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We're able to bring you a bit more information on the deployment of marines to Los Angeles now.

US Northern Command has just released some information, confirming the soldiers will be used and won't remain on standby.

It adds they were originally placed on alert over the weekend, and also outlines how they will be used.

'Protecting federal personnel and property'

US Northern Command activated marines from the 2nd Battalion, 7th marines and 1st marine division.

They will join Task Force 51 with the aim of "protecting federal personnel and federal property in the greater Los Angeles area."

This step has been taken, Northern Command said, to provide authorities with "adequate numbers".

Task Force 51 is comprised of around 2,100 National Guard troops and 700 marines.

It has been trained in "de-escalation" and "crowd control".

Another escalation?

Much of the criticism that has been aimed at the White House today centres around the decision to deploy the National Guard.

Democrats have said that Trump inflamed tensions in LA.

The deployment of marines will be viewed by Trump critics as taking it one step further.

Governor Gavin Newsom's office has raised questions over the mobilisation of marines in Los Angeles.

We reported earlier - see our 21.09 post - on the reports that marines were being readied for use after the unrest in recent days.

The governor's office said: "From our understanding, this is moving Marines from one base to another base."

It claimed, contrary to some reports, that the marines were being mobilised and not deployed.

"The level of escalation is completely unwarranted, uncalled for, and unprecedented � mobilizing the best in class branch of the US military against its own citizens," it added.

Deployment vs mobilisation?

Mobilisation is different from full deployment. 

So it doesn't remain clear if the marines will actually hit the streets of LA immediately, or remain on standby.

Our US partner NBC News understands that the marines have not yet left the 29 Palms base.

They are expected to begin moving to Camp Pendleton as early as tonight.

Democratic criticisms

Many of the Democratic criticisms they have thrown towards Donald Trump have accused the US president of sending an unneeded and uncalled-for force into LA.

They say he has inflamed the situation on the ground and made things worse.

More extreme criticisms have characterised this as an invasion, while leading state politicians have said it is an abuse of power.

Here are the latest pictures from the protests and unrest in Los Angeles.

The situation on the streets seems calmer so far than in previous nights.

The main protest has centred around a federal building, where a number of people arrested in raids this week are believed to be held.

This includes a union leader - see our 21.27 post.

Simultaneously, a protest in support of Los Angeles has popped up at the US Embassy in Mexico City.

Catch up on the latest images here:

Follow one of the protests in Los Angeles live in the stream at the top of the blog, or in the link below.

Large crowds have turned out for another successive day, and are marching down a busy road, halting traffic.

We'll also share any relevant updates here...

A bit more to bring you now on the decision to mobilise marines to Los Angeles.

Our US partner NBC News has said that the troops, along with Californian National Guard, have been authorised to operate under three rules of force.

These are:

• Self defence
• Defence of federal property 
• Defence of federal personnel  

In theory these give an outline of how the troops will be used, if deployed, for example guarding federal buildings.

But some protests so far, including clashes, have been centred on federal buildings in LA.

Three leading Democrats have written to the Trump administration about the arrest of a union leader that has been a flashpoint in the protests.

David Huerta, head of the Services Employees International Union, was arrested on Friday after allegedly obstructing the access of federal immigration agents to a worksite.

It happened during one of the raids that took place last week and there is an ongoing protest calling for his release today - see our 20.22 post.

Now, senators Adam Schiff, Alex Padilla and Chuck Schumer have expressed their "grave concerns" over his arrest and ongoing detention.

They added: "Mr Huerta, a well-known and deeply respected community leader, was exercising his lawful right to observe the conduct of immigration enforcement personnel.

"In the course of doing so, Mr Huerta suffered an injury and law enforcement personnel apprehended and subsequently arrested him."

Huerta charged

Huerta has been charged, Sky News' US partner NBC News reports.

He has been federally charged with felony conspiracy to impede an officer. 

This carries a maximum sentence of six years and he is set to appear in court later today.

The US military will deploy around 700 marines to Los Angeles as additional National Guard troops also arrive in the city, a US official has told Reuters news agency.

The official said a battalion would be temporarily deployed, but the Insurrection Act was not expected to be invoked.

Our US partner NBC News reports that this is temporary until more National Guard troops arrive.

It added the troops are from the US Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Centre at 29 Palms, which is in the desert about 140 miles east of LA.

The soldiers have been mobilised to support the National Guard on the ground in protecting federal personnel and property, NBC added, citing two defence officials.

This marks another federal escalation in Los Angeles that could risk enflaming tensions further.

This is the latest from Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass.

She said her city was still trying to recover from the wildfires, when the latest unrest unfolded.

Watch her speaking below:

California governor Gavin Newsom has said Donald Trump sent the National Guard to Los Angeles "without fuel, food, water or a place to sleep".

The US president has just finished speaking at the White House.

In the continued war of words between the two politicians, Newsom shared images allegedly of the National Guard in LA sleeping on mass on the floor.

It comes after the San Francisco Chronicle reported on similar images earlier this evening.

Leading Californian Democrats have taken aim at Donald Trump, accusing him of creating a crisis in Los Angeles.

A united message from state politicians has been that the US president stepped in unnecessarily and escalated tensions in LA by sending in the National Guard.

They've said before that he was responsible for the unrest seen last night and things had been cooling down before Trump went over the head of the state governor.

He was confronted over these claims when speaking to the press after an investment meeting in the White House.

Trump said: "Cars burning, people rioting, we stopped it.

"I fear we had no choice."

He repeated previous attack lines as well.

Read the posts from two leading state Democrats below:

Democrat vs Republican

This Democrat vs Republican row has been a running theme, parallel to protests on the streets of LA.

Trump's action pitched a Republican White House against a Democratic state in a febrile political atmosphere.

The two sides have repeatedly traded barbs on social media and across broadcasts.