Trump Lays Siege to LA—and Journalists
Militarized ICE raids, the National Guard unleashed, journalists aggressively targeted, and our ON-THE-GROUND reporting mirrors a war zone.
Los Angeles looks more like a war zone than a major U.S. city as protests continue after a weekend filled with chaos in response to President Trump’s militarized ICE raids across the city.
Status Coup’s Tina-Desiree Berg reported ON-THE-GROUND throughout the chaos, risking her safety multiple times to capture incredible, up-close footage of police wildly shooting at protesters with so-called “less lethal” bullets—which are actually plenty lethal if hit by from from point blank range—flash-bang grenades, tear gas, pepper spray, and more (WATCH HER REPORTING BELOW).
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What followed was a stunning and dystopian federal crackdown — with the Trump administration unleashing the National Guard without state approval, arresting labor leaders, and targeting journalists with so-called “less-lethal” weapons.
TRUMP OVERRIDES STATE AUTHORITY
In an unprecedented move, President Donald Trump ordered 300 National Guard troops into Los Angeles without the consent of California Governor Gavin Newsom. The deployment marks the first time since the 1960s that a sitting president has activated the National Guard to a state without the governor's request — invoking a rarely used federal statute for rebellion that was notably not applied on January 6.
“Commandeering a state’s National Guard without consulting the Governor is illegal and immoral,” Newsom responded, accusing Trump of intentionally provoking violence to deploy authoritarian tactics. The governor has already filed a lawsuit over the deployment.
Echoing the Cold War-era logic of crackdowns on dissent, Trump adviser Stephen Miller coined the anti-ICE protests in LA as an “insurrection” — again, vocabulary maddeningly bit back when describing January 6. Alarmingly, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has since deployed 500 Marines to LA. Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, went a step further, threatening to arrest LA Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Newsom if they interfere with federal immigration enforcement.
By Sunday evening, Trump was openly escalating the violent clashes between LAPD and demonstrators. “BRING IN THE TROOPS!!!” he bombastically posted on Truth Social. Trump also bellowed for the arrest of protesters wearing face masks, commonly worn by protesters to protect their identities—an increasingly warranted desire considering the Trump administration’s crusade against political opponents.
LABOR LEADER ARRESTED, JOURNALISTS ATTACKED
Over 100 immigrants were arrested in the L.A. area over the past week in ICE-led raids. Among them was David Huerta, the President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California — a prominent labor leader. Huerta reportedly sustained injuries during the raid but was nonetheless jailed for several days, only getting released Monday evening.
What began as peaceful protests quickly spiraled into something darker. On-the-ground footage from our reporter Tina-Desiree Berg captures riot-gear-clad LAPD—doing their best storm-trooper impersonation— rolling dumpsters and office chairs at demonstrators outside the Metropolitan Detention Center — before indiscriminately unleashing tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash-bang grenades.
Berg herself was hit with tear gas while documenting the scene. “I'm still f*cked up from all the chemical weapons,” she told us the morning after her first night covering the ICE raids. “I can't stop coughing.”
Videojournalsit Nick Stern, who has done camerawork for Status Coup in the past, was shot at and struck by a 40mm “less lethal” round—seriously injuring him and requiring surgery (we have spoken with him and fortunately he is OK).
And he’s not the only one.
Australian journalist Lauren Tomasi of Nine News was intentionally shot in the leg by an LAPD officer while reporting live. Footage from the incident clearly shows the officer aiming and firing at her. Univision reporters were also filmed fleeing as LAPD chased them down with what they said were pepper balls.
Despite LAPD’s claims of restraint, their actions told a different story. By Saturday night, the department had declared the entirety of Los Angeles as an unlawful assembly and gave the green light for “less lethal” munitions to be used starting at 8 p.m. The term “less-lethal” is deeply misleading — as seen in the case of Stern and others who were seriously injured (for your own good, we’re not going to show you the gruesome photos of Stern’s leg after being shot at with a 40mm “less lethal” ammunition).
“Don’t shoot us!” Berg can be heard shouting at police, repeatedly screaming “we’re press!”
AUTHORITARIAN TACTICS ON DISPLAY
Civil rights advocates and local officials have denounced the federal response, calling it a transparent attempt to silence dissent and intimidate immigrant communities. Trump's justification for the National Guard deployment — protecting federal buildings — rings hollow in a city where local officials were given no advance notice of the raids that sparked the chaos.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell pushed back against the Trump administration's claims that the department failed to respond adequately, stating they were not given advance notice of the raids.
IF IT HAPPENED ELSEWHERE, THE U.S. WOULD CONDEMN IT
Imagine…
This happening in any other country.
Armed federal troops sweeping through neighborhoods without local consent. Protesters gassed and shot at for opposing raids on immigrant families. Journalists clearly targeted and injured in the street. A top union leader arrested and held without immediate access to medical care.
It’s the kind of civil unrest the U.S. State Department would issue travel advisories over, politicians would decry from atop their high horse, and elite journalists would sternly condemn as dangerous authoritarianism.
But this isn’t unfolding in a faraway country. This is happening in Los Angeles.
The ICE raids and subsequent crackdown may mark a dangerous turning point for civil liberties and press freedom in America. Trump’s willingness to override state authority, jail political opponents, and deploy military force against civilians signals a chilling normalization of authoritarian governance — under the banner of “law and order.”
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