.
LAPD continued to expand their perimeter around the federal building, to the point that they encountered multiple bystander unhoused people.
After they ripped down one tent in the area of the declared unlawful assembly, they allowed a second unhoused person to dismantle his tent himself before pressing forward.
LAPD pushed back everyone remaining within blocks of the federal building, physically shoving those who stood in the way and ultimately threatening arrest against those remaining in the road, which they then reopened for traffic outside the perimeter.
Thousands march, condemn President Trump in Los Angeles “No Kings” protest prior to violence
Prior to any violence breaking out, thousands marched in Los Angeles to make their opposition to President Trump heard at the third “No Kings” march, part of a nationwide array of such demonstrations.
A protester at the LA “No Kings” march set fire to a MAGA hat, which participants then stomped and danced on. “NOT A KING – HE’S YOUR DADDY” read a pro-Trump banner flown above the LA “No Kings” march, but no counter-protesters appeared to participate on the ground.
“If we fight, we can win!” Maxine Waters told anti-Trump protesters at the No Kings protest in Los Angeles, prior to violence breaking out between activists and federal agents
