Anti-ICE protesters took over and blocked the 6th Street Bridge in Downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday as the Trump administration steps up deportation efforts.
The protests first erupted around noon, with video showing at least 150 to 200 people blocking traffic on the historic bridge. Many carried signs condemning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the city, per CBS News:
Several flags being flown show the logo for the Los Angeles Tenants Union, an organization advocating for tenants’ rights throughout the city. Last week, the union called on city officials like Mayor Karen Bass to impose an eviction moratorium, as many unauthorized immigrants are fearful of going to work as ICE officers continue to conduct operations, they said.
The office of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass did not issue a comment on the protest.
One Los Angeles Tenants Union (LATU) representative, who identified as being in the United States illegally, said that the ICE crackdowns have caused economic stagnation in certain communities.
“We know that many tenants will not be able to pay their rent come July 1,” said the representative. “Why? Because this militarization of our community … has closed down businesses, taken away street vendors, separated families and then people cannot pay their rent. They have barely the minimum to survive.”
The protests on Tuesday appear to follow the LATU’s previous call for a “community strike” against ICE.
“For the kidnapped, for the detained, for the children whose parents are missing, for those who cannot work and for those who cannot pay rent the city must come to a stop!” the group said.
“We call on our members and supporters: don’t go to work, don’t take public transportation and do not do business. Join on the ground efforts in your neighborhood,” it added.
