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A curfew has come into force in Los Angeles as officials attempt to “stop the vandalism and stop the looting”.

Mayor Karen Bass said the restrictions will be in force in downtown areas of the city from 8pm to 6am local time (4am to 2pm UK time) – and will likely be repeated in the coming days.

She confirmed that a local emergency had been declared as “we reached a tipping point”, with 23 businesses looted on Monday night.

Ms Bass said “graffiti is everywhere”, with “significant damage” to properties as a result of the protests.

Workers try to remove graffiti after a protest over immigration raids. ICE Pic: AP/Damian Dovarganes
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Workers try to remove graffiti after a protest over immigration raids. ICE Pic: AP/Damian Dovarganes

Workers remove graffiti from the Ronald Reagan Federal Building in Santa Ana. Pic: Mindy Schauer/The Orange County Register via AP
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Workers remove graffiti from the Ronald Reagan Federal Building in Santa Ana. Pic: Mindy Schauer/The Orange County Register via AP

A protester marches past businesses being boarded up. Pic: Reuters/Leah Millis
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A protester marches past businesses being boarded up. Pic: Reuters/Leah Millis

Jim McDonnell, the chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, described the curfew as a “necessary measure to protect lives” as “unlawful and dangerous behaviour” had been escalating in the last few days.

On Tuesday alone, 197 arrests were made by the force, and he warned anyone violating the curfew without a valid reason would be detained.

Residents, people who are homeless, those travelling to and from work, credited media as well as public safety and emergency personnel, will be exempt from the curfew.

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The curfew covers a one square mile section of downtown LA that includes the area where protests have happened since Friday. The city of Los Angeles encompasses about 500 square miles.

Workers board up a store in Santa Ana. Pic: AP/Jae C. Hong
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Workers board up a store in Santa Ana. Pic: AP/Jae C. Hong

California National Guard soldiers stand at a federal agency building. Pic: AP
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California National Guard soldiers stand at a federal agency building. Pic: AP

Protesters are detained by law enforcement near the federal building in downtown LA. Pic: AP/Eric Thayer
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Protesters are detained by law enforcement near the federal building in downtown LA. Pic: AP/Eric Thayer

The protests are in response to raids carried out by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE).

US President Donald Trump has activated 4,000 National Guard troops – the federal reserve force – to protect ICE officers carrying out raids as well as federal buildings in LA, despite objections by California Governor Gavin Newsom, who called the deployments unnecessary, illegal and politically motivated.

Mr Trump also sent 700 marines, who are expected to start operating in the LA area on Wednesday, according to the US Northern Command.

Read more from Sky News:
Eyewitness: Furious immigrants vow to ‘defend’ LA
What we know about the LA immigration raids and protests
Explainer: Who is Gavin Newsom?

The Ronald Reagan Federal Building and Courthouse in Santa are boarded up. Pic: Mindy Schauer/The Orange County Register via AP
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The Ronald Reagan Federal Building and Courthouse in Santa are boarded up. Pic: Mindy Schauer/The Orange County Register via AP

National Guard troops are lined up to protect a federal building in downtown LA. Pic: AP/Eric Thayer
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National Guard troops are lined up to protect a federal building in downtown LA. Pic: AP/Eric Thayer

State officials said Mr Trump’s response was an extreme overreaction to mostly peaceful demonstrations, with California senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla saying the domestic mobilisation of active-duty military personnel should only happen “during the most extreme circumstances, and these are not them”.

Mr Trump defended his decision in a speech to soldiers at the Army base in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, saying his administration would “liberate Los Angeles”.

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Trump: ‘We will liberate Los Angeles’

“Generations of Army heroes did not shed their blood on distant shores only to watch our country be destroyed by invasion and third-world lawlessness,” Mr Trump said.

“What you’re witnessing in California is a full-blown assault on peace, on public order and on national sovereignty, carried out by rioters bearing foreign flags.”

A protester is arrested by law enforcement officers in downtown LA. Pic: AP/Eric Thayer
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A protester is arrested by law enforcement officers in downtown LA. Pic: AP/Eric Thayer

California Highway Patrol officers clash with protesters in LA. Pic: AP/Eric Thayer
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California Highway Patrol officers clash with protesters in LA. Pic: AP/Eric Thayer

Gavin Newsom launched a blistering response in an address on Tuesday evening, saying the deployment of the National Guard without consulting Californian officials was a “brazen abuse of power by a sitting president”.

He said it “enflamed a combustible situation, putting our people, our officers and even our National Guard at risk”.

“That’s when the downward spiral began. He doubled down on his dangerous National Guard deployment by fanning the flames even harder – and the president, he did it on purpose,” Mr Newsom said.

Newsom takes the fight to Trump

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s televised address to the nation felt presidential as he took the fight to the man in the Oval Office, with a series of scorching putdowns.

He made a compelling case that Donald Trump’s extraordinary decision to send troops to LA against his wishes had put the country on the brink of authoritarianism.

He spoke the day after the Pentagon announced 700 marines were being deployed to join 4,000 National Guard troops ordered to the streets of LA by Trump.

But there has been no evidence so far that local law enforcement is being overwhelmed by the size or might of this resistance movement.

The head-to-head between Trump and Newsom is a compelling one.

The governor is known to harbour presidential ambitions for 2028 and is something of a MAGA bogeyman.

Newsom presides over a blue state, the biggest in the country, and is growing his brand with a podcast and – now – Trump has effectively put him in the national spotlight by bringing this political battle to his door.

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The governor accused Mr Trump of choosing escalation and “theatrics over public safety”, as the situation was “winding down” before the president deployed the troops.

Mr Newsom added: “When Donald Trump sought blanket authority to commandeer the National Guard, he made that order apply to every state in this nation.

“This is about all of us, this is about you. California may be first, but it clearly won’t end here; other states are next. Democracy is next. Democracy is under assault before our eyes.”

A man holds a Mexican flag, which has become synonymous with solidarity for migrants targeted in the raids. Pic: AP/Damian Dovarganes
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A man holds a Mexican flag, which has become synonymous with solidarity for migrants targeted in the raids. Pic: AP/Damian Dovarganes

A protester holds up a placard while marching through downtown LA. Pic: Reuters/Leah Millis
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A protester holds up a placard while marching through downtown LA. Pic: Reuters/Leah Millis

People protest against the ongoing immigration raids in Washington, D.C. Pic: AP/Julia Demaree Nikhinson
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People protest against the ongoing immigration raids in Washington, D.C. Pic: AP/Julia Demaree Nikhinson

Homeland Security said on Monday that ICE had arrested 2,000 immigration offenders per day recently, which significantly exceeds the 311 daily average in the fiscal year 2024 under former president Joe Biden.

The protests over the immigration raids have started to spread across the US, with demonstrations in cities like Seattle, Austin, Chicago and Washington, DC.

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Hegseth and Trump declare end to ‘woke’ military – as defence secretary scolds ‘fat troops’

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Hegseth and Trump declare end to 'woke' military - as defence secretary scolds 'fat troops'

The US defence secretary has said he is ending “woke” culture and political correctness, telling top brass: “We are done with that s***.”

Pete Hegseth said diversity and inclusion policies would be rowed back, with changes including “gender-neutral” or “male-level” fitness standards for everyone.

He also hit out at “fat troops” and said height and weight requirements would be brought in – as well as twice-yearly fitness tests.

President Donald Trump was at the event and told reporters beforehand he was prepared to fire any generals or admirals he disliked “on the spot”.

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Trump rebrands ‘woke’ Pentagon as Department of War

Speaking in Quantico, Virginia, he said the new approach was “bringing back a focus on fitness, ability, character and strength [because] the purposes of American military is not to protect anyone’s feelings”.

Mr Hegseth drove home that message as he said the days of “the woke department” were over.

“The era of politically correct, overly sensitive don’t-hurt-anyone’s-feelings leadership ends right now at every level,” he said.

“No more identity months, DEI offices, dudes in dresses, no more climate change worship, no more division, distraction or gender delusions,” added the newly rebranded secretary of war.

Mr Hegseth said the changes were not intended to stop women serving, but “physical standards must be high and gender neutral” for combat roles.

Pete Hegseth said the US military was kicking back against political correctness. Pic: Reuters
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Pete Hegseth said the US military was kicking back against political correctness. Pic: Reuters

“If that means no women qualify for some combat jobs, so be it. That is not the intent, but it could be the result… It will also mean that we mean that weak men won’t qualify because we’re not playing games. This is combat. This is life or death.”

Hundreds of US military officials from around the world had been summoned abruptly to the Marine Corps base without knowing why until Tuesday morning.

The gathering included admirals and generals called in from conflict zones in the Middle East.

Mr Hegseth told them grooming standards would also be raised, with beards, long hair and “individual expression” now prohibited – “the era of unprofessional appearance is over. No more beardos”, he said.

“We don’t have a military full of Nordic pagans, but unfortunately, we have had leaders who either refuse to call BS and enforce standards or leaders who felt like they were not allowed to enforce standards,” the defence secretary added.

Senior leaders were called in from around the world for the event. Pic: Reuters
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Senior leaders were called in from around the world for the event. Pic: Reuters

A review of how bullying and hazing are defined will also take place to “empower leaders to enforce standards without fear of retribution or second guessing”.

Toxic leadership has been suspected and confirmed in many military suicides in recent years, including the high-profile case of sailor Brandon Caserta who killed himself in 2018.

The changes unveiled on Tuesday follow the recent rebranding of the US Department of Defense as the Department of War.

Read more from Sky News:
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US president responds to Europe’s Ryder Cup taunt

President Trump said last month the name sent a “message of strength” – and his speech on Tuesday also lauded America’s nuclear weapons capability.

However, he said people shouldn’t “throw around” the word.

“I call it the N-word. There are two N-words, and you can’t use either of them,” he told commanders.

“You don’t have to be that good with nuclear,” the president added. “You could have one-twentieth what you have now and still do the damage that would be, you know, that’d be so horrendous.”

Donald Trump used part of his address to laud his country's nuclear arsenal. Pic: Reuters
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Donald Trump used part of his address to laud his country’s nuclear arsenal. Pic: Reuters

He cited his repositioning of nuclear submarines in August in response to comments by Russia’s former president Dmitry Medvedev.

“We were a little bit threatened by Russia recently, and I sent a submarine, nuclear submarine, the most lethal weapon ever made,” Mr Trump said on Tuesday.

“Number one, you can’t detect it. There’s no way. We’re 25 years ahead of Russia and China in submarines.”

“Frankly, if it does get to use, we have more than anybody else,” the president said of America’s nuclear arsenal.

“We have better, we have newer, but it’s something we don’t ever want to even have to think about.”

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Second ICE detainee dies after attack on Dallas facility, family says

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Second ICE detainee dies after attack on Dallas facility, family says

The family of a Mexican man shot last week at an immigration and customs facility in Dallas say he’s died, becoming the second detainee to be killed in the attack.

Police previously said one person was killed and two critically injured after a gunman opened fire at an ICE field office in the Texas city last Wednesday.

A bullet engraved with the phrase “ANTI-ICE” was found at the scene, the FBI said, with the attack being investigated as an act of “targeted violence”.

Miguel Angel Garcia-Hernandez, 32, died from his injuries after being removed from life support, his family confirmed in a statement shared by the League of United Latin American Citizens.

He is understood to have been one of the two detainees left in a critical condition following the attack on 24 September.

Officials previously said the first man killed was Norlan Guzman-Fuentes.

One of the bullet casings was engraved with 'ANTI ICE'. Pic: Kash Patel/X
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One of the bullet casings was engraved with ‘ANTI ICE’. Pic: Kash Patel/X

A handwritten note was also recovered after the shooting detailing the suspect’s desire to inflict “real terror” on US immigration agents, the head of the FBI said.

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Joshua Jahn, 29, from Fairview in Texas, was found dead at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, said acting US attorney Nancy Larson.

“He very likely acted alone,” she added.

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FBI director Kash Patel said the agency had seized devices and had processed “writings” obtained at the scene and in the suspect’s home since the attack.

A handwritten recovered note read: “Hopefully this will give ICE agents real terror, to think: ‘Is there a sniper with AP rounds on that roof?'”

Mr Patel said on X: “While the investigation is ongoing, an initial review of the evidence shows an ideological motive behind this attack.”

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America’s military top brass assemble for unusual summit with ‘department of war’ chief

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America's military top brass assemble for unusual summit with 'department of war' chief

America’s military top brass have left their posts to attend a meeting with the US president and defence secretary about the “warrior ethos”.

Hundreds of officers travelled from around the world to attend the occasion at a marine corps base in Quantico, Virginia. It is a rare gathering of the US military’s top tier, all in the one place.

There has been much speculation about the substance of Tuesday’s meeting, given its scale and short notice with minimal explanation.

Donald Trump told NBC News, Sky’s US partner network, it is “really just a very nice meeting talking about how well we’re doing militarily, talking about being in great shape, talking about a lot of good, positive things”.

“We have some great people coming in, and it’s just an esprit de corps,” he said.

“You know the expression ‘esprit de corps?’ That’s all it’s about. We’re talking about what we’re doing, what they’re doing, and how we’re doing.”

Trump and Hegseth watch a US anniversary military parade in Washington in June. Pic: Reuters
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Trump and Hegseth watch a US anniversary military parade in Washington in June. Pic: Reuters

‘Department of War’

The officers were summoned by defence secretary Pete Hegseth, who has adopted the slogan “Make America Lethal Again”. Ahead of the meeting, he has said his intention is to outline a new vision for the military and restore what he calls the “warrior ethos”.

Hegseth is the former TV presenter picked by Trump to run the defence department, now rebranded the Department of War. He has a military background, serving as an infantry officer in the National Guard.

His audience in Quantico will number the country’s most senior generals and admirals. Over 800 of the rank of brigadier-general and above will be there, along with their navy equivalents.

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Since he started in post, Hegseth has fired a number of senior officers. In May, he ordered a 20% cut in the number of four-star generals and admirals, and he targeted flag and general officers with a 10% reduction.

A controversial figure, Hegseth has accused some members of senior rank of being responsible for a woke culture and, in the past, has questioned the role of women in the military.

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