Several arrests were made Friday during escalating May Day protests in downtown Los Angeles, as agitators blocked traffic and confronted officers near a federal building, the Los Angeles Police Department reported.
LAPD issued an emergency alert around 3 p.m. as protesters shut down two southbound lanes on Alameda Street between Temple and Aliso streets, leaving just one lane open.
An unlawful assembly was declared by authorities, bringing traffic to a crawl.
A protester with a gas mask holds a “RESPECT EXISTENCE OR EXPECT RESISTANCE” sign against a fence, facing police in riot gear during a May Day protest in Los Angeles. CA Post
Protesters and police face each other across a metal fence at a May Day protest in Los Angeles. CA PostPolice told The California Post they were dealing with a large, “unruly” group.
Agitators hurled vulgar and hostile language at officers, including the chant “F–K DHS!” as tensions escalated.
Six police officers in tactical gear stand in an open garage door, some wearing helmets and vests. CA Post
May Day protest in Los Angeles, CA. CA Post
People protesting with signs and a Mexican flag behind a chain-link fence with a large building and American flag in the background. CA PostDemonstrators lined sidewalks and repeatedly moved into the street with megaphones, at times stopping vehicles.
Some waved Palestinian flags, while others wore hoods and masks, chanting “ICE out of LA” in opposition to federal immigration enforcement.
The disruption came as part of a broader May Day mobilization expected to draw thousands of workers, union members and activists across the city.
Organizers urged supporters to join an “economic blackout,” encouraging people to skip work, school and shopping.
An aerial view shows a large crowd of labor activists gathered for a May Day protest. Getty Images
Labor activists rally in Los Angeles for higher wages, stronger labor protections, and expanded immigration rights. Getty Images
Activists facing off with Los Angeles Police Department officers during a May Day rally in Los Angeles. CHRIS TORRES/EPA/Shutterstock
The main rally was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. at MacArthur Park, followed by a march to Grand Park after a speaking program.
Labor and immigrant rights groups said the demonstrations mark International Workers’ Day, with similar events planned across California calling for expanded worker protections and immigration reform.
Many signs carried by demonstrators featured anti-ICE messages, along with anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian slogans, as the protest shifted from an organized rally into a chaotic street scene.
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