Los Angeles Mayor Imposes Nighttime Curfew in Downtown

(MENAFN) In an effort to halt the escalating confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass imposed a nighttime curfew in the city’s downtown core on Tuesday.

“I issued a curfew starting tonight at 8pm for Downtown Los Angeles to stop bad actors who are taking advantage of the President's chaotic escalation. If you do not live or work in Downtown L.A., avoid the area,” Bass posted on X. “Law enforcement will arrest individuals who break the curfew, and you will be prosecuted.”

The emergency order, effective from 8 p.m. Tuesday until 6 a.m. Wednesday, is expected to remain in place "for several days," according to a statement Bass made during a later press briefing. The restrictions apply to a concentrated zone covering approximately one square mile, encompassing landmarks such as City Hall and the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building.

The clampdown follows a volatile day sparked by protests in response to President Donald Trump's intensified immigration enforcement strategy. Speaking at Fort Bragg in North Carolina earlier Tuesday, Trump escalated rhetoric around the situation, declaring his intention to “liberate” Los Angeles from what he described as civil disorder.

He portrayed the demonstrations as part of a broader threat, stating they were “a full-blown assault on peace, on public order and on national sovereignty, carried out by rioters bearing foreign flags with the aim of continuing a foreign invasion of our country.”

Trump also attacked state and local leadership, asserting that California Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Bass are “incompetent, and they paid troublemakers, agitators and insurrectionists. They're engaged in this willful attempt to nullify federal law and aid the occupation of the city by criminal invaders.”

Authorities have yet to confirm how many people may be affected by the curfew or how long enforcement will continue beyond the initial days. However, officials warned that anyone found violating the restrictions could face legal consequences.

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