People are voicing concerns after a senator was detained while asking questions about Donald Trump's ICE raids.
Civil unrest erupted in Los Angeles over the past week in the wake of arrests made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in areas with significant Latino populations.
Cars were also set on fire, sending large plumes of black smoke into the sky and exploding intermittently as the electric vehicles burned.
The riots heightened last weekend as President Trump deployed National Guard troops.
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"If Governor Gavin Newscum [sic], of California, and Mayor Karen Bass, of Los Angeles, can't do their jobs, which everyone knows they can't, then the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!" he wrote on Truth Social.
While the riots may have calmed somewhat in recent days, there's no doubt a lot of tension remains in Los Angeles and other parts of the US.
Tensions were heightened on Thursday (June 12) after Senator Alex Padilla was removed from a Homeland Security news conference as he tried to ask a question.
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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem headed up a news conference at the Wilshire Federal Building to provide an update.
As federal officials refused to say how many were arrested in recent days, Padilla stepped in at the news conference to ask a question only for secret service agents to grab and remove him from the room, according to the LA Times.
"I’m Senator Alex Padilla," the senator allegedly called out. "I have questions for the secretary."
Images circulating online appear to show Padilla being handcuffed on the ground by officials, leaving many online left extremely concerned.
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In a statement released on X, Homeland Security said: "Senator Padilla chose disrespectful political theatre and interrupted a live press conference without identifying himself or having his Senate security pin on as he lunged toward Secretary Noem.
"Mr. Padilla was told repeatedly to back away and did not comply with officers’ repeated commands. @SecretService thought he was an attacker and officers acted appropriately.
"Secretary Noem met with Senator Padilla after and held a 15 minute meeting."
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Padilla spoke to journalists after the news conference incident, where he called for people to protest peacefully against the measures implemented by Trump.
"There is a lot of concern, there is a lot of tension, there is a lot of anxiety,” he said.
“I encourage everybody to please peacefully protest, just like I was calmly and peacefully listening to that press conference and preparing, attempting to ask a question.”
Topics: Donald Trump, Los Angeles, Immigration, Politics, US News
Callum Jones