Anti-ICE protest breaks out in Phoenix as Los Angeles protest intensifies
PHOENIX - An anti-ICE protest broke out in downtown Phoenix on Sunday night.
What we know:
This comes as hundreds, if not thousands, of people are protesting in Los Angeles over immigration enforcement. President Donald Trump deployed the National Guard to calm tensions, but there have been moments of them clashing with protesters.
Phoenix's June 8 protest, in downtown, is near the state capitol building. It's been peaceful.
There was a Phoenix Police presence at the protest to ensure safety.
The Party for Socialism and Liberation organized this protest, and say this is in solidarity with the message of the initial anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles.
Protesters marched along Washington Street to the capitol lawn, chanting things like "No more ICE" and "Donald Trump has got to go."
Children and grandchildren of immigrants delivered speeches at the capitol, sharing their personal anguish and outrage over the Trump administration's actions in Los Angeles.
"Most of us are Latinos, most of us are children of immigrants. What we have been observing across the country, and actually, most recently, that the Trump administration has sent out the National Guard to Los Angeles. We are here to stand in solidarity with our community in Los Angeles, that is being brutalized by the National Guard for simply standing against the ICE raids that are happening in their communities. We are here to say that we won't let that happen, and we won't let ICE raids happen here either," a Phoenix organizer said.
The Phoenix protest drew people of all ages, including young children. Many attendees displayed Mexican flags and held signs demanding the release of detained individuals and the abolition of ICE.
What they're saying:
Phoenix Police responded to the downtown protest, saying, "The Phoenix Police Department became aware of a group of individuals expressing their views near 10th Avenue and Van Buren this evening around 6:00 p.m. The group marched through portions of the downtown area and ultimately returned to where it began on Van Buren Street. Phoenix Police Officers along with Department of Public Safety Troopers were present and closed down streets after it was observed the group was walking in the roadway. Our duty continues to be ensuring the safety of all involved while treating everyone with dignity and respect."
Former FBI Special Agent responds
"It is truly chaos going on there," said Former FBI Special Agent, Kenneth Gray, about the Los Angeles protests. "You have smoke from the fires, you have tear gas being used and you have weapons on both sides being hurled at one another."
The weapons used by law enforcement are non-lethal, Gray said.
"They're using tear gas, they're using rubber bullets. They are using sound devices, as well as their shields, as they try to push back the crowds," he said.
Meanwhile, the rioters are using any resource available.
"They are throwing anything that they can get their hands on, whether it's rocks, pieces of cement, or whether it is pieces of furniture. I saw pieces of furniture being thrown at one point," Gray said.
'It is possible for this to spread'
Gray says law enforcement across the country are likely on alert for similar outbreaks.
"These things have a habit of spreading to other cities. You'll recall that after the George Floyd death, you had riots that broke out in a number of different places, so it is possible for this to spread," Gray said.
To be clear, none of this, aside from protests, has been reported in Phoenix.
‘Proactive intelligence work’
Former ATF Special Agent Bernard Zapor said there is work being done behind the scenes to anticipate protests and potential riots in other cities as word spreads of what is going on in Los Angeles.
"There's going to be some proactive intelligence work done. What's happening on social media and the communication, you know, in this non-riot time. It only takes one to look and to see that there's a prevailing trend about anti-hierarchy and anti-law-enforcement, anti-authority, for any reason, for any causation. So people that are in that frame of mind, they just need an enemy," he said.
Local perspective:
Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego released a statement on President Trump deploying the National Guard in Los Angeles.
"When due process was followed and only criminals were being targeted, there was little to no public outcry. Public protest has erupted because Donald Trump has abused due process, separated families, and deported kids. Civilian law enforcement—not the military—is responsible for enforcing the law and dealing with any violence in our streets. This is a waste of our troops’ time, a waste of taxpayer money, and an insult to the men and women who serve. As a Marine, I know our military exists to defend our country from foreign threats, not to batter American protestors. Trump isn’t trying to solve anything—he’s putting on a show to look tough on TV. I'm interested in solutions that will actually bring about law and order. I've released a border security and immigration reform plan that will unleash economic prosperity and make America safe. I will always stand up for our troops and make sure they are not used as political pawns."
The backstory:
Phoenix and its surrounding cities aren't strangers to immigration protests.
When President Trump took office for the second time, there were several protests across the Valley as he made good on his campaign promise to begin deportations.
Most rallies remained peaceful, but there was an incident in Glendale where police say a protester stole a police cruiser, while another person jumped on a police cruiser, smashing the windshield in.