L.A. braces for multiple ‘No Kings’ demonstrations across the city Saturday

Los Angeles and other major cities across the nation are girding for widespread demonstrations against the Trump administration Saturday as the federal government expands its aggressive immigration enforcement crackdown beyond Southern California.

In Washington, the Army will celebrate 250 years of service, as well as President Trump’s 79th birthday, with an unprecedented military parade. In response, many around the country will be gathering for “No Kings” demonstrations to voice their opposition to the Trump administration’s policies.

In Los Angeles, where federal raids have caused many immigrants to avoid public workplaces and remain in hiding, at least a dozen different activist groups are planning to protest Saturday. The planned anti-Trump event follows eight days of demonstrations downtown, where thousands have condemned federal operations aimed at chasing down and capturing unauthorized immigrants at their jobs and on city streets.

The protests were organized by Indivisible, the American Civil Liberties Union and 50501, among others. Some of the groups organized the “Hands Off!” protests in April, which criticized the Trump administration’s policies on Social Security, healthcare and education.

The primary “No Kings” events will take place in New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Houston, Chicago and Charlotte, N.C., but there will also be demonstrations in other cities.

Los Angeles has seen an influx of National Guard and Marine troops over the last week despite the opposition of state and local officials, who say they are not needed and could inflame tensions.

Marines began taking up positions around the Wilshire Federal Building in Westwood on Friday, officials said.

Army Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman said at a press briefing that about 200 Marines are in Los Angeles. The Marines have completed civil disturbance training and “will not participate in law enforcement activities,” he said. They are solely tasked with defending the Westwood building and federal law enforcement agents.

Sherman is commander of the 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines that Trump has deployed to Los Angeles since protests broke out this month over immigration enforcement raids that have resulted in hundreds of arrests.

So far, local police and the California Highway Patrol have overseen crowd control and protests. In recent days, police have gained a better handle on the unrest, aided by an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew in downtown L.A.

“We’re closely monitoring developments and deploying our personnel and resources strategically to protect public safety while safeguarding every individual’s right to protest peacefully,” LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said Friday.

“Let me be absolutely clear on this: If you come to Los Angeles to exercise your rights peacefully, we are here to protect that. But if you come to our city with the intent to commit crimes, damage property or harm others, including our officers, you will be arrested,” he added.

Earlier in the week, McDonnell said there has been a “lack” of communication between police and the military.

“This is, to me, an unprecedented event where you have military personnel deployed into a city where it hasn’t been done in coordination and request by the local authorities,” he said.

“I wouldn’t call it coordination. We know that they are doing their mission, which is, as we’re told, to support federal and protect federal employees, functions and facilities,” he added.

One challenge for law enforcement is that the “No Kings” events will be occurring across the region. L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna said he was aware of 30 events in addition to a major Mexico soccer match Saturday.

On Thursday, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals paused a court order that would have required Trump to return control of California National Guard troops to Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The move came after U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer of San Francisco ruled that Trump broke the law when he mobilized thousands of National Guard members during protests over immigration raids, and must return the troops to state control by Friday.

Gregg Donovan, who wore a red suit and top hat, stood in front of the federal facility with a sign welcoming the Marines. Donovan said seeing local enforcement struggle to subdue protesters and defend themselves on Sunday made him believe federal enforcement was a necessary step to quell “violence.”

“They’re doing their duty, they’ve been deployed, so I wanted to show support,” Donovan said. “I saw the cops were overwhelmed. … I’d never seen it like that. I’ve been to many of the protests in the past, but not like that.”

The protesters, a crowd of nearly 50, did not share Donovan’s enthusiasm.

Priscilla Ramos took a day off from work to demonstrate.

“I think having both the Marines and the National Guard is absurd,” Ramos said. “When you increase policing, you have hyper policing, it actually increases angst amongst the community. It increases violence, it increases anger, it increases fear.”

MacArthur Park, a longtime immigrant hub west of downtown, was noticeably quieter than usual Friday.

Gone were many of the vendors who typically line South Alvarado Street all day, selling everything from baby formula to Lionel Messi jerseys. Many of those who weren’t displaced when the city erected fencing after a shooting earlier this year suddenly disappeared after the ICE raids started, according to Cristina Serrano, a 37-year-old Rampart Village resident.

“There’s like sadness, maybe grief. I think a lot of fear is going around these communities ... people are walking around just very cautious,” Serrano said at Panda Boxing Gym, near Westlake Avenue and 8th Street.

The Mexican restaurant next door abruptly closed its doors for two days, without explanation, she said.

“I don’t know if they were just scared of looters or if there was gonna be a situation that’s going on with ICE and deputies and police activity here,” she added.

Even though she is a citizen by birth, Serrano has taken to carrying a copy of her birth certificate with her everywhere she goes as a precaution.

“I don’t know who they want to stop, who they’re targeting, to be honest, because they’re targeting people that look like me,” she said. “I’m just also ... keeping a lawyer on speed dial just in case — not just for myself, but for my community.”

Tensions between federal immigration officials and California politicians reached new heights Thursday when Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) was forcibly removed from a Department of Homeland Security news conference where Secretary Kristi Noem was speaking.

Addressing reporters after the news conference, Padilla called upon people to peacefully protest the Trump administration’s actions.

“There is a lot of concern, there is a lot of tension, there is a lot of anxiety,” Padilla said. “I encourage everybody to please peacefully protest, just like I was calmly and peacefully listening to that press conference and preparing, attempting to ask a question.”

The raids have targeted Home Depots, churches, farms, retail centers and other locations. They have also stoked concerns among local officials that the operations are forcing immigrants to hide and will ultimately hurt the local economy.

As immigration actions continue, Los Angeles Police Department officials have reported increasing success in quelling violence and property damage in the city’s core, thanks in part to an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew imposed this week.

The curfew, which has been imposed indefinitely, encompasses the downtown Civic Center, including City Hall, the main county criminal courthouse, LAPD headquarters and federal buildings.

Times staff writers Nathan Solis, Andrea Castillo, Laura J. Nelson, Marie Sanford and Richard Winton contributed to this report.