Protesters in Los Angeles adopted the rallying cry "No kings" as they joined roughly 2,000 demonstrations held across the United States on Saturday to protest the Trump administration's policies.
According to U.S. law enforcement officials, about 200 protests were held across California alone, with the largest in Los Angeles, the nation's second-largest city, where immigrants make up the majority of the population.
Tamara Perry, a 24-year-old Los Angeles resident, attended the protest rally to show her support for all immigrants in the city.
"There's just a lot going on right now, and it's affecting so many different kinds of people and I mean, especially right now with the ICE raids, like I myself, I mean, my parents are legal immigrants, but I have a lot of friends, you know, whose parents, you know, haven't had that easy path in, and I see how tough it is on them," she said.
The U.S. Marines detained a civilian -- a U.S. Army veteran -- on Friday, a rare occurrence in the country's history that raised questions about President Trump's decision to use military force for domestic law enforcement.
"We're here because all these people that are new in the administration are in it for themselves, and we need to show that there are millions of people who are in it for each other. That's why we're here," said Andy Mcelfresh, another Los Angeles resident.
U.S. local media reported that the protests represented a nonviolent resistance to the Trump administration, reflecting concerns that President Donald Trump may be using the military to bolster his image and advance political objectives.
The rallies coincided with a military parade in Washington, D.C., held to celebrate the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary. The day also marked Donald Trump's 79th birthday.
Los Angeles leads California protests as majority-immigrant city joins national uprising against Trump
