Armed Marines were deployed to the streets of Los Angeles on Friday, part of a significant troop deployment ordered by Donald Trump, a move that has intensified tensions between the US president and critics who allege growing authoritarianism.
Men in fatigues, carrying semiautomatic rifles, were observed around a federal building. Passersby questioned their presence in an area located 11 miles (18 kilometers) from ongoing protests against immigration raids.
“Taxpayer dollars could be used for other things,” RonNell Weaver told AFP. “Is this really necessary?”
AFP witnessed Marines briefly detaining one man at the federal building before transferring him to law enforcement.
Despite multiple inquiries, the US military did not disclose the reason for the man’s detention, though the incident appeared to be a minor—yet exceedingly rare—instance of federal troops detaining a US civilian.
Seven hundred Marines, typically utilized as elite forces in foreign conflicts, alongside 4,000 National Guard soldiers, have been tasked with safeguarding federal buildings, while local police manage protests concerning Trump’s sweeps for undocumented migrants.
An intense legal dispute is currently underway regarding Trump’s authority to deploy troops on US soil as the country anticipates widespread protests on Saturday. On this day, the Republican president will be overseeing a rare large-scale military parade in Washington.
The parade commemorates the 250th anniversary of the US Army and coincides with Trump’s 79th birthday. It will mark the first time tanks and other heavy weaponry have paraded through the capital city in three decades.
In response, a “No Kings” movement has emerged, pledging to stage protests in over 2,000 locations nationwide, including a large demonstration expected in Los Angeles, which organizers claim will feature a “20-foot-tall balloon of Trump wearing a diaper.”
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell informed reporters on Friday that “unprecedented” crowds could attend.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, whose deputies are part of a substantial law enforcement presence in the vast city, urged protesters to maintain proper conduct.
He stated, “It’s a good cause, but we do not want violent agitators out there destroying property or committing acts of violence.”
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