LA Anti-ICE Protesters Spit on and Burn American Flags During Demonstration

Over the weekend, intense protests erupted in Los Angeles, where demonstrators gathered in the city’s downtown area, burning and spitting on American flags as they voiced strong opposition to former President Donald Trump. Video footage circulating online shows dozens of protesters, many of whom were wearing masks, encircling an American flag that had been set ablaze. As flames consumed the flag, several individuals spit on it or poured accelerant to keep the fire going. The protestors escalated the act by adding a second flag to the bonfire.

During the demonstration, numerous attendees held up flags from South American countries such as Mexico, waving them high while the American flags burned at their feet. Chants of “F-Trump" echoed through the crowd, underscoring the participants' strong anti-Trump sentiment. Tensions flared further as police officers from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department moved in to disperse the unruly gathering, deploying flash bangs in an attempt to restore order and break up the crowds.

The situation quickly intensified as the Los Angeles Police Department declared an “unlawful assembly” late Sunday night. The department took to social media to warn residents, businesses, and visitors to remain alert and to report any suspicious or criminal activity. “Agitators have splintered into and throughout the Downtown Area,” the LAPD’s Central Division warned, emphasizing that officers were responding to multiple locations to disperse crowds and restore calm to the area.

Protesters expanded their march into the well-known L.A. Live entertainment complex, which sits adjacent to the Crypto.com Arena and the Los Angeles Convention Center. Authorities reported that demonstrators temporarily blocked lanes on Figueroa and 11th streets, causing significant disruptions to traffic and business operations in the heart of downtown Los Angeles.

As clashes with law enforcement escalated, President Donald Trump responded by ordering the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles. The move followed reports that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were attacked during immigration enforcement operations. In a presidential memorandum, Trump described the action as necessary to “address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester,” asserting that state and local officials had not taken adequate steps to curb the violence and unrest.

The federal intervention prompted immediate backlash from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who publicly objected to Trump’s decision. “I have formally requested the Trump Administration rescind their unlawful deployment of troops in Los Angeles county and return them to my command,” Newsom asserted in a strongly worded message posted to social media. He accused the Trump administration of violating state sovereignty and argued that the escalation of tensions was a direct result of federal involvement, rather than local conditions.

The city remains on high alert as authorities work to prevent further unrest, urging all Angelenos to cooperate with public safety directives. The broader political consequences of the weekend’s events—and the strained relationship between state and federal authorities—are expected to continue to unfold in the coming days.