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As nationwide protests against the Trump administration are expected to unfold across the U.S. on Saturday, Los Angeles is preparing for a potentially high-tension weekend with hundreds of Marines and National Guard troops already deployed.
Roughly 700 Marines have been authorized for deployment in the city, and about 200 of them will be protecting a key federal building on Wilshire, according to Army Major General Scott Sherman, who’s overseeing both forces.
Their role includes guarding federal property and personnel. While they may detain individuals temporarily, any formal arrests must be handled by civilian law enforcement.
This marks the first time since 1965 that a U.S. president has deployed the National Guard to a state over the objections of its governor — a decision that’s already sparked strong reactions.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonald said, “We’re closely monitoring developments and deploying our personnel and resources strategically to protect public safety, while safeguarding every individual’s right to protest peacefully.”
He added that there’s no active coordination between LAPD and the Marines or National Guard when it comes to crowd control on city streets.
Outside the Federal Detention Center in downtown LA, the tension is visible the street littered with spent munitions, water bottles, and protest debris.
But amid the chaos, one protester is making a quiet statement of his own.
Known simply as Jan, he’s been seen zipping through the area on an electric skateboard, trash picker in one hand and a garbage bag in the other — cleaning up after the protests while still taking part in them.
“If we’re going to demand a better system,” he said, “we should start by respecting the space we occupy.”
His gesture, small but symbolic, stands out in a city bracing for impact but still full of people trying to make a difference, in their own way.