Tensions in Los Angeles escalated Sunday as thousands of protesters took to the streets in response to President Donald Trump’s extraordinary deployment of the National Guard, blocking off a major freeway and setting self-driving cars on fire as law enforcement used tear gas,

Protesters threw chunks of concrete, rocks, electric scooters and fireworks at California Highway Patrol officers and their vehicles. The officers ran under an overpass to take cover, the report added.

The president often expresses an open desire for aggressive law enforcement and harsh tactics when protests originate from the political left.

Amid nationwide backlash against the Trump administration's sweeping deportation raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), protests have erupted in Texas, mirroring the fierce rallies seen in Los Angeles.

Marines sent to LA amid ICE protest chaos. Trump’s move sparks backlash, legal battles, and fears of escalation.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has filed an emergency motion in federal court to block National Guard members and Marines from assisting with immigration raids in Los Angeles. “Trump is turning the U.S. military against American citizens,” Newsom wrote on X.

It was the third and most intense day of demonstrations against Trump’s immigration crackdown in the region, as the arrival of around 300 Guard troops spurred anger and fear among many residents.

Multiple protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles on Friday broke out in violence, with federal agents using military tactics to disperse crowds.