LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Thousands of demonstrators are gathering in Los Angeles and throughout Southern California on Saturday to protest the policies of the Trump administration in the nationwide "No Kings Day" demonstrations.
Multiple demonstrations are taking place across Los Angeles, Long Beach, Santa Monica, and other locations in Los Angeles County and Orange County. The largest crowd is in downtown Los Angeles, where a march began at 10:30 a.m. and made its way down Broadway, entering Pershing Square at about 11:30 a.m.
Streets are closed in the area and many bus routes are being interrupted.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Police Chief Jim McDonnell held a morning news conference to urge the crowds to remain lawful and to ensure the public that adequate resources were in place to keep the peace.
The California National Guard arrived in downtown Los Angeles early Sunday morning, stopping in front of the Hall of Justice next to city hall.
New video shows troops driving through Paramount, near Alondra and Orange.
During a live interview with ABC7, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass spoke about the protests that erupted across the county Saturday.
Bass said she respected the right to protest but "under no circumstances is violence acceptable and when violence happens it's going to be dealt with."
When asked about Trump deploying 2,000 National Guard members, Bass said she was concerned the federal government has nationalized the national guard and we could have troops in our city."
" I do not believe that it's called for because I am confident LAPD and other law enforcement in Los Angeles can handle things in Los Angeles."
Video from the scene showed officers forming a skirmish line in an effort to disperse protesters in downtown Los Angeles Saturday evening.
The clash between protesters and authorities was still active late Saturday night despite orders from the Los Angeles Police Department to disperse and warning of facing arrest.
A crowd of protesters was seen on the corner of First and Alameda streets in downtown targeting patrol cars with hard objects.
At one point, an LAPD patrol car was caught in the middle of the crowd and protesters began kicking and smashing the rear window of it.
The Trump administration is deploying the California National Guard in response to protests in Los Angeles over immigration enforcement operations that have resulted in some clashes between demonstrators and authorities, the White House said in a statement.
President Donald Trump signed a memorandum "deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to address the lawlessness" in California as demonstrations opposing Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations continue in the state, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement Saturday.
"In the wake of this violence, California's feckless Democrat leaders have completely abdicated their responsibility to protect their citizens," Leavitt said. "That is why President Trump has signed a Presidential Memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester," Leavitt said.
