Brittany Aldean Criticizes Protestors for Violence Amid L.A. ICE Raids

Brittany Aldean shared two Instagram Stories slides criticizing protesters amid the clash immigration raids that turned violent on Sunday (June 8).

Aldean shared two reels picturing cars on fire and groups of demonstrators gathering nearby a massive blaze, one of whom waved a Mexican flag.

"This is a great way to convince America that they belong in America," her caption on one reel reads.

Another includes a list of quotes from Democratic politicians describing the incidents as "peaceful protests." It also included a quote from Governor of California Gavin Newsom saying "it's under control," and one from the Los Angeles Police Department describing the situation as "without incident."

Aldean didn't add much of her own commentary to her posts, but as a public supporter of U.S. president Donald Trump and his views on immigration, it's likely that she meant her posts as an accusation toward protestors of inciting violence.

What Happened in Downtown Los Angeles This Weekend?

An aggressive sweep of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids took place in L.A. late last week. Per the L.A. Times, protests broke out in the areas where federal agents were making arrests, and they were initially largely peaceful.

The Trump administration sent the National Guard to California to contain the situation — a step that both Governor of California Gavin Newsom and Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass opposed. According to BBC, this marked the first time since 1965 that a president sent the National Guard to a city with the Governor's approval.

Trump subsequently announced plans to send 700 Marines to the area.

The situation turned more tumultuous and violent as the weekend continued. Protestors clashed with heavily-armed law enforcement in multiple locations. Sheriff's deputies used flash-bang grenades and tear gas on protestors, while some demonstrators threw rocks and bottles at law enforcement and shot fireworks.

On Saturday night, a group of protestors congregated around a federal detention center where immigrants were believed to be detained; police officers created a barrier outside the building by forming a skirmish line and holding up shields. Police declared unlawful assembly, and KCAL-9 News reported that approximately half a dozen protestors were seen being detained.

Protests and clashes continued on Sunday. Five Waymo self-driving electric cars were set on fire and burned as part of the protest. According to FOX News, a group of people slashed their tires, smashed their windows and tagged them with graffiti before burning them.

Protestors have sustained injuries or been detained, and one viral clip shows reporter Lauren Tomasi being shot in the leg with a rubber bullet in the middle of a segment.

What Have Leaders Said About the Protests + Violence in Los Angeles?

According to BBC, U.S. president Trump described protestors as "paid insurrectionists" and "animals," and said that if protests break out in other cities, they will be met with "equal or greater force."

He also said that sending the National Guard and Marines to L.A. was necessary to maintain order, asserting that L.A. would be "burning to the ground" without troop involvement.

But Governor Gavin Newsom called the deployment an "unprecedented power grab" and filed a lawsuit against the administration, per CBS. The suit argues that the use of the National Guard stoked "fear and terror" and "heightened tensions with protestors and residents," adding that the protests that were taken place were well within the state's local police force to handle.

"Donald Trump is putting fuel on this fire. Commandeering a state's National Guard without consulting the Governor of that state is illegal and immoral," he wrote on Sunday, adding in a subsequent X post, "We didn't have a problem until Trump got involved."