Anti-ICE Protests Intensify on National Shutdown Day — Pushes Police To Issue a Tactical Alert

A protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement turned tense in downtown Los Angeles on January 30, 2026, after a smaller group of demonstrators clashed with federal officers. What began as a largely peaceful rally ended with pepper spray being used, several arrests, and police issuing a citywide tactical alert.

Large crowds had gathered earlier in the day as part of a nationwide protest calling for cuts to ICE funding. For most people involved, the demonstration remained calm, with protesters chanting, holding signs, and making their demands known without incident. However, later on, a breakaway group moved away from the main crowd and marched toward the Metropolitan Detention Center, where federal officers were stationed.

Once there, the situation escalated. Some protesters threw water bottles at the building and used a dumpster to block the garage entrance. At the loading dock area, several people pushed into a restricted zone even after officers warned them twice to leave. According to reports, this led authorities to deploy chemical irritants to force the crowd back.

The Los Angeles Police Department posted frequent updates on social media as events unfolded. In one message, police said protesters were throwing debris, bottles, and other objects at officers. Because of the growing disorder, a tactical alert was issued, followed by an order for the crowd to disperse.

Police described the individuals involved as violent agitators and said federal authorities had declared the gathering an unlawful assembly at the detention center. They confirmed that pepper balls and tear gas were used to regain control of the area. The LAPD Central Division also announced that the city had gone into tactical alert due to the unrest along Alameda Street between Temple and Aliso.

Later that day, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass addressed the situation, telling reporters that around five people had been arrested for failing to disperse. She said protests play an important role in democracy, but stressed that they must remain peaceful. She warned that vandalism and violence only harm the city and weaken the message protesters are trying to send.

In another update, police said officers arrested a suspect who was allegedly using a slingshot to fire hard metal objects at officers who were holding the line.

The Los Angeles protest was part of a wider “national shutdown,” with organizers urging people across the country to skip work, school, and shopping. The demonstrations were sparked by outrage over the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in Minneapolis.

Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, was shot and killed by a U.S. Border Patrol officer on January 24, 2026. Shortly after his death, the Department of Homeland Security released a statement claiming that Pretti approached officers with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun while they were carrying out a targeted operation against a suspect wanted for violent assault. DHS said Pretti resisted when officers tried to disarm him, leading one officer to fire what were described as defensive shots. Medics attempted to help him at the scene, but he was pronounced dead.

The statement also claimed Pretti had two magazines and no identification, suggesting he intended to cause maximum harm to law enforcement.

However, that account was quickly challenged. Multiple witnesses spoke out in Pretti’s defense, and video footage later verified by The New York Times appeared to contradict the official version. In the footage, Pretti is seen holding a mobile phone in his hand, not a gun, during the confrontation.

Just weeks earlier, another Minneapolis resident had been killed under similar circumstances. On January 7, 2026, Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was fatally shot by an ICE agent. Her death, combined with Pretti’s, has fueled nationwide anger, protests, and renewed scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement tactics.