Democrat Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass stated Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that she found the city’s anti-Trump “No Kings” protest on Saturday to be “overwhelmingly peaceful” while observing the situation from the comfort of a helicopter.
Protests and riots have been ongoing in downtown Los Angeles since June 6, leaving the area filled with vandalism, burnt Waymo cars and looted stores. As Los Angeles had its own installment of the national “No Kings” protests on Saturday, Bass described how she had spent time in a helicopter “in search” of the 700 Marines that President Donald Trump deployed to the city to restore order on Monday.
“I have to say that yesterday I spent time in the helicopter, so I went all over the city in search of these Marines. And I’m sorry, but I just didn’t see them. What the troops are doing, the Federalized National Guard, is protecting the federal building,” Bass said.
“I think that detention that happened was an isolated incident, and I believe it was outside of the city of Los Angeles, but I do want to dispel the notion that the military is here,” Bass added. “We don’t want them here. They don’t need to be here. Our local law enforcement have complete control of this situation.”
In addition to the Marines being deployed, Trump had called in 2,000 National Guard members to downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, with Bass and Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom criticizing the decision.
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Both the Marines and National Guard troops have been located at the Los Angeles federal building, with the Marines detaining a man on Friday and the National Guard seen by the Daily Caller News Foundation detaining a protester on Saturday.
“I will tell you, the 30,000 people were downtown LA. There were protests in 15 different locations in our city. I flew over each one of them, and they were overwhelmingly peaceful,” Bass continued.
“It’s not shocking that at the end of a protest that you’re going to have some confrontation. Of course, I wish there was none at all, but I don’t think that characterized the day at all,” Bass said. “I mean, otherwise, more than five people would have been arrested.”
While Bass repeatedly suggested that the situation was completely under control on Saturday, footage captured by the DCNF — in addition to scenes observed by the DCNF — indicate that the situation on the ground was more volatile than Bass let on.
Chaos erupted at the Saturday protest after thousands had gathered throughout downtown Los Angeles and near both the federal detention center and federal building. With tensions beginning to rise around 2:30 p.m., protesters could be seen yelling and taunting the National Guard at the steps of the federal building.
With an unlawful assembly shortly declared after, both Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers and Los Angeles Sheriff’s had attempted to disperse the massive group away from the federal building.
UPDATE: Emergency alert just sent to everyone in downtown Los Angeles right now. Area is absolute chaos @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/wW5KDIZ24K
— Hailey Grace Gomez (@haileyggomez) June 15, 2025
However, with people unwilling to move from the area, tear gas had been deployed around 4:18 p.m., according to footage captured by the DCNF.
NEW: Tear gas has been deployed in Los Angeles @DailyCaller
— Hailey Grace Gomez (@haileyggomez) June 14, 2025
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LAPD and Sheriffs have completely blocked off the federal building now in Los Angeles @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/iR4lR3pTJ0
— Hailey Grace Gomez (@haileyggomez) June 14, 2025
The fight between protesters and officials continued for hours, with agitators at one point attempting to kick and throw back tear gas at officials.
By 8:40 p.m., the thousands that had been in the streets of downtown Los Angeles had nearly all dispersed as a curfew for 8 p.m. had been set by officials.
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