The top federal prosecutor for Los Angeles is vowing to hunt down and prosecute the perpetrators who injured three federal agents, sending one to the hospital, during a student-led anti-ICE protest Friday.
“The violent attack this afternoon by high school students on federal officers is unacceptable,” U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli told the California Post Friday. “We have video of the suspects, and they will be arrested and charged, regardless of whether they are minors.”
He added, “The parents, teachers, unions, and administrators facilitating students ditching school to attack federal personnel bear responsibility and should be ashamed of themselves.”
Video of the violence against police during the protest has gone viral on social media.
The protest grew to a group of as many as 300 people, some of whom began to throw objects, including rocks, at law enforcement officers outside the federal building, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told news outlets.
DHS reported that one Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer was injured after being hit in the head with a rock and two Federal Protective Services officers were also injured.
One officer was hospitalized with a concussion while the other had a cut over his eye.
The viral footage showed the mob of young people swarming around authorities and a demonstrator swinging a pole at one officer, hitting him in the head twice. The officers then drew their Tasers and pushed the mob back down the street.
Agitators also blocked traffic across the roads around the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building.
The Los Angeles Police Department said that vandalism had been reported near the federal building before those protesting marched back to City Hall where the demonstration began.
It’s not yet clear who organized the Friday protest.
Essayli also took to X to warn violent agitators they would not escape the law.
“Based on the increased violence targeting federal law enforcement, we are surging officers to our downtown Los Angeles buildings,” the U.S. attorney posted. “I have directed them to make arrests on the spot for anyone committing a crime, regardless of whether they are an adult or a teenager.”
He added, “If arrested, you will spend the weekend in a federal detention facility. We have plenty of bed space.”
Contributor Lowell Cauffiel is the best-selling author of the Los Angeles crime novel Below the Line and nine other crime novels and nonfiction titles. See lowellcauffiel.com for more.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.