As federal troops descend on Los Angeles amid a wave of protests, Mayor Karen Bass has declared a curfew for a one-square-mile stretch of downtown.
This follows a string of nightly demonstrations sparked by what people say is President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement actions.
The curfew, which began Tuesday night, June 10, runs from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. and may remain in place for several days. It comes after five consecutive nights of public unrest, with Mayor Bass citing widespread property damage and theft in the affected area.
“Last night alone, 23 businesses were looted,” Bass said at a press conference. “Graffiti and property damage are widespread downtown. Law enforcement will arrest anyone who violates the curfew, and they will be prosecuted.”
Bass explained that the unrest is localized and not representative of the city at large.
This is not a city-wide crisis,” she stated, dismissing viral social media images that suggest a broader breakdown in order.

The unrest was triggered by a series of forceful ICE raids across Southern California, which have been condemned by immigrant rights groups and elected officials alike.
The Trump administration’s response—deploying hundreds of National Guard troops and Marines to the streets—has drawn fierce criticism from state leaders.
California Governor Gavin Newsom denounced the move as a “brazen abuse of power” in a televised address Tuesday night.
“If any of us can be seized off the street based solely on suspicion or skin color, then none of us are truly free,” Newsom said, likening Trump’s approach to authoritarianism. He confirmed that the state has filed a lawsuit to block the federal troop deployment.
Protests have since spread beyond Los Angeles to major cities including New York, Chicago, and Atlanta. Many demonstrators say Trump’s justification for the raids—that they’re targeting dangerous criminals—is disingenuous. At a downtown vigil, Al Jazeera correspondent Teresa Bo reported that protestors reject the administration’s narrative.
“These are working people—dishwashers, gardeners, seamstresses—trying to live in peace,” Bo said, echoing the words of protestors who stressed the importance of nonviolence to avoid giving the administration further justification for militarizing public spaces.
Bass, while calling for calm, remains firm on enforcing the curfew.
“We are protecting lives, livelihoods, and the integrity of our city,” she said.