Saturday marks the first full day of Marines on duty in Los Angeles, one week after protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids ignited in LA and spread to other cities across the U.S., including New York City, San Francisco, Boston, and Austin, Texas.
Meanwhile, more than 2,000 “No Kings Day” protests were held across the U.S. on Saturday to protest the Trump administration and to counterprogram the military parade in Washington, D.C., organizers said. More than 5 million people participated, according to organizers.
The demonstrations remained peaceful in almost all cities, but as the evening grew in Los Angeles, tensions escalated between police and protesters.
A person was critically injured after a shooting “possibly associated” with a demonstration in downtown Salt Lake City, police said.
A person of interest in the shooting is in custody. The victim was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said.
The shooting happened not far from Salt Lake City’s Pioneer Park where a large crowd, estimated to be 10,000, had gathered for a march, according to police.
“The shooting at tonight’s protest in Salt Lake City is a deeply troubling act of violence and has no place in our public square,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said in a social media post. “This is an active situation, and we’re working closely with law enforcement to ensure accountability.”
Ahead of the planned curfew set to go into effect at 8 p.m. local time, the Los Angeles Police Department asked all demonstrators to leave the Civic Center area of downtown LA.
Shortly before the request, the LAPD said officers had requested assistance due to “agitators” throwing objects at officers.
Earlier, a dispersal order had been issued for an area of downtown after the LAPD said people in the crowd were throwing rocks, bricks and bottles.
The LAPD alleged on X that protesters at Temple and Spring streets threw “concrete, rocks, bottles and commercial grade fireworks at officers.”
Protesters and media were advised to leave that area.
The LAPD and other agencies are aggressively clearing the streets of downtown LA, where protestors had pushed up against police lines.
Crowds were pushed away from the federal building by police, some of whom were on horses.
After a day of peaceful protests in Los Angeles, tensions mounted between protesters and Marines outside the federal building in downtown LA.
Some protesters chanted “shame” and booed the Marines, who were accompanied by federal law enforcement.
In Texas, the state capitol and capitol grounds were evacuated Saturday afternoon because of a “credible threat against state lawmakers planning to attend” the No Kings protest there, according to a Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson.
An armed man who allegedly made threats against Republican officials has been detained while he was en route to Austin, a law enforcement official briefed on the situation told ABC News.
The Capitol grounds have since been reopened.
Thousands of “No Kings Day” protests were expected across the U.S. on Saturday to protest the Trump administration and to counterprogram the military parade in Washington, D.C.
Fliers reading “No Kings” were found in the car of the suspected gunman who is wanted for killing a Minnesota state lawmaker and wounding a second state lawmaker near Minneapolis early Saturday.
A 21-year-old man allegedly accelerated his SUV into a crowd of people at a “No Kings Day” rally in Virginia, hitting at least one person, according to Culpeper police.
No injuries were reported, police said.
Joseph Checklick Jr. was arrested for reckless driving and may face additional charges, police said.
Protestors wearing shirts reading “make out not war” climbed on top of a military vehicle ahead of the Army parade.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz warned that Minnesotans should not attend any political rallies in the state until the gunman who killed a state lawmaker and wounded another lawmaker early Saturday is caught.
Fliers reading “No Kings” were found in the suspect’s car, authorities said. Thousands of “No Kings Day” protests are set to be held across the U.S. on Saturday to protest Trump’s administration and to counterprogram the military parade in Washington, D.C.
No Kings events have now been canceled across Minnesota on Saturday.
