L.A. joins 'national shutdown' criticizing ICE

[Protests, from A1] of our streets.”

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PROTESTERS gather in downtown Minneapolis on Friday to denounce recent immigration actions by ICE. A MAN drives along Spring Street in downtown L.A. with American and Mexican flags amid the protest. GRANT SWANSON carries an inverted American flag near the end of the protest in Minneapolis.

(ERIC THAYER Los Angeles Times ALLEN J. SCHABEN Los Angeles Times ERIC THAYER Los Angeles Times)

By 1 p.m. the steps of City Hall and Spring Street were awash with protesters of all ages, including some students who participated in a Los Angeles Unified districtwide walkout.The nationwide protests and walkouts, which appeared largely peaceful, come after similar demonstrations in Minneapolis, where two U.S. citizens, Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother, and Alex Pretti, also 37, an intensive care unit nurse, were fatally shot.

While much national focus has been on Minneapolis, tensions have also escalated in Southern California this month as daily immigration operations continue across the region. The scope of the sweeps appears to be down from last summer's operations but continue to occur from street corners in Boyle Heights to downtown L.A.'s Fashion District.

Those protesting the immigration actions have found themselves at odds with federal agents, at times in confrontations that have resulted in gunfire and serious injury.

Earlier this month, Homeland Security officers blinded two protesters by shooting less-lethal projectiles at close range during a demonstration in Santa Ana. Days later, a federal agent opened fire at a man, who the Department of Homeland Security said rammed agents with his vehicle while attempting to evade arrest, during an operation in South L.A.

The demonstrations starting Friday call for people to stay home from work and school and refrain from shopping. The sweeping “ICE Out Everywhere” protests are planned to continue this weekend.