In response to the escalating situation, former President Donald Trump announced the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to assist in Los Angeles. Posting on Truth Social, he criticized state and local leadership, pledging federal action to restore order.
California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the federal troop deployment, calling it an overreach of state authority. “We had no major issues until federal interference,” he stated on X, emphasizing respect for state sovereignty.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also spoke out against the federal intervention, describing it as an unnecessary show of force that heightened fear among residents, especially immigrant communities. She highlighted concerns related to recent immigration policies that have unsettled many families.
The events have left many residents concerned and have spurred calls from advocacy organizations for an independent investigation into the police response and the appropriateness of using mounted officers for crowd management.
As attention remains focused on Los Angeles, the incident underscores ongoing national discussions about protest rights, policing methods, immigration enforcement, and the balance of federal and local authority. The protester caught in the video has become a focal point in the broader conversation about how such situations are handled.