Inside the LA protests: ‘We took to the streets because our parents have lived in the shadows their entire lives’

Metallic noises emanate from a huge bunker in the heart of Los Angeles. Inside are dozens of undocumented immigrants arrested in the immigration raids carried out by the Donald Trump administration in workplaces, in courthouses and on the streets of the metropolis. The inmates bang objects against the walls and bars of their holding cells in solidarity with the crowd that has been gathering outside the building for three days to condemn the president’s immigration policy. Everyone in Los Angeles wants to speak out against what is happening.

The federal detention center has been guarded since early Sunday morning by 2,000 National Guard troops who were mobilized the day before by Trump. This, despite the fact that California authorities did not request their presence in one of the country’s main sanctuary cities. Local politicians consider the military deployment a provocation from Washington. On Sunday afternoon, Governor Gavin Newsom asked Trump’s Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, to withdraw the troops.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people arrived at City Hall on Sunday afternoon to reject the presence of the military. “ICE (immigration police) out of our communities” and “If they come for one, they’ll come for all” were some of the signs seen among the flags of the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador.

Sunday’s demonstration was the largest in the three days of social unrest in Los Angeles. “We took to the streets because our parents have lived their entire lives in the shadows,” says Diego, a 30-year-old American who was born in Montebello, a city east of Los Angeles that is 78% Latino. The kitchen worker’s parents are originally from El Salvador and Guatemala. He was born here and wants to exercise his rights. He couldn’t do so on Friday or Saturday because he had to work a 10-hour shift at the restaurant where he works. “We have to say it loud and clear: Not all of us who live here are illegal immigrants or criminals,” he adds.

This Sunday, the focus was on the National Guard. The troops formed an unbreakable perimeter around the detention center, along with tactical units from the Department of Homeland Security. The guards were armed with shields, wooden clubs and non-lethal guns, as well as high-powered firearms. Their role throughout the day was as witnesses.

The tensest moments involved the Los Angeles Police Department. “I hereby declare this assembly unlawful, all persons must disperse immediately, otherwise you will be arrested,” a police officer threatened in Spanish from a patrol car. Riot police fired rubber bullets at the protesters, who responded by pelting the officers with fireworks, rocks, and water bottles. Some spraypainted and burned Waymo driverless robotaxis.

A young woman wearing a Mexican national soccer team jersey charged at officers on her motorcycle. They opened fire on her with non-lethal weapons. She was one of several people arrested during the third day of protests. “When we were the working class, they loved us in this country, but now that there are so many of us, it’s a problem, and that’s why they persecute us. They simply don’t want us here anymore,” said the woman, whose parents are Mexican and Puerto Rican, and who was in handcuffs when she spoke to reporters.

These are not the first demonstrations to take place in Los Angeles. The city was one of the first in the country to take to the streets after Trump’s return to the White House with an anti-immigrant agenda. Since early February, just 10 days into the Republican’s second term, dozens of people have marched with the Mexican flag through the same streets where thousands of people protested this past Sunday. The sight of a foreign flag sparked anger among MAGA activists. “Since they love Mexico so much, we’ll gladly bring them back,” Charlie Kirk, an influential Trump supporter, stated on X. Los Angeles has the second-largest community of Mexicans in the world, behind only Mexico City. Mexican authorities have demanded that the rights of detained Mexicans be respected.

Things have changed since February. Four months later, ICE agents have oiled the deportation machine and set a goal of detaining 3,000 undocumented immigrants per day. And they’re close to achieving it. Last week, the number reached 2,000, according to Homeland Security. The raids have increased social tension, and the Trump administration has promised to punish with exemplary severity those who interfere with the operations or who insult or attack federal immigration officers. Tom Homan, the border czar, has even promised to arrest L.A. Mayor Karen Bass for her refusal to join the immigrant hunt.

On Saturday, there were clashes between authorities and protesters in the city of Paramount, south of L.A. These clashes later spread to Compton, another city in the metropolitan area, where a vehicle was set on fire and Mexican flags were seen. Downtown Los Angeles was the scene of popular demonstrations on Friday and Sunday. Authorities have called for calm and peaceful protests to avoid giving Trump a reason to escalate the situation. The defense secretary has threatened to send soldiers stationed at Camp Pendleton, near San Diego, to the streets of Los Angeles.

Most of the protests have been peaceful. Just a few feet from the spot where explosions were heard and robotaxis were engulfed in flames, a group of Belgian tourists were visiting the birthplace of Los Angeles, taking photographs at the site known as El Pueblito, the place where the first Mexican families settled and where today there stands a statue of Charles III, the Spanish monarch who ordered the settlement where the enormous metropolis now stands. “We were there in the middle of all the chaos, it was exciting!” Patrick said, hurrying to catch up with the rest of the group.

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