LOS ANGELES (AP) — A multitude of individuals joined together in protest against the mass deportations planned by President Donald Trump in Southern California on Sunday. The protest, which saw thousands of participants, unfolded in downtown Los Angeles and resulted in a significant disruption to traffic flow, with demonstrators blocking a major freeway for several hours. The demonstration commenced in the morning at LA’s iconic Olvera Street, a historical site dating back to Spanish and Mexican governance, before progressing towards City Hall. The protesters united in their calls for immigration reform, brandishing banners emblazoned with messages like “Nobody is illegal.” As the day wore on, marchers managed to occupy all lanes of U.S. 101, leading to a thoroughfare gridlock in both directions and on adjacent streets. Demonstrators seated themselves on the roadway, while a contingent of California Highway Patrol officers closely monitored the scene. It wasn’t until more than five hours later that the freeway was completely reopened, as confirmed by CHP Lieutenant Matt Gutierrez on Sunday evening. Both the CHP and the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that no arrests were made during the protest.
In a parallel display of dissent to the east, hundreds of individuals congregated in the city of Riverside to voice their opposition. Passing motorists expressed solidarity by honking and shouting words of encouragement to the demonstrators displaying flags at an intersection, as reported by the Southern California News Group. Meanwhile, in San Diego, hundreds gathered near the city’s convention center on Sunday.
Across state lines, demonstrators assembled in downtown Dallas, Texas, on Sunday as part of two separate protests denouncing the recent arrests conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Dallas police, in communication with The Associated Press, estimated that approximately 1,600 individuals took part in the two rallies. The marchers proudly carried both Mexican and American flags, while speakers articulated their indignation regarding the rhetoric emanating from Trump and his administration’s intensified deportation efforts. Among the array of signs displayed by the protesters, one stood out with the message “Immigrants Make America Great.”
