It was barely 10:00 a.m. when the chanting started near Pershing Square, a low, rhythmic thrum that usually signals a long day for the LAPD. You’ve probably seen the headlines or the blurry TikTok clips of people flooding the streets of Downtown LA. But honestly, if you’re just watching the 30-second news bites, you’re missing the actual story of what’s happening on the ground.
The Trump protests Los Angeles has seen over the last year, especially this January 2026, aren't just a repeat of 2017. The energy is different now. It’s sharper. It’s also much more complicated than just "anti-Trump" sentiment.
The Breaking Point in Pershing Square
Last Saturday, thousands of people packed into the concrete heart of the city. It wasn't just activists. I saw families, UCLA students, and union members from UAW Local 4811—people who usually spend their Saturdays at the park or the grocery store, not staring down a line of riot gear.
They weren't just there because they dislike the President. The catalyst this time was specific and local. Tension had been simmering since the shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis by an ICE agent, but in Los Angeles, the focus shifted to the federalization of the California National Guard and the arrest of local labor leaders like David Huerta.
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The crowd spilled out of the square by 2:30 p.m., moving toward the Metropolitan Detention Center. This is where things usually get dicey. You had the Revolutionary Communists on one corner, the Democratic Socialists of America on another, and a whole lot of unaffiliated Angelenos in between.
It was loud.
It was chaotic.
Basically, it was a pressure cooker.
Why Trump Protests Los Angeles Still Matter in 2026
A lot of people ask, "Why are they still out there?"
The answer lies in the unprecedented nature of the current administration's "Operation Metro Surge." Unlike the first term, the 2025-2026 era has seen the President seize control of the California National Guard over the vocal, legal objections of Governor Gavin Newsom. When you have 4,000 Guard members and active-duty Marines from the 1st Marine Division deployed to the streets of a major American city, people tend to notice.
The Legal Tug-of-War
It’s a massive mess in the courts right now. California Attorney General Rob Bonta has been fighting a tooth-and-nail battle against the use of the 19th-century law (10 U.S.C. 12406) that the administration used to justify federalizing the Guard.
- June 2025: The first major wave of raids in the Fashion District.
- September 2025: A federal judge rules the deployment potentially violates the Posse Comitatus Act.
- January 2026: Trump officially announces the withdrawal of Guard troops from LA, yet the protests continue because federal agents remain highly active.
The reality? The "withdrawal" was sorta a technicality. While the camouflage uniforms mostly vanished from the street corners, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents—often masked and in unmarked vans—did not. This "shadow" presence is what fueled the most recent demonstrations.
The LAPD Caught in the Middle
If you want to understand the Trump protests Los Angeles dynamic, you have to look at the LAPD. Chief Moore and the department have been walking a razor-thin line. On one hand, they have mutual aid agreements with federal partners. On the other, the city’s leadership, including Mayor Karen Bass, has been adamant about Los Angeles being a sanctuary city.
I watched a black police cruiser move through a crowd near the federal courthouse last year; it nearly clipped a bicyclist. The crowd went ballistic. In that moment, the distinction between "local police" and "federal agents" vanished for the protesters. They saw one thing: the state.
However, LAPD has actually been more restrained than the feds. While DHS agents have been quick to use tear gas and flash-bangs to clear paths for deportation caravans, the LAPD has mostly stuck to "tactical alerts" and rubber bullets fired into the air as a warning. It's a weird, tense cooperation that nobody seems happy with.
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Surprising Details You Won't Find in the Press Release
Did you know that some of the biggest "victories" for the protesters haven't happened in the streets?
Activists have been tracking the hotels where federal agents stay. In mid-2025, persistent "noise protests" outside these hotels actually forced federal agents to relocate multiple times. It’s a game of cat and mouse.
Also, the makeup of the protests is shifting. It’s not just about immigration anymore. This past week, the Capture of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela became a rallying cry. Groups like the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) have successfully linked domestic immigration policy with foreign intervention, creating a much broader—and more volatile—coalition.
Common Misconceptions About the LA Protests
People think these are "riots." Honestly, that’s a stretch.
While there have been isolated incidents of vandalism—a few Waymo driverless cars got spray-painted and one was set on fire last year—the vast majority of these events are remarkably organized. There are "Know Your Rights" tents, legal observers with neon vests, and even people handing out water and orange slices.
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Another myth is that everyone there is a "leftist radical." You’d be surprised. I’ve talked to small business owners in the Westlake district who are terrified of the raids because they're losing their best employees. They aren't there for the "revolution"—they're there for their bottom line.
What’s Next for Los Angeles?
The Trump protests Los Angeles is currently experiencing are unlikely to fade as we head deeper into 2026. With the "Inauguration Day Weekend of Action" looming from January 18th to the 20th, the city is bracing for a massive surge in activity.
The strategy is shifting from "marching" to "disruption."
Expect more freeway overpass protests. These are low-cost, high-visibility actions that can paralyze LA traffic for hours with just a dozen people and a couple of banners. It’s the ultimate "hyperlocal" resistance.
If you’re planning on being in DTLA, here are a few practical steps:
- Check the Citizen app or local news before heading toward City Hall or the Federal Building; tactical alerts can shut down Metro lines without warning.
- Understand the "Sanctuary" limits. While the LAPD generally won't ask for your status, federal agents in LA currently have a much broader mandate.
- Support local legal aid. Organizations like CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights) are the ones doing the actual work of tracking detainees after the cameras leave the protests.
The tension in Los Angeles isn't just about who is in the White House. It's about a city trying to figure out where its own power ends and the federal government's begins. That’s a fight that doesn't end with a single march.