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DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES () — Police issued a dispersal order in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday after anti-ICE demonstrators clashed with officers outside the Metropolitan Detention Center, with several people arrested, authorities said.
The protest, held on the one-year anniversary of mass federal immigration raids in Los Angeles, escalated as officers declared an unlawful assembly and ordered the crowd to leave the area.
Earlier in the day, scenes turned chaotic as Department of Homeland Security officers rushed to detain a protester in the street. Video from the protest captured a person shouting, “Oh my eyes… I can’t see!” as chemical agents were deployed. Video from witnesses also showed shouting, fighting and blood spattered on the curb as tensions intensified.
The anniversary marks one year since federal agents first carried out sweeping mass immigration raids through Los Angeles, including the detention of dozens of Ambiance Apparel employees. Families affected by those raids said the impact continues.
READ MORE: One year after immigration raids sparked clashes, chaos and backlash, SoCal faces lasting impact
“Watching my father be detained while we stood powerless was one of the most traumatic experiences of our lives,” said Yuriel, whose father was detained a year ago.
Advocates and community members gathered Saturday to call for continued support for those affected. Veronica Alvarado, the deputy director of the Warehouse Worker Resource Center, said the anniversary is a reminder of ongoing hardship.
“We think it’s very important to come back here on the anniversary of when this all started to say, ‘We are not going to take this,'” Alvarado said.
Alvarado is advocating for state leaders to provide emergency financial assistance to impacted families.
“It is time for our state to step up,” she said.
Saturday’s arrests came hours after Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass spoke at an immigration forum commemorating the anniversary.
“Can you imagine if we hadn’t protested? Can you imagine if we sat back in silence while this egregious attack happened? Our protest is absolutely critical, and we have to continue that, because we can never, ever, ever accept what has happened here,” Bass said.
Police have not yet released the total number of people taken into custody during Saturday’s protest. An update is expected Sunday.
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