For the third straight day, downtown Los Angeles has seen escalating unrest as immigration protests turned violent, sparking major disruptions throughout the city. The demonstrations began in response to a wave of ICE arrests and President Trump’s decision to send 2,000 National Guard troops to the area.

Protesters flooded city streets and even shut down parts of the 101 Freeway. Several California Highway Patrol (CHP) vehicles were surrounded and vandalized—some even set on fire. LAPD officers faced intense attacks, including commercial-grade fireworks and, according to reports, a Molotov cocktail. One individual drove a motorcycle through a police line, and a fire briefly broke out near law enforcement.

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell warned that the type of fireworks being used could be fatal, calling the situation a serious threat to both police and bystanders. By the end of the night, 27 people had been arrested, and city officials were weighing a possible curfew.

McDonnell blamed the violence on outside agitators exploiting otherwise peaceful protests. Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized the Trump administration’s response, calling the deployment of the National Guard “provocative” and damaging to public trust.

The protests were ignited after ICE arrested 44 individuals in Los Angeles as part of a nationwide immigration enforcement push.