After five straight days of protests over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (a.k.a. ICE) raids in Los Angeles, yesterday evening the city’s mayor, Karen Bass, issued an overnight curfew for Downtown L.A., stretching from the 110 and 10 Freeways to the point where the 5 and 110 Freeways merge. She made sure to point out, though, that the curfew only affects one square mile—a very small area of the 502 square miles that make up Los Angeles—because the city is not the “war zone” it’s being made out to be.
The curfew was put in place “to curb bad actors who do not support the immigrant community,” according to Bass. Angelenos want to exercise their right to peacefully protest, but the local government is trying to avoid tensions escalating amid federal intervention. Both Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom have slammed the deployment of the U.S. military to Los Angeles to deal with the recent protests, calling it a move designed to cause fear and panic.
Many of the recent (and largely peaceful) demonstrations have been centered Downtown, specifically around the Metropolitan Detention Center and the 101 Freeway, which protesters have been flooding periodically, shutting down traffic. The LAPD announced that the 101 on- and off-ramps will remain closed today, June 11, due to scheduled protests.
The area affected by the curfew includes Chinatown, the Arts District, Skid Row and the Fashion District, where the ICE raids began last Friday. The curfew and recent ICE activity is greatly affecting Downtown restaurants and businesses.
How long is the L.A. curfew?
Mayor Bass announced the curfew on June 10 and said it would go into effect that night from 8pm to 6am, but added that it would likely last several days. The mayor’s office clarified that the curfew would be in effect indefinitely until it’s officially lifted. That means that from 8pm to 6am until we hear otherwise, much of Downtown L.A. is off-limits.
What happens if you violate the curfew?
According to LAPD Chief of Police Jim McDonnell, “If you are within the designated curfew zone between the hours of 8pm and 6am and are not exempt under the order, you are subject to arrest.” Exceptions will be made only for law enforcement, emergency and medical personnel, DTLA residents, people commuting to and from work and credentialed media representatives. Sure enough, during the first night of the curfew, over 200 people were arrested for charges including failure to disperse and curfew violation. The LAPD advises those who know someone who was detained overnight due to the curfew to contact the Metropolitan Detention Center for their status.
Are other cities joining L.A. in protest over the immigration raids?
Yes, cities across the country have been staging their own protests in solidarity with L.A., including New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Denver, Seattle, Boston and many cities in Texas, where the state’s governor has already deployed the National Guard in anticipation of more planned demonstrations, according to CNN.