LA 'maybe part of a national experiment', mayor says - as she blames White House for 'provoking' unrest
A week ago, everything was peaceful in LA, the city's mayor has just said.
Speaking at a news conference with a group of regional mayors, Karen Bass singled out the White House for "provoking" the disorder seen on the streets there since Friday.
On that day, immigration raids started in the city, which Bass said is "the cause of the problems".
"When you raid Home Depots and work places, when you run armoured caravans through streets... you're not trying to keep anyone safe, you're trying to cause panic," she said.
"I posit that maybe we are part of a national experiment to determine how far the federal government can go in reaching in and taking power from governors, local jurisdictions... and frankly leaving our residents in fear."
Donald Trump said he deployed the National Guard - unusually, without the local governor's approval - for the safety of residents.
Bass criticised that move as a "drastic and chaotic escalation", and called for immigration raids to end.
"These aren't criminals the administration is allegedly targeting... these are mothers and fathers, restaurant workers," she added.
A US citizen, who is due to give birth within days, was "hospitalised" after being detained, Bass said, as she gave examples of the dangers of the raids.