Central District US Attorney Bill Essayli issued a stark warning to rioters who threw objects at federal officers and vandalized property during a hostile anti-ICE demonstration in downtown Los Angeles.
“The violence and destruction of property directed at our federal properties in downtown Los Angeles last night is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” Essayli said Saturday.
He said he has asked for more federal officers to be deployed to the City of Angels “to protect our properties” – with even more protests scheduled for Saturday.
“I have authorized federal officers to arrest anyone engaged in violence on the spot,” the top prosecutor added.
His response comes hours after rioters defaced the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building – scrawling “THIS IS WW3” and “F–K ICE” on the walls, while toting upside-down American flags and donning gas masks and keffiyehs.
At one point, the protesters moved a large red dumpster to the front of the building in an apparent effort to block federal officers inside.
Cops deployed tear gas in an attempt to break up the rowdy group. Eventually, the protests began thinning out when the Los Angeles Police Department swooped in.
Mayor Karen Bass – who earlier was in court for failed CNN host Don Lemon, who was just arrested in the city on federal charges related to his storming of a Minnesota church earlier this month – urged protesters to remain peaceful.
“The protests are extremely important, but the protests must be peaceful. Don’t be surprised if the military enters our city again. It is part of our right to protest, but it is not our right to tear up the city or vandalize our city.”
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