 "China issues safety advisory amid intensifying protests in Los Angeles")
The Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles has issued a safety advisory for Chinese nationals living in the area, urging them to remain alert and prioritise their personal safety, the South China Morning Post reported. This comes in the wake of ongoing law enforcement actions against immigration-related protests in California’s largest city.
On Monday, the consulate reminded Chinese citizens to “closely monitor official announcements and media reports, stay highly vigilant, strengthen safety precautions, avoid gathering sites, crowded areas, or locations with poor public security”. It also recommended that people avoid “going out at night or travelling alone”.
The ongoing unrest, now in its third day, stems from a large-scale immigration enforcement operation. On June 6, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carried out search warrants at several businesses throughout Los Angeles, resulting in the arrests of up to 100 individuals, according to the Associated Press.
National Guard deployment escalates tensions
The situation intensified over the weekend as about 300 California National Guard troops were sent to Los Angeles. They were stationed around government buildings to support federal law enforcement during the third day of protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration raids targeting undocumented migrants.
The deployment was part of a broader federal response. According to a White House statement on June 7, Trump signed a memorandum to deploy 2,000 National Guard troops to combat “the lawlessness” in California.
California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom criticised the deployment as “unlawful” and demanded the Trump administration withdraw the order. He accused the president of manufacturing a crisis and undermining the state’s authority. “These are the acts of a dictator, not a President,” Newsom wrote on social media on Sunday.
Trump cites legal authority for troop deployment
On June 7, Trump issued a directive referencing a legal provision that empowers the president to deploy federal service members in situations involving rebellion or threats to federal authority.
While speaking in New Jersey, Trump said, “There were violent people in Los Angeles, and they're not gonna get away with it.” When asked whether he anticipated a broader deployment of troops, he declared, “We're gonna have troops everywhere. We're not going to let this happen to our country. We're not going to let our country be torn apart like it was under Biden.”
In addition, Trump cautioned California officials that efforts to hinder deportation operations might lead to legal repercussions.
Los Angeles protests: Chinese residents react
Chinese residents living in Los Angeles said they understood the seriousness of the protests but did not feel an immediate threat to their safety, though their daily routines had been affected.
Ada Zhou, 26, a programme analyst at the University of Southern California, said she was not “especially alarmed” about her personal safety but described the situation on social media as “quite frightening”.
She also noted that there had been a deeper sense of unease since Trump took office. “To be honest, most of us feel like the US is doomed,” she said, as quoted by the report.
Los Angeles protests turn violent
The protests, which began on Friday, escalated over the weekend. Thousands of demonstrators gathered near temporary detention facilities, blocked a major highway, and set vehicles on fire. Police used tear gas, rubber bullets, and stun grenades to control the crowds.
The Los Angeles Police Department declared some gatherings “unlawful assemblies”, saying that some protesters threw concrete, bottles, and other objects at officers.
According to China’s state news agency Xinhua, protesters were “visibly agitated, shouting angrily at the National Guard and local police officers”.
A reporter from state broadcaster CCTV posted a video of what he described as “continuous blasts of crowd-control munitions being fired”. He also reported hearing loud banging coming from a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in downtown Los Angeles that is serving as a temporary detention facility.