Thousands of protesters rally in LA against Trump’s mass deportations
Thousands of protesters hold a rally against President Donald Trump’s mass deportations. Photo from Auden Cabello/Facebook
LOS ANGELES – A massive rally protesting President Donald Trump’s mass deportations and immigration policies blocked traffic on the Hollywood (101) Freeway in downtown Los Angeles Sunday.
The protesters gathered Sunday morning on Olvera Street for what the Los Angeles Police Department called a non-permitted demonstration.
The crowd grew to a few thousand people who marched to City Hall, before many walked onto the freeway near the Alameda Street exit.
Footage from the scene showed well over 100 boisterous protesters walking on both sides of the freeway shortly after noon, many carrying US or Mexico flags or signs assailing ICE.
The LAPD, which earlier called the demonstration peaceful, said at 1 p.m. that “Spring St, Main St, Los Angeles St as well as Arcadia and the 101 Freeway both North and South are under major gridlock in the DTLA area.”
Police reported at 1:19 p.m. that the demonstration had moved back onto surface streets, opening both north and southbound lanes of the freeway.
The department added that Arcadia, Aliso, Main and Spring streets remained impacted.
Several minutes later officials said the protesters had moved back onto the freeway.
“Please avoid the 101 freeway in DTLA between I-110 and Mission Rd., as we work to remove a protest from the freeway,” the CHP said in a post on X at 1:50 p.m.
“Accessing state highways or roads to protest is unlawful and extremely dangerous because it puts protesters, motorists and first responders at great risk of injury.’”
Video posted later showed a few demonstrators spraying graffiti on the freeway walls and appearing to vandalize at least one car that was stopped in the middle of the crowd.
Downtown Los Angeles was already experiencing traffic delays in the area around Crypto.com Arena, where some streets were closed for Sunday’s Grammy Awards.
Since his inauguration on Jan. 20, Trump has followed through on his campaign promise to dramatically boost deportation of undocumented immigrants, with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement carrying out raids in major cities. (With CNS report)
