Los Angeles riots: Tough action against protesters, 700 more US marines deployed

LOS ANGELES: The U.S. military has temporarily deployed an additional 700 Marine troops to bolster security amid protests against U.S. President Donald Trump's immigration policies. As the protests that erupted in Los Angeles enter their fourth day, the situation shows no signs of de-escalation. Following the Trump administration's decision to deploy 2,000 more National Guard troops, it is expected that the total number of National Guard members will surpass 4,000 by the middle of the week.

The Pentagon had earlier indicated that if the situation worsens, 700 Marines would be sent to support the National Guard. Protesters blocked major freeways in downtown Los Angeles, including the 101 Freeway, and set fire to several self-driving cars owned by Waymo, a company owned under Google's parent company, Alphabet. To control the protesters, police used tear gas, rubber bullets, and flashbang grenades.

California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned Trump's actions as illegal and announced plans to take legal action against the federal government. He accused Trump of attempting to undermine California's sovereignty by cracking down on peaceful protesters. Meanwhile, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said that while people have the right to protest peacefully, violence is unacceptable, and demonstrations must remain under control. At least 39 people were arrested on Saturday and Sunday alone.

Trump referred to the protesters as "rioters." However, California Democrats argued that the violence escalated only after attempts were made to suppress the protests. Human rights organization Amnesty International strongly criticized the deployment of National Guard troops. Trump has authorized the deployment of an additional 2,000 National Guard members to manage the immigration-related protests in Los Angeles, bringing the total number of troops assigned to the protests to over 4,100 under the new order.