To Live and Fight in LA: People’s City Council on the Growing Mobilization in the Streets Against ICE

In early June, demonstrations exploded after ICE carried out militarized raids in working-class communities and workplaces in Los Angeles, CA, leading to large confrontations between ICE, the LAPD, and angry community members who rallied in defense of imprisoned family members and neighbors. The next day, confrontations again erupted, after ICE agents attacked protesters outside of a Home Depot, while people bravely defended their neighborhood from violent raids. The following day, Trump federalized several hundred National Guard soldiers, sending them to guard a downtown federal building, as clashes exploded in the streets between demonstrators and law enforcement, followed by the Mayor putting in place a curfew, as police violently attacked protesters and journalists.

LAPD FIRING ON US AT POINT BLANK. TAKING MULTIPLE SHOTS AY THE CHEST AND HEAD AREA!!FUCK LAPD!!

— People’s City Council – Los Angeles (@pplscitycouncil.bsky.social) 2025-06-10T04:53:17.025Z

But while the spectacular battles in the streets have died down, the organizing on the ground has not. On July 1st, hundreds responded to a call from the Los Angeles Tenants Union (LATU) to hold demonstrations against ongoing ICE activity in the city, as mutual aid groups mobilized to support those too afraid to go outside and work, demonstrators continued to rally outside of local hotels, demanding that ICE agents be kicked out, and community defense hubs have sprung up outside of Home Depot stores and beyond. Clashes between ICE and community members have also remained ongoing; a recent raid by ICE in one working-class city in LA county led to local residents damaging DHS vehicles and pushing out federal agents.

Wanting to get a better sense of the scope of this deepening organizing happening on the ground in Los Angeles, we sat down with a participant involved in the People’s City Council, an “abolitionist, anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist collective” that is reporting from the streets of southern California on the unfolding wave of activity against ICE and beyond.

IGD: There’s been a lot written about the initial demonstrations which kicked off in early June, but what’s the big picture of what’s been happening on the streets of LA?

People’s City Council: First, it’s important to understand that yes, there may be some spontaneous combustion in LA, but also that this moment has been brewing, combined with the on-going multi-generational organizing efforts here.

And as we saw in February with the high school student walkouts, many of those you see out in the streets are young people. It makes sense considering there a lot of local kids that grew up here who likely either have a parent, relative, or neighbor that the State would classify as “illegal.” The sentiment of “this is an attack on us, on our people” is widespread in the city. So, folks are upset and hitting the streets and are taking action to show that LA will not back down. It’s been inspiring to see how people are resisting. We are very proud of everyone out there, especially the young people who continue to show up.

What we are seeing right now cannot be understood without recognizing the impact of how organizers responded during the fires in January, the city showing up alongside young people getting active during the 2024 student intifada, the 2020 uprising, the decade long block by block tenant organizing spearheaded by LA Tenants Union, and the mutual aid efforts in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that have grown and saved lives across the city and county. There is a direct lineage and connection to both these modern events and historic actions like the immigration rights protests in LA in 2006 and 1994, the 1968 Chicano Moratorium – and though the current moment has not reached the level of the 1992 LA Riots or the 1965 Watts Rebellion, there has certainly been flashes of similarities.

Protesters are chanting “I know my rights” to huge police presence in LA on day four of police and ICE brutality. Most protests that took place had bought permits from the city to do so.

— LorennaCleary.bsky.social (@lorennacleary.bsky.social) 2025-06-09T22:13:06.728Z

Families are being torn a part and our neighbors are being kidnapped right in front of us. It’s no surprise that people are reacting the way they are. The events that have unfolded draw similarities to the beginnings of the First Intifada, where we see young people using whatever materials they have available to them to fight back and throw at the pigs. Though, of course, we’ve only seen a brief glimmer of rebellion and we are not yet in such a sustained historical moment.

The very first night outside the federal detention center on June 6th, we saw an hours long back and forth between federal agents and protesters. Despite the onslaught of pepper balls, tear gas, flash bangs, ‘less lethals’ and more from DHS/HSI pigs, people in the streets did not back down and kept coming back for more. Rebellion was in the air that night. Note: this is not true for all groups/orgs there that night, non-profits and big unions such as SEIU and CHIRLA were on a truck-bed chanting, “Shut it down!,” but those groups ordered people to move away from the point of contention at the detention center. Hundreds followed. Hundreds stayed.

One of the most important pieces of this moment, which has not been talked about much, is that the people on the inside of the detention center have been able to look out at the rebellion on the outside. These expressions are meaningful and legitimately connected to the theory and praxis of tearing down the prison walls. Just a few days later on June 13th in New Jersey, captives at Delaney Hall literally tore down the prison walls during a prison break.

“Get home safe” she says after sending LAPD after people in the streets. Multiple people have been hit in the head with high impact munitions. Fuck @mayor.lacity.gov

— People’s City Council – Los Angeles (@pplscitycouncil.bsky.social) 2025-06-15T05:26:02.649Z

There was a real spark of uprising that carried through the weekend. We saw people in Paramount and Compton first chase the feds out and away from their staging area and then engaged in a day long battle in the streets with the feds AND LA Sheriff’s Department. The energy continued to grow into the following day where we saw tens of thousands out in downtown Los Angeles. It was a beautiful show of what happens when you overwhelm the pigs. People surrounded the detention center, others took over the freeway and engaged with California Highway Patrol, as many others were out maneuvering through the streets of DTLA and put the LAPD on the run.

The people simply could not be contained. Because the pigs could not easily kettle protesters or push them in one direction, they were stuck and confused in the streets. As one group marched down the street with shields, advancing on the pigs, others were able to get the high ground on the police, allowing them to run across the Temple St. bridge and throw objects down at the pigs. Pretty much every building downtown was tagged with “FUCK ICE” and “ACAB” graffiti, Waymos were set on fire, and CHP and LAPD cars were sabotaged and destroyed. We saw in real time a new set of rules, theory, and understanding being developed for those in the streets. People have begun to understand that the only thing that is going to stop these fascist monsters is ourselves.

Reminder that Waymo is a project of Google, whose CEO, Sundar Pichai, attended Trump's inauguration. Waymo is also one of the frontline companies pushing automation across the US, threatening blue-collar livelihoods everywhere. Good night, tech-right.

— It's Going Down (@igd.bsky.social) 2025-06-09T00:51:08.952Z

There have been countless brave heroes like Adrian Andrew Martinez, the young man who was arrested by ICE while they attempted to grab his elderly co-worker in a Walmart parking lot. Adrian stepped up to stop the kidnapping attempt and was disappeared for 24 hours before his family could locate him at the federal detention center.

Though mainstream coverage of the “protests” has slowed down, it does not mean that the organizing and actions have stopped. The raids have continued throughout the month of June. It’s been an onslaught of attacks on our communities; targeting street vendors and day laborers, the heart of what makes Los Angeles such an amazing city. There is a strong grassroots base of folks, (born out of the Community Self Defense Coalition, led by Union del Barrio), across the city and county who are taking shifts patrolling their neighborhoods, beginning early in the morning. People are organizing “buyouts” for vendors so they have money to stay home and avoid danger. We’ve seen amazing creative actions outside of hotels where federal agents are sleeping at. These actions have been successful in either forcing ICE to flee/leave or some hotels even saying that they will not allow the feds to stay there. For more info, be sure to check out no.sleep.for.ice on Instagram.

As one LA organizer said “Life in LA right now: Wake up and clock in for your ICE Watch shift. Clock out and deliver groceries to your neighbors. Buy as much as you can from any street vendor you see. Recharge and strategize with your comrades. End the night, loud as hell outside a hotel where ICE sleeps.”

Lastly, we have to center the importance of the Olympics. What many people don’t understand is that Mayor Karen Bass and the city of Los Angeles are obligated to comply with the feds due to the 2028 Olympics. The Olympics are designated as  “National Special Security Event” (NSSE) which allows federal agencies like DHS, ICE, CBP, and Secret Service to coordinate “security” with local law enforcement. Mayor Bass cannot legitimately say “ICE out of LA,” when she invited the feds to LA in January 2024. LAPD shares information with the feds through the joint terrorism task force and LAPD assists the feds by “securing the perimeter” during immigration raids. LAPD is essentially body guards for ICE during kidnapping operations.

To read more about NSSE’s make sure to follow NOlympicsLA.

IGD: The mass media has largely focused on the interplay between California Governor Gavin Newsom and Trump, and the supposed legality (or not) of Trump federalizing National Guard troops and bringing in the Marines. What is the reality on the ground about the State’s use of the military in Los Angeles? 

PCC: The National Guard and Marines have mainly been stationed outside the federal buildings in Downtown and Westwood. We have seen the National Guard get involved with the protests when people attempt to approach the buildings but other than that, most of protest violence we’ve seen has come from LAPD. The first day the marines were in LA, they detained a Black man outside of the VA.

Some beautiful redecorating outside the federal detention center 😍LA SAYS FUCK ICE!!!

— People’s City Council – Los Angeles (@pplscitycouncil.bsky.social) 2025-06-07T05:54:46.947Z

There was talk and threats of the Marines taking over MacArthur Park, sandwiched in-between Koreatown and Downtown, however that has seemed to die down, for now. Though, as mentioned above, I would not be surprised if this type of thing continues to be discussed leading up to the Olympics. This is all aligned with the city’s assault on unhoused people and the plan to “clean up” the city ahead of 2028. Democrats and Republicans will continue to wield the police state in order to further their goals.

California National Guard with riot shields pushed the protesters into the streets. Tear gas deployed and pellets exploded on the street. Didn’t see any arrests, though there was some shoving back and forth with the shields.

— James Queally (@jqwritesstuff.bsky.social) 2025-06-08T20:08:53.264Z

In many ways, the National Guard and Marines look just like LAPD and LASD. Our local police departments are “militarized” and it’s evident for people out there who see the armored vehicles and weaponry. LAPD’s crowd control training comes from military tactics and techniques. Just look at how the 1984 Olympics helped ramp up the militarization of LAPD.

LAPD firing impact munitions at Los Angelenos while DHS arrests their neighbors.

— Robert Evans (the Only Robert Evans) (@iwriteok.bsky.social) 2025-06-07T03:28:35.532Z

IGD: As you all have pointed out, much of the violence against the public has come directly from the LAPD. What are you seeing on the ground about the interplay and action between the police, ICE, and the military? 

PCC: This is the most frustrating and hilarious part about most of the media coverage. The majority of the violence targeting protesters and people defending their neighbors has been from LAPD. LA Mayor Bass and Newsom are cosplaying as leaders and saying they want Trump out, when in reality they just want to be the ones to shut down the people in the streets.

Elected officials and media are obscuring the truth about what’s happening. The mayor and LAPD try to say there is no coordination between the city and feds, however, their actions and statements from the feds indicate otherwise. LAPD was there, securing the perimeter for the federal immigration operation that set off this whole response on June 6th. Then during the demonstrations outside the detention center the night of June 6th, the LAPD and DHS were seen forming a joint skirmish line to push protesters back.

LAPD is firing at random people right now. A person is stuck in their car.

— Joey Scott (@joeyneverjoe.bsky.social) 2025-06-08T21:38:08.467Z

ICE even put out a statement saying ““Our brave officers were vastly outnumbered, as over 1,000 rioters surrounded and attacked a federal building. It took over two hours for the Los Angeles Police Department to respond.” So the coordination and collaboration has been there since day one of the raids. People should be offended by the gaslighting and lying coming from those in power. We can see with our own eyes what’s really happening in LA.

Recently, LAPD arrested a local documentarian, Anthony Orendorff during a federal kidnapping operation at a Home Depot in Pacoima. The LAPD held Anthony without bail for four days to punish him for documenting their collaboration. Charges were eventually rejected by the City Attorney. But this is the extent the State will go to hide and cover up what is happening in LA.

“We still got to fight for people being separated Being separated from your family is torture, & that’s what’s happening right now in our streets. That’s what I was trying to document & show what’s going on to the world. That’s what we got to fight for – to keep families together.” Anthony Orendorff

— People’s City Council – Los Angeles (@pplscitycouncil.bsky.social) 2025-06-26T18:59:48.267Z

IGD: What happened with ICE using Dodger stadium? 

PCC: Again, another example of shameless gaslighting by those in power and the media. The facts are: the feds were carrying out operations in the area near Dodger stadium. A bunch of fed vans were seen driving into Dodger Stadium. We were literally there and witnessed LAPD come to back up ICE agents who were being confronted by community members. We later found out that this is where the feds were taking arrestees to transfer them to different detention centers. An American citizen, Job Garcia, who was arrested that day, spoke to the media and said he “was among 30 detainees who were brought to Dodger Stadium where federal agents verified his America citizenship. He said the stadium is reportedly being used as a hub for detainees.”

This is bullshit framing. The people of LA came out and told ICE to GTFO. LAPD is literally ICE’s bodyguards. Why are you doing this @marmel.bsky.social?

— People’s City Council – Los Angeles (@pplscitycouncil.bsky.social) 2025-06-19T21:13:20.952Z

Job was held at the same detention facility as our young hero Adrian Martinez. “You’re the Walmart kid, right?” he asked him. Garcia told him what had unfolded outside the Home Depot. “That’s exactly what happened to me,” he said Martinez told him. “They were bullying this older guy. I didn’t like that so I went and confronted them and they put their hands on me and I pushed their hands off.”

The Dodgers came out with a statement saying that they had not allowed ICE to “use the parking lots.” However this is bullshit semantics. Federal agents were seen using the stadium entrance roads to stage for their operations. They may not have literally been “in the parking lot,” but they were certainly at Dodger Stadium. They attempted to get control of the narrative, however, what we saw with our own eyes and the story from Job Garcia the next day, we know what was really happening there.

Federal agents raided this Westlake Home Depot. Now it’s a place of resistance.Day laborers who fled in terror during federal raids now find solidarity at a grassroots support station outside the same Home Depot where their coworkers got detained.

— LA Public Press (@lapublicpress.bsky.social) 2025-06-17T21:25:42.162Z

This is connected to a long history of displacement at Dodger Stadium: the residents of Palo Verde, La Loma, and Bishop were all forcefully evicted and their homes destroyed in the 1950s to make way for  Dodger Stadium.

IGD: Do you think the State can continue this level of activity? Where do things go from here? 

PCC: Yes. They can and they will. We are currently seeing the expansion of the surveillance state and repression. Right now in LA we are seeing targeted arrests and house raids of organizers, warrants, wiretaps, grand juries, etc. They are attempting to cast a broad net. This is reminiscent (and as we have all been warning) of how the State went after the Stop Cop City movement.

Alejandro Orellana, an organizer with local org Centro CSO, is facing federal charges for allegedly passing out face shields and water bottles to demonstrators at a protest. Another Centro organizer, Verita Topete, was ambushed by the FBI in a park and had her phone seized.

Verita Topete from Centro CSO, a Boyle Heights social justice is speaking to reporters and has a message for the president and elected leaders:“[Trump] needs to stop this, and also Mayor Karen Bass and Gavin Newsom—you need to come out here in the streets.”

— Sean Beckner-Carmitchel (@acatwithnews.bsky.social) 2025-06-11T19:17:12.943Z

Fascist US Attorney, Bill Essayli, is using his platform to target organizers and threaten those who are willing to take action to defend their neighbors. Essayli tweeted out a false statement about Adrian Martinez, stating he was arrested for punching a CBP agent in the face, though, no assault charges were ever filed.

With all that we know and with the 2028 Olympics approaching, we can surely expect things to continue to ratchet up in Los Angeles.

Keep eyes on LA. We won’t back down. “We keep us safe” is the spirit of the city.

cover photo collage via LA Tenant’s Union, People’s City Council, and Radical Graffiti