LOS ANGELES: US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that only his deployment of Marines and other soldiers to Los Angeles was preventing the city from "burning to the ground" as a result of protests against an immigration crackdown.
"If I didn't 'SEND IN THE TROOPS' to Los Angeles the last three nights, that once beautiful and great City would be burning to the ground right now," Trump posted on Truth Social, claiming that the so-far sporadic street unrest posed the same threat as a recent wildfire that destroyed entire neighborhoods in the city.
The Republican's deployment of thousands of troops has sparked outrage among Democrats, with California Governor Gavin Newsom branding Trump "dictatorial."
Donald Trump on Monday sent hundreds of Marines to Los Angeles in response to protests against immigration arrests and despite objections by state officials.
The 700 crack troops joined the National Guard soldiers, amping up the militarization of the tense situation in the sprawling city, which is home to millions of foreign-born and Latino residents.
The largely peaceful demonstrations -- marred by sporadic but violent clashes between police and protesters -- were entering their fifth day. The unrest was sparked by a sudden intensification of Trump's signature campaign to deport illegal migrants, with raids conducted on workplaces.
In downtown LA's Little Tokyo neighborhood at night Monday, scores of protesters faced off with security officials in riot gear, some shooting fireworks at officers who fired back volleys of tear gas.
Earlier, demonstrators marching with banners and handmade signs yelled "ICE out of LA" and "National Guard go away" -- a reference to immigration agents and Guard soldiers.
California officials have stressed the majority of protesters have been peaceful -- and that they were capable of maintaining law and order themselves.
Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom wrote on X that US Marines "shouldn't be deployed on American soil facing their own countrymen to fulfill the deranged fantasy of a dictatorial President. This is un-American."
