Los Angeles officials are struggling to regain control of the city, which has been impacted by protests and the presence of federal troops. Mayor Karen Bass implemented a curfew for a section of downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday, coinciding with her declaration of a local emergency due to the growing protests.
In a Wednesday evening update, Bass stated, “Curfew remains in effect tonight… for downtown Los Angeles to stop bad actors who are taking advantage of the President’s chaotic escalation.” She also advised, “If you do not live or work in downtown L.A., avoid the area and follow guidance from law enforcement.”
She stressed that “Vandalism and violence will not be tolerated.”
Since the protests began on Friday, over 350 people have been arrested. While some protests have remained peaceful, according to reports from the scene, others have turned violent.
The city is preparing for the arrival of Marines, deployed by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. They would be authorized to detain individuals interfering with immigration officers during raids or protesters confronting federal agents.
These active-duty Marines will join approximately 2,000 personnel deployed by President Donald Trump, who notably federalized state officials without a request from Gov. Gavin Newsom, a move Newsom has strongly condemned.
Newsom stated in a release on Thursday, “The military’s simply not needed. But what he [Trump] is doing is trying to gin things up to create problems.” He added that the arrival of the National Guard heightened tensions between authorities and protesters: “We had to defend the National Guard. We had to use our own law enforcement to protect them… Just think about how perverse that is.”
Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard is also facing legal challenges from the state of California. A federal court is scheduled to hear California’s request on Thursday to prevent the Trump Administration from using troops in L.A. to suppress unrest related to ICE raids. This hearing follows the rejection of an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order filed by Newsom on Tuesday.
As protests continue and spread to other cities across the U.S., here’s what you need to know about the L.A. curfew.
What are the exact parameters of the L.A. curfew?
According to Mayor Bass, the curfew is in effect from 8 p.m. local time until 6 a.m. the next day.
The curfew zone covers a one-mile radius in downtown Los Angeles, encompassing or bordering areas like Chinatown, Little Tokyo, the Fashion District, and the Arts District.
The full parameters of the curfew can be seen below:
How long is the L.A. curfew expected to last?
As per Bass’s initial announcement, the curfew will remain in effect until the local emergency declaration is lifted—which is still in place as of June 12.
Bass communicated with other local leaders on Wednesday that the duration of the curfew will likely depend on how long ICE raids continue in the city.
Bass stated, “The emergency declaration that I signed yesterday does not have a time limit to it, and so the curfews will go on as long as they are needed.” She added, “But, it’s really kind of interdependent on what the response is from the federal side. If there are raids that continue, if there are soldiers marching up and down our street, I would imagine that the curfew will continue.”
Bass also mentioned that over a hundred arrests occurred on the first night of the curfew, primarily for “failure to disperse and curfew violation,” rather than looting or violent offenses.
