Tensions flared in Los Angeles late Monday afterPresident Donald Trumpescalated military presencein the region against the wishes of state and local authorities, in a move the mayor called a "deliberate attempt to create disorder and chaos in our city." California authorities and the Trump administrationclashed over the president's decision to send thousands of National Guard troops,along with 700 Marines, to the greater Los Angeles area. Trump has insisted that he had no choice but to increase the level of force in response togrowing unrest over his immigration crackdown. On Monday, California sued the Trump administration, alleging that the president's actions were unnecessary and unlawful. California Gov. Gavin Newsom later indicated that he willtake similar actionto prevent the Marines from being deployed, describing the order as a "blatant abuse of power." "It makes me feel like our city is actually a test case," Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said at a news conference. "A test case for what happens when the federal government moves in and takes the authority away from the state or away from local government." Later Monday, police officers had running confrontations with protesters who had scattered into the Little Tokyo section of Los Angeles. As people watched from apartment patios above street level, and as tourists huddled inside hotels, a large contingent of LAPD officers and Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies fired several flash bangs that boomed through side streets along with tear gas. 'I hate it':LA residents who surveyed vandalism fear more violence in future protests The California governor said late Monday night that U.S. Marines are "not political pawns" in apost to social mediablasting Trump's decision to send the military members to California. Newsom said Defense SecretaryPete Hegsethwas "illegally" deploying the Marines and argued it was a stunt so Trump could have a "talking point" at a planned parade in Washington on Saturday to celebrate the 250thbirthday of the Army, also the day of Trump's 79thbirthday. "It's a blatant abuse of power," Newsom said. -Jeanine Santucci The Los Angeles Police Departmentreiterated on Mondaythat despite some demonstrations turning violent, local police can handle whatever protesters throw at them and that additional federal help could become a hindrance. "The possible arrival of federal military forces in Los Angeles - absent clear coordination - presents a significant logistical and operational challenge for those of us charged with safeguarding this city," Police Chief Jim McDonnell said in a statement. The protests so far haveresulted in at least 50 arrests and some property damage, including several self-driving Waymo vehicles that were set ablaze on Sunday evening. The Los Angeles Police Department said 29 people were arrested Saturday for failing to follow orders to disperse, and 21 people were arrested Sunday on charges from attempted murder with a Molotov cocktail to assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer. LAPD said officers have fired over 600 non-lethal bullets and used tear gas on the "hostile crowd." Among those hit was anAustralian journalistcovering the protests. At least five officers received minor injuries, according to police. Five police horses also "were targeted and sustained minor injuries," police said. The protests began Friday after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sweeps near Los Angeles resulted in more than 40 arrests. The protests had largely been peaceful but flared up when heavily armed, masked agents raided Los Angeles businesses. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, defended the raids and said those arrested by ICE included a Vietnamese man convicted of second-degree murder, an Ecuadoran man convicted of possession of five kilograms of cocaine, and a Filipino man convicted of sexual offenses. On Monday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said local immigrant rights groups had confirmed at least five ICE raids in the Los Angeles region. The mayor said officials were still working to compile more information on the raids but noted that in some cases, ICE targeted day laborers and detained people who appeared for scheduled immigration appointments. "As you know, ICE does not tell anybody where they're going to go or when they're going to be there," Bass said at the Monday news conference. Protests also sprang up in at least nine other cities across the U.S. on Monday, including New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco, according to Reuters. Contributing: Michael Loria, USA TODAY; Reuters This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:LA protests live updates: Trump, Newsom clash over Marine deployment
