The United States Northern Command confirmed that 500 U.S. Marines stood on alert in “prepared to deploy status” at Twentynine Palms, California, as news broke that protesters had swarmed onto the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles.

Nick Sortor shared video from local news coverage of the ongoing protests, which showed protesters blocking the highway near Union Station at Alameda St. “Hundreds of drivers are now trapped on the expressway with violent rioters,” he said in the accompanying X post.

🚨 #BREAKING: THOUSANDS of anti-ICE rioters have now TAKEN OVER the 101 freeway in Los Angeles

HUNDREDS of drivers are now trapped on the expressway with vioIent rioters

IT’S TIME: DEPLOY THE MARINES! pic.twitter.com/2f9A9PcnLW

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) June 8, 2025

The U.S. Northern Command issued a press release late on Sunday detailing the number of troops who had already been mobilized — as well as those who were standing on alert in case they were needed to augment those already the ground.

PRESS RELEASE: USNORTHCOM statement regarding protection of federal property and personnel in the LA Area.
Approx. 2,000 @TheCalGuard soldiers have been placed under in a Title 10 status.
Read more: https://t.co/Hew1buGKyN pic.twitter.com/9Cwj08cYK5

— U.S. Northern Command (@USNorthernCmd) June 9, 2025

The press release read:

By direction of Secretary of Defense and in coordination with U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), approximately 2,000 California Army National Guard soldiers have been placed under federal command and control in a Title 10 status to support the protection of federal personnel and federal property in the greater Los Angeles area.

As USNORTHCOM’s land component command, U.S. Army North stood up Task Force 51, with a two-star general, as the ground command and control element over the Title 10 forces. At this time, there are approximately 300 members of the California Army National Guard’s 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team deployed at the following locations in the greater Los Angeles area: Los Angeles, Paramount, and Compton, California.

Additionally, approximately 500 Marines from 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines at Twentynine Palms, California, are in a prepared to deploy status should they be necessary to augment and support the DoD’s protection of federal property and personnel efforts.

USNORTHCOM will provide more information as units are identified and deployed.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had already warned on Saturday that he had already placed a number of active duty Marines on high alert at nearby Camp Pendleton, preparing them for the possibility that they might be needed if the situation worsened.

Sortor shared a series of photos and videos showing just how bad things were getting on the streets of Los Angeles. Protesters carrying foreign flags turned on officers who attempted to clear the freeway, throwing objects at them and forcing them to retreat.

🚨 #BREAKING: Illegals with foreign flags are now PELTING officers who are trying to clear the freeway with objects, forcing them to retreat under the overpass

THIS IS TOTAL ANARCHY, and it’s getting worse by the second.

WTF ARE YOU DOING, @GavinNewsom?! pic.twitter.com/e2sytUXkZL

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) June 8, 2025

Blackhawk helicopters could be seen circling the protest, and Sorter quoted a senior Trump official as saying, “We WILL NOT bend the knee.”

🚨 #BREAKING: DHS Blackhawks have been spotted circling the anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles

Senior Trump official tells me “we WILL NOT bend the knee,” and more federal assets are being deployed as we speak

WE THE PEOPLE HAVE YOUR BACK! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/LYPCpjPUIe

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) June 8, 2025

Democratic Mayor Karen Bass blamed President Donald Trump for the “chaos” that was unfolding but claimed that she had it under control. Meanwhile, the video showed alongside her showed “TOTAL ANARCHY HAPPENING LIVE.”

🚨 JUST IN: LA Mayor Karen Bass SLAMS Trump for deploying troops, and insists she has everything under control

Meanwhile, the camera view next to her shows TOTAL ANARCHY HAPPENING LIVE.

DEMOCRATS LIE TO YOUR FACES.

She even goes as far as JUSTIFYING the riots, and says people… pic.twitter.com/byAyNTKVyY

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) June 9, 2025

🚨 #BREAKING: Anti-ICE rioters are now SETTING FIRE to multiple vehicles in the streets of Los Angeles

NO POLICE ARE IN SIGHT.

We still have HOURS until dark, and this is CONTINUING to grow.

INVOKE THE INSURRECTION ACT!

🎥 @camhigby pic.twitter.com/32vt2SEByS

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) June 9, 2025

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) hit the streets alongside anti-ICE protesters in Los Angeles, taunting and harassing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents before she attempted to enter the Los Angeles Federal building to check on a union boss who had been arrested.

Waters was captured on video shouting at the National Guard troops — ordered in by President Donald Trump after two days of protesters rioting and attacking ICE agents as they attempted to enforce federal immigrations laws.

“Why do you have guns? What are you going to do, you going to shoot some kid who’s afraid of you and runs?” she asked. “You going to shoot an elected official? If you shoot me, you better shoot straight. I don’t know why you’re in my city. The governor was not contacted. This is Trump, and his outrageous attempt to not only target our sanctuary city but to frighten us and intimidate us. This is wrong, and I hope that none of you will use those guns to shoot anybody. There’s no reason to shoot anybody.”

INSANE Dem Rep. Maxine Waters is now verbally harassing our National Guard Members?!

DO DEMS HATE THE TROOPS?! @SpeakerJohnson DO SOMETHING!! pic.twitter.com/kpBvn2apxX

— Graham Allen (@GrahamAllen_1) June 8, 2025

Waters later attempted to enter the federal building to “check on” Service Employees International Union (SEIU) President David Huerta, who was injured and detained during violent confrontations between protesters and ICE agents.

Asserting her “congressional authority,” Waters pressed for access to the building — but she was ultimately turned away by a guard at the door who told her simply, “The lobby is secured to all visitors.”

BREAKING: Rep. Maxine Waters tried to enter the Los Angeles Federal Building to check on arrested SEIU President David Huerta. Despite her “congressional authority,” she was denied entry.

Note how Waters walked past all the graffiti during this stunt — quite the backdrop. pic.twitter.com/BwAM5pJljF

— Stu (@thestustustudio) June 8, 2025

The California Congresswoman presented a slightly modified version of the day’s events when she posted an update via X, claiming that she had “pled with the National Guard, which was heavily armed, not to use their weapons against peaceful demonstrators who were simply exercising their rights to freedom of speech and protest. All people deserve to be treated with dignity and due process under the law. Peaceful, nonviolent demonstrations are critical to protecting our constitutional rights!”

Today, I came to the Metropolitan Detention Center to exercise my constitutional rights as a Member of Congress to check on the safety and conditions of SEIU California President David Huerta, who was arrested by ICE. I pled with the National Guard, which was heavily armed, not… pic.twitter.com/a7sb86yg7F

— Maxine Waters (@RepMaxineWaters) June 8, 2025