Los Angeles – Tensions are rising in California after former President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles in an effort to quell ongoing protests. In response, Congresswoman Maxine Waters made a bold appearance at the scene, declaring she would "stand up to Trump and the soldiers" sent to suppress public demonstrations.
“We cannot allow force to silence the voice of the people,” Waters stated while speaking near the Metropolitan Detention Center — the epicenter of protests following controversial immigration-related arrests. She pleaded with the National Guard “not to use their weapons against peaceful demonstrators,” emphasizing the public’s right to protest injustice.
Trump’s move to deploy the military was framed as a necessary step to “restore order” amid escalating unrest, which included clashes with police and the burning of several vehicles. However, Democratic lawmakers — particularly those representing minority communities — swiftly condemned the deployment as an act of “militarizing the city.”
Maxine Waters, a long-standing voice for marginalized communities in South Los Angeles, asserted that placing troops on city streets is “unacceptable” and reflects a government that rules through intimidation rather than dialogue.
As thousands of citizens continue to fill the streets in protest, the standoff between federal forces and local leaders like Waters shows no signs of slowing. The situation remains volatile, with California becoming a flashpoint in the national debate over civil rights, federal power, and the right to protest.
