LOS ANGELES, CA — In a shocking scene that has gone viral across social media, Democratic Congresswoman Maxine Waters was caught on video joining a volatile anti-ICE protest in downtown Los Angeles, just hours before the demonstration descended into open violence against law enforcement.
Standing in front of a line of officers clad in riot gear, the 85-year-old California representative chanted “ICE out of L.A.” and attempted to frame the chaotic gathering as a lawful exercise of rights.
“What I see here at the detention center are people exercising their constitutional rights,” Waters declared, even as the situation around her deteriorated. “And, of course, they’re now trying to tear gas everybody. It’s in the air, but people are not moving.”
Contrary to Waters’ description of “constitutional rights,” the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) reported a very different reality. As the crowd surged toward the federal detention facility, violent agitators took control.
Police reported that a group of rioters pushed a massive construction dumpster to block the entrance of the building’s loading dock. The violence escalated rapidly, with demonstrators hurling bottles, rocks, and debris at federal authorities.
One individual was taken into custody after allegedly using a slingshot to fire hard metal objects directly at officers.
“We had hoped that demonstrations today would be peaceful, however, as you can see in this video, the violent agitators invited LAPD due to their actions,” the department stated in a release accompanying footage of the unrest.
Faced with an increasingly combative mob, the LAPD declared an unlawful assembly at the detention center. Officers deployed pepper balls and tear gas in an effort to disperse the crowd after they refused multiple orders to leave.
“Protestors are actively fighting with Officers after multiple dispersal orders were issued,” the LAPD wrote on X. “Metropolitan Division is now on scene. Less-than-lethal has been authorized due to the violence against officers.”
The city was placed on tactical alert as the violence spread between Temple and Aliso streets. While some demonstrators fled, others remained to fight, leading to at least five confirmed arrests.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, while urging peace, seemed to place the blame on the Trump administration rather than the rioters.
“Don’t be surprised if the military reenters our city,” Bass warned, claiming that the unrest is “exactly what I believe this administration wants to see happen.”
Bass also used the press conference to defend former CNN host Don Lemon, who was recently arrested in Los Angeles. Lemon was charged with conspiracy to deprive rights and violating the FACE Act for disrupting church services during an anti-ICE protest in Minnesota.
“Here you have a world renowned reporter, Don Lemon,” Bass said, calling his arrest an “egregious misuse of our justice system.”
As cities nationwide face “ICE Out Everywhere” demonstrations following the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, the presence of high-profile Democrats like Maxine Waters at these flashpoints suggests the temperature is only going to get hotter.