Donald Trump has deployed 2,000 soldiers from the National Guard to Los Angeles after protests in response to immigration raids extended into a second day.
California Governor Gavin Newsom confirmed the move after the first day of unrest saw local police use tear gas, stun guns, and riot shields.
On Saturday morning, an estimated 400 people gathered to protest in Paramount, a city south of LA, the LA sheriff said.
As the day progressed, the support for the protest fell significantly, with the number of protestors dropping to dozens.
The first day of unrest saw local police use tear gas, stun guns, and riot shields
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The demonstrations, which began outside the Los Angeles Federal Building in the downtown area of LA on Friday, coincided with raids from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
At least 44 arrests on suspicion of immigration violations were made during the ICE raids on Friday.
Crowds of around "1,000 rioters" gathered around the building before some "assaulted law enforcement officers, slashed tyres, and defaced taxpayer-funded property", according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Newsom condemned Trump's decision to deploy the National Guard, describing the move as "purposefully inflammatory" and claimed it will "only escalate tensions".
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At least 44 arrests on suspicion of immigration violations were made during the ICE raids on Friday
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In a post on X, the California Governor said: "As the federal government conducts chaotic immigration sweeps across the country, the state is deploying additional CHP to maintain safety on Los Angeles highways to keep the peace.
"It's not their job to assist in federal immigration enforcement. The federal government is sowing chaos so they can have an excuse to escalate. That is not the way any civilised country behaves."
In later posts, Newsom wrote: "The federal government is taking over the California National Guard and deploying 2,000 soldiers in Los Angeles — not because there is a shortage of law enforcement, but because they want a spectacle. Don't give them one. Never use violence. Speak out peacefully."
He added: "The Secretary of Defence is now threatening to deploy active-duty Marines on American soil against its own citizens. This is deranged behaviour."
Crowds of around '1,000 rioters' gathered around the building before some 'assaulted law enforcement officers, slashed tyres, and defaced taxpayer-funded property', according to the Department of Homeland Security
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President Donald Trump hit back at the California Governor in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Saturday.
He wrote: "If Governor Gavin Newscum, of California, and Mayor Karen Bass, of Los Angeles, can't do their jobs, which everyone knows they can't, then the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!"
On a post in the early hours of Sunday, Trump said that masks would no longer be allowed to be worn at protests.
He wrote: "Great job by the National Guard in Los Angeles after two days of violence, clashes and unrest.
"We have an incompetent Governor (Newscum) and Mayor (Bass) who were, as usual (just look at how they handled the fires, and now their VERY SLOW PERMITTING disaster.
"Federal permitting is complete!), unable to to handle the task. These Radical Left protests, by instigators and often paid troublemakers, will NOT BE TOLERATED.
"Also, from now on, MASKS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED to be worn at protests. What do these people have to hide, and why??? Again, thank you to the National Guard for a job well done!"
Pete Hegseth, US defence secretary, claimed that active duty Marines would also be mobilised if "violence continues".
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