[By Guancha Observer Network, Shao Yun]

The protests triggered by the U.S. federal agencies' tough crackdown on illegal immigrants have entered the third day.

"How Los Angeles erupted into chaos over reports of an immigration enforcement raid at a hardware store," the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reviewed on the 9th. Before the situation escalated on the 7th, a Home Depot store near a chain hardware store became the center of protest activities due to rumors of law enforcement personnel being dispatched. Although the scale of the conflict here was not large, the "dramatic" standoff eventually became the "fuse" for the Trump administration to send National Guard troops to Los Angeles.

This Home Depot store is located in Paramount, about 30 kilometers south of downtown Los Angeles. Paramount is a working-class community mainly populated by Latino immigrants. According to the Los Angeles Times, usually, you would see construction workers purchasing materials, immigrant laborers looking for work, and ordinary customers around this Home Depot store. However, on the morning of the 7th, border enforcement officers were spotted gathering on the street across from the store.

This news quickly spread through social media and sparked strong reactions within the community. BBC reported that on the 7th, many residents of Paramount said they had seen vehicles from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) moving around, followed by reports circulating locally that immigrant laborers near Home Depot were raided and arrested. Additionally, there were rapid rumors on social media about ICE conducting raids on meat processing plants. Local residents' panic was ignited, and soon protesters gathered near the store.

Diagram by The Wall Street Journal

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated in its declaration to BBC that the claim of a raid on the Paramount Home Depot store was "false reporting." The statement said that although dozens of immigrants were detained by authorities in other parts of Los Angeles, "ICE did not conduct a 'raid' on any Home Depot in Los Angeles."

However, the Los Angeles Times pointed out that before this, the local Latino immigrant community had accumulated anger over a week due to the authorities' escalating enforcement actions. The report emphasized that in recent times, U.S. federal law enforcement officers had conducted operations in various locations in California, arresting immigrants during their routine check-ins or court appearances, resulting in many families being forcibly separated.

On the 6th, ICE raided a warehouse of a clothing factory with many immigrant laborers in the Fashion District of downtown Los Angeles and arrested David Huerta, the chairman of the California branch of Service Employees International Union (SEIU-USWW). According to The New York Times, this was just one of three immigration raids in Los Angeles that day, with more than 100 people arrested in total.

A reporter from the Los Angeles Times witnessed the entire process of the unrest on the 7th. They reported that on that day, dozens of border enforcement officers and federal agents indeed arrived at the industrial park across from the Paramount branch store. Initially, protesters also gathered there. As long as the federal agents found protesters throwing anything at them or approaching the police line, they would fire tear gas or flashbangs.

Protest scene near the Home Depot Paramount branch on the 7th, BBC

In the afternoon, when border enforcement officers attempted to clear the street for the convoy, they fired tear gas and stun grenades at protesters standing on Alondra Boulevard, intensifying the tense situation. Protesters later tried to block the road using concrete blocks from nearby cars.

As night fell, the conflict spread to the vicinity of the highway. Protesters continued to confront police vehicles sent to support them. Protesters shouted slogans, questioning why the police were assisting border personnel in enforcement. Police then used rubber bullets and helicopters to maintain order, and the protesters gradually dispersed after midnight.

Both the Los Angeles Times and BBC analyzed that although it started with a misunderstanding, the protests in Paramount ultimately became a breakthrough for public dissatisfaction to erupt. Although the scope of this conflict was not extensive, primarily concentrated in the area around Alondra Boulevard, the highly "dramatic" standoff scenes became the "main fuse" for the Trump administration to dispatch National Guard members to intervene.

On the evening of the 7th local time, despite opposition from California Governor Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Bass, President Trump ordered the deployment of 2,000 California National Guard members to intervene in the protests in Los Angeles. Media outlets noted that this was the first time since 1965 that a U.S. president had mobilized state National Guard troops without the request of the governor. Trump criticized Newsom and Bass for being "incompetent" and unable to control the chaos. Newsom responded by accusing the federal government of wanting a "show." According to local media reports, Newsom said in an email sent early on the 8th that President Trump's "wrong action" in ordering the deployment of California National Guard troops aimed to "trigger violence" to gain political benefits. "We have been closely cooperating with law enforcement agencies. There are no unmet needs. The president is trying to provoke emotions and provoke further responses." This article is an exclusive contribution by the Guancha Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission. Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7513929617808310847/ Disclaimer: This article represents the author's personal views. Please express your attitude by clicking the "Top/Downvote" buttons below.