Authorities reported about 30 arrests on Saturday, including three individuals suspected of assaulting law enforcement officers. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office said three deputies sustained minor injuries.
On Sunday (June 9), a small group of National Guard members, accompanied by Department of Homeland Security personnel, dispersed protesters gathered outside a federal building in downtown Los Angeles.
The White House has described the situation as widespread unrest.
“Everyone saw the chaos, violence, and lawlessness,” the administration said in a statement while accusing California officials of failing to enforce the law adequately. Several Democratic governors pushed back in a joint statement, condemning the federal deployment of the California National Guard as “an alarming abuse of power.”
Newsom announced Sunday that the state plans to file a lawsuit against the Trump administration early Monday, challenging President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy National Guard troops in Los Angeles amid ongoing protests.
In an interview with MSNBC, Newsom accused the president of escalating tensions that have led to violent scenes in parts of Southern California in recent days.
“You’re seeing the conditions the president created on your television screens tonight,” Newsom said. “This is a direct result of a reckless and unlawful use of federal authority.”
Newsom strongly condemned the violence that has unfolded in some areas, calling it “unacceptable” and “wrong.” He praised peaceful protesters but warned that a small number of individuals were using the unrest to further disrupt the situation.
“There are a lot of great people out there doing the right thing,” Newsom said. “But insurgent groups and anarchists are infiltrating these demonstrations to create real problems.”
The governor said those responsible for violence and destruction must be held accountable. “They’re just playing right into Donald Trump’s hand. And they need to be called out and they need to be arrested,” Newsom said.
He added that the stakes of the current moment extend beyond individual acts of violence. “They’re doing more than damage to buildings and to property. They’re potentially damaging the very foundation of our republic,” Newsom warned. “Democracy is in the balance.”
REMINDER: President Biden never needed to send National Guard troops to LA for protests, and trump REFUSED to send them to the Capitol on January 6th.
— BrooklynDad_Defiant!☮️ (@mmpadellan) June 7, 2025
This is part of trump's fascist Project 2025 takeover. Full blown authoritarianism is here. pic.twitter.com/9BPJlyNrqp
The lawsuit, expected to be filed in federal court, will argue that Trump’s activation of the National Guard under federal authority violates the constitutional limits on presidential power and infringes upon California’s sovereignty.
The Trump administration has defended the move, arguing that federal intervention is necessary to restore order. Trump has described some demonstrators as “violent insurrectionist mobs” and vowed to use all tools at his disposal to prevent further unrest.
“Violent, insurrectionist mobs are swarming and attacking our Federal Agents to try and stop our deportation operations,” Trump wrote via his Truth Social platform. “Order will be restored, the Illegals will be expelled, and Los Angeles will be set free.”
🚨BREAKING: L.A. Mayor Karen Bass isn’t mincing words. She just accused ICE of sparking “outrage, chaos, fear, and terror” and slammed the door on federal troops with a clear message:
— Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) June 8, 2025
The National Guard is not welcome in her city. pic.twitter.com/HFk1UnUyes
