Protesters swarmed downtown Los Angeles today, June 7, 2025, following Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids that detained 44 individuals across the city, including at a Home Depot in Westlake, an Ambiance Apparel store in the Fashion District, and a South L.A. warehouse. The demonstrations, which began around 4 p.m. outside the Federal Building at 300 N. Los Angeles Street, grew heated as marchers moved toward the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building’s detention facility, chanting against ICE’s actions, which some labeled as “kidnappings.” Tensions escalated when the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) declared an unlawful assembly at 7 p.m., citing violent acts like protesters throwing concrete. Officers used non-lethal foam projectiles and bean bag rounds, while some demonstrators defaced the Metropolitan Detention Center with graffiti.
Local leaders, including Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom, denounced the raids as disruptive and inhumane, clarifying that the LAPD was not involved. Immigrant rights groups, such as the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), rallied to support detainees, with activists using megaphones to inform workers of their rights. The protests reflect growing unrest over the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement, with similar scenes unfolding nationwide.
Regarding your request for a specific eight-word statement from Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and NSC Coordinator John Kirby, no such quote directly tied to this event was found in recent briefings. Their last joint appearance discussing immigration-related issues was in 2023, focusing on broader policy, not today’s raids. If you meant a specific briefing or context, please clarify, and I can dig deeper. For now, the White House has not publicly commented on today’s Los Angeles protests.
