Can you imagine that in Los Angeles, the United States, which has always been known for its "freedom and tolerance", it has fallen into chaos in the past few days! A riot caused by illegal immigration hunts has completely "out of control", just like a disaster scene in Hollywood blockbusters is staged in reality!
Things have to start from June 6th. That day, federal agencies such as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) suddenly dispatched a large number of law enforcement personnel to carry out law enforcement operations against illegal immigrants in many places in Los Angeles County. They raided at least seven locations, such as shopping malls and factories, and arrested 44 people in one go. This law enforcement is very strong. But who would have thought that it would poke a hornet's nest in this moment!
That night, about 500 protesters gathered in downtown Los Angeles. They held the slogan "ICE Get Out of Los Angeles" and the posture was to give federal agencies a little color. What's even more violently is that they also tried to attack a detention center, which alarmed the police. The police quickly used batons, tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters, and the protesters were not willing to be outdone and directly fought back with bricks and stones. This time, the conflict escalated instantly and the scene was in chaos.
On the 7th, the conflict not only did not stop, but instead became more and more intense. In Paramount City, about 30 kilometers south of downtown Los Angeles, a Hispanic immigrant settlement, hundreds of fully armed federal law enforcement officers confronted hundreds of protesters. Law enforcement officers fired tear gas and shock bombs, while protesters threw stones and water bottles. The scene felt like a war! According to the description of the people at the scene, there were also people among the protesters riding motorcycles waving the Mexican flag, and even burning vehicles on the streets. This is definitely a real-life version of the "riot blockbuster"!
Faced with such a chaotic situation, Trump could not sit still and directly ordered the deployment of 2,000 National Guard members to Los Angeles. But this decision was strongly condemned by California Governor Newsom, who said that Trump was deliberately creating chaos and was simply "making fire". Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also stood up and condemned the searches of federal law enforcement officers, saying it was spreading terror in the community. On one hand, the federal government enforces the law hard, while on the other hand, local governments strongly oppose it. This contradiction has reached a white-hot level.
From this riot, we can see deep-seated problems in American society. The issue of illegal immigration has always been a "heart disease" in the United States. After Trump came to power, he had a tough attitude towards illegal immigration and signed an executive order to demand the arrest and deportation of them. But this policy is not welcome in areas like Los Angeles where Democratic Party rule is at all. The huge differences between the Democratic Party and the Republican Party on immigration policies have made the society more and more serious, and ordinary people are also trapped in the middle, suffering. This riot was a major outbreak of such contradictions.
Looking at the conflicts in the law enforcement process, although the extreme behavior of the protesters is not right, it is hard to say that the tough measures of law enforcement officers have not intensified the conflict. The lack of effective communication and consultation mechanisms between the two sides, and adopt violent means whenever there is conflict, undoubtedly makes the situation worse.
The United States has always claimed to be a democratic country ruled by law, but judging from the riots in Los Angeles, the so-called democracy and the rule of law seem to have not played the role it deserves. In the face of interests and political differences, the rights and interests of the people are ignored, and social stability is also seriously threatened. This also reminds other countries that when dealing with social issues, we must pay attention to balancing the interests of all parties, strengthen communication and consultation, and avoid intensifying conflicts.
Finally, I want to ask, what do you think of this riot in Los Angeles, USA? If it were you, how do you think we should resolve issues such as illegal immigration and social conflict?
