LA DA sees no need for federal troops amid immigration protests
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() Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said Monday he sees “no signs” that civil unrest from immigration protests has exceeded local law enforcement capacity, questioning the need for President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to the city.

“We have not seen the large-scale civil unrest that you would think needs 2,000 National Guards and 700 additional soldiers,” Hochman told ’s “Elizabeth Vargas Reports.” “Right now, we’re not seeing signs that it’s going beyond the capacity of the tens of thousands of law enforcement officers we have in Los Angeles County.”

Hochman, an independent who formerly served as a Republican prosecutor, said local police and sheriff’s departments can handle the current level of protests without federal military assistance.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Attorney General Rob Bonta filed their much-anticipated lawsuit over Trump’s decision to send in California National Guard troops, calling it an “unprecedented power grab.”

Trump authorized 2,000 National Guard troops Saturday to respond to protests over immigration enforcement, with about 700 Marines also planned for deployment. The president bypassed Newsom, who has not requested federal assistance.

“It’s a preemptive move, and it’s a move again that was designed to protect federal property,” Hochman said. “The federal government can make its decisions to protect its own property.”

However, Hochman said that protecting the rest of Los Angeles falls under the jurisdiction of the LAPD, the LA Sheriff’s Department and 45 local police departments countywide, which he said can deploy tens of thousands of officers if needed.

LA DA warns protesters of unlawful conduct 

The district attorney issued a stern warning to protesters, stating that while peaceful assembly will be “fiercely” defended, those who “hurl cinder blocks, light vehicles on fire, destroy property and assault law enforcement officers” will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Hochman described the criminal activity as “sporadic” rather than widespread, involving what he called a “relatively small fraction” of protesters. He said over four dozen people have been arrested, and his office will examine their criminal records to determine if professional agitators are involved.

“It doesn’t take a lot of people to create an enormous amount of havoc,” Hochman said, citing incidents of concrete being dumped on freeways, commercial-grade fireworks being shot at law enforcement and motorcycles being driven into police lines.

The protests erupted over the weekend as Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers conducted workplace raids. Demonstrators blocked a major freeway and set autonomous vehicles on fire, prompting police to respond with tear gas, rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades.

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