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Armed Marines patrolled the streets of Los Angeles on Friday as part of a massive military deployment ordered by President Donald Trump, escalating tensions between the administration and critics who accuse him of authoritarian overreach.
Troops carrying semiautomatic rifles were positioned around a federal building in downtown Los Angeles, prompting questions from residents about their presence in an area removed from ongoing immigration protests.
"Taxpayer dollars could be used for other things," local resident RonNell Weaver said. "Is this really necessary?"
The military deployment includes 700 Marines and 4,000 National Guard soldiers tasked with protecting federal buildings while local law enforcement handles demonstrations against Trump's immigration enforcement operations. In a rare incident, Marines temporarily detained a civilian at the federal building before transferring him to law enforcement, though military officials declined to explain the detention.
The troop presence comes as the nation prepares for widespread protests Saturday, coinciding with a military parade in Washington celebrating the Army's 250th anniversary and Trump's 79th birthday. The parade will mark the first time in three decades that tanks and heavy military equipment roll through the capital.
A "No Kings" movement has organized demonstrations in more than 2,000 locations nationwide, including a major rally planned for Los Angeles featuring what organizers describe as a "20-foot-tall balloon of Trump wearing a diaper."
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell warned of "unprecedented" crowds, while County Sheriff Robert Luna urged peaceful demonstrations. "It's a good cause, but we do not want violent agitators out there destroying property or committing acts of violence," Luna said.
Mayor Karen Bass acknowledged protests are expected to be "even larger because of what has happened in our city," urging residents to "demonstrate peacefully" and "not play into the hands where it could be used as a pretext to roll out troops in our city."
The military deployment has triggered a constitutional battle after Trump overrode objections from California Governor Gavin Newsom to federalize the state's National Guard. Trump has described Los Angeles as potentially "burning to the ground right now" without military intervention.
On Thursday, District Judge Charles Breyer ruled Trump's actions "illegal" and ordered the return of National Guard control to Newsom, stating the unrest fell "far short" of the "rebellion" Trump had claimed. However, a higher court immediately stayed the ruling pending a Tuesday appeal hearing.
The Justice Department condemned Breyer's decision as "an extraordinary intrusion on the President's constitutional authority as Commander in Chief."
The dispute represents the first military-related challenge to Trump's efforts to expand presidential powers since taking office.
Public anger has mounted over immigration raids conducted as part of Trump's mass deportation campaign. About 100 protesters gathered Friday evening outside a federal detention center that has become a focal point for demonstrations, observing a downtown curfew imposed by the mayor.
In a reflection of the contained nature of the protests, theatergoers attending performances of "Hamlet" and other shows at nearby venues were exempted from the curfew restrictions.
Similar protests have erupted in San Francisco, New York, Chicago and San Antonio over Trump's use of masked immigration agents supported by uniformed soldiers.
Tensions escalated further Thursday when California Senator Alex Padilla was handcuffed and forcibly removed from a news conference by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
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