Los Angeles residents will face an overnight curfew as city officials scramble to address rising unrest in the downtown area. In a move underscoring the seriousness of the situation, Mayor Karen Bass declared a local emergency after 23 businesses were looted in a single night.
“We reached a tipping point,” the mayor was quotes by Sky News, as she announced that a curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. would be enforced across key downtown zones. The decision, she added, was necessary to “stop the vandalism and stop the looting” that has been escalating over the past several days.
The curfew covers a one-square-mile area in central Los Angeles, significantly smaller than the city’s sprawling 500-square-mile landscape, but includes the epicentre of recent demonstrations.
LAPD Warns of Arrests as 197 Taken into Custody
Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell echoed the urgency behind the curfew, calling it a “necessary measure to protect lives” following days of “unlawful and dangerous behaviour.”
According to McDonnell, the department made 197 arrests on Tuesday alone. “Anyone violating the curfew without a valid reason will be detained,” he cautioned.
Certain exemptions apply—residents, individuals experiencing homelessness, people commuting for work, accredited media, and emergency personnel are not subject to the curfew, the LAPD confirmed.
Trump Deploys National Guard, Marines Despite State Objections
The protests, sparked by recent raids by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), have drawn national attention. In response, President Donald Trump has mobilized 4,000 National Guard troops to assist in safeguarding ICE officers and federal properties.
This move has been strongly opposed by California Governor Gavin Newsom, who labelled the deployment “unnecessary, illegal and politically motivated.”
In addition to the Guard, 700 Marines have reportedly been sent to the LA area and are expected to begin operations on Wednesday, according to the US Northern Command.
Mayor Bass painted a grim picture of the city’s central district, noting that “graffiti is everywhere” and there has been “significant damage” to buildings and businesses. While the mayor expressed hope that the curfew would deter further destruction, she warned that similar measures may be repeated in the coming days if the situation fails to improve.
As LA navigates this turbulent chapter, city officials, law enforcement, and residents brace for what could be more nights of unrest—and more calls for accountability.
