Trump tells national guard it must liberate Los Angeles

Donald Trump has vowed to liberate Los Angeles from the Migrant Invasion”, as violent clashes between members of the state national guard and anti-immigration protesters continued yesterday.

- MIKE BEDIGAN IN WASHINGTON DC

The president took to Truth Social where he promised that “the Illegals will be expelled” and that the city would be “set free”, as troops confronted demonstrators on the streets of downtown LA – using tear gas and “less lethal munitions” to disperse crowds.

“A once great American City, Los Angeles, has been invaded and occupied by Illegal Aliens and Criminals,” the president wrote. “Now violent, insurrectionist mobs are swarming and attacking our Federal Agents to try and stop our deportation operations — But these lawless riots only strengthen our resolve.”

Tensions escalated throughout the day yesterday, following on from unrest the previous evening. Images showed vehicles on fire, and protesters throwing fireworks towards armed and helmeted law enforcement officers.

Police and demonstrators later squared off outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles, with graffiti reading “fuck ICE,” “fuck LAPD,” written across nearby buildings. Yesterday afternoon the LAPD declared that the city was on “tactical alert”.