Droves of protesters marched in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday, blocking a section of a major freeway in response to the immigration crackdown and deportation policies planned by President Donald Trump.
Videos and images shared on social media showed demonstrators flocking to downtown Los Angeles, waving Mexican flags and carrying signs opposing Trump’s deportation policies. The protest was organized by residents and promoted on social media, KTLA and the Daily Breeze reported.
The large crowd gathered Sunday morning on Olvera Street, a historic pedestrian street and part of the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, before marching toward City Hall, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
In several posts on X, police called the demonstration “non-permitted,” but noted that the protest was largely peaceful. Both police and the California Department of Transportation advised the public to avoid travel in downtown Los Angeles as the moving protest closed down the 101 Freeway in both directions.
By 1 p.m. PST, police said the protest caused a “major gridlock in the DTLA area,” closing down several other roadways near the freeway. Demonstrators later exited the freeway shortly before 4 p.m. PST, blocking some streets with vehicles while others formed at the steps of City Hall, according to police.
The Los Angeles Times reported that police maintained a minimal presence in the area and there had been no arrests or injuries related to the demonstration. Passing motorists also showed support by honking and providing solidarity messages, according to the Times.
After taking office on Jan. 20, Trump almost immediately signed a flurry of executive orders tied to illegal immigration and refugee admissions. The president is also attempting to end birthright citizenship, contrary to the 14th Amendment.
Multiple demonstrations have erupted across the country over the weekend in protest of Trump’s mass deportations and a growing number of raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Under Trump’s orders, federal agents can conduct immigration enforcement activities in “sensitive locations,” such as churches, hospitals, and schools. ICE has also been publicizing its arrests on social media, which reach near or around a total of 1,000 arrests daily.
‘An initial show of force’:What to know about immigration raids, arrests across the country
The USA TODAY Network reported several protests related to Trump’s immigration crackdown over the weekend.
According to the Daytona Beach News-Journal, hundreds gathered at a busy intersection in DeLand, Florida, on Saturday to show support for immigrants. Many held signs, waved Mexican flags and cheered as people drove by.
“We just pretty much want our immigrant community to know that they’re not alone, to not be in fear, that they have a whole village out here willing to speak and stand up for them and for their rights,” organizer and DeLand resident Daniela Copca Cortez told The News-Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network.
A similar protest was also held on Saturday in Vero Beach, Florida, according to Treasure Coast Newspapers, part of the USA TODAY Network. Over a hundred people gathered to “stand up for undocumented immigrants,” the newspaper reported.
Other demonstrations have also been seen in Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, and Georgia, according to local news reports. In Southern California, hundreds were seen protesting on sidewalks and streets of Riverside and San Diego, according to the Daily Breeze and NBC San Diego.
Contributing: Natalie Neysa Alund, Zachary Schermele, and Madeleine Parrish, USA TODAY

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