Marines on LA streets will have power to make arrests

West Australian12-06-2025

US Marines will join National Guard troops on the streets of Los Angeles within two days, officials say, and will be authorised to detain anyone who interferes with immigration officers on raids or protesters who confront federal agents.
US President Donald Trump ordered the deployments over the objections of California Governor Gavin Newsom, sparking a national debate about the use of the military on US soil and animating protests that have spread from Los Angeles to other major cities, including New York, Atlanta and Chicago.
Los Angeles on Wednesday endured a sixth day of protests that have been largely peaceful but occasionally punctuated by violence, mostly contained to a few blocks of the city's downtown area.
The protests broke out last Friday in response to a series of immigration raids.
Trump in turn called in the National Guard on Saturday, then summoned the Marines on Monday.
"If I didn't act quickly on that, Los Angeles would be burning to the ground right now," said Trump at an event at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
State and local leaders dispute that, saying Trump has only escalated tensions with an unnecessary and illegal deployment of federal troops, while Democrats nationally have condemned his action as authoritarian.
Trump is carrying out a campaign promise to deport immigrants, employing forceful tactics consistent with the norm-breaking political style that got him elected twice.
"President Trump promised to carry out the largest mass deportation campaign in American history and left-wing riots will not deter him in that effort," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
The US military said on Wednesday that a battalion of 700 Marines had concluded training specific to the LA mission, including de-escalation and crowd control.
They would join National Guard under the authority of a federal law known as Title 10 within 48 hours, not to conduct civilian policing but to protect federal officers and property, the military said.
Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement: "If any rioters attack ICE law enforcement officers, military personnel have the authority to temporarily detain them until law enforcement makes the arrest."
US Army Major General Scott Sherman, who commands the task force of Marines and Guardsmen, told reporters the Marines would not carry live ammunition in their rifles, but they would carry live rounds.
Newsom and the state of California have sued Trump and the Defense Department to stop the deployment, maintaining that none of the Title 10 conditions were met to justify military deployment, such as a when the US is under threat from a foreign invasion or rebellion.
In downtown LA, shortly before the second night of a curfew over a 2.5 square kilometre area, relative calm was broken.
Police said demonstrators at one location threw commercial grade fireworks and rocks at officers.
Another group of nearly 1000 demonstrators were peacefully marching through downtown when police suddenly opened fired with less lethal munitions in front of City Hall.
Other protests have also taken place in Santa Ana, south of Los Angeles as well as major cities such as New York, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Seattle, Boston and Washington and San Antonio, Texas.
The protests are set to expand on Saturday, when several activist groups have planned more than 1800 anti-Trump demonstrations across the country.
That day, tanks and other armoured vehicles will rumble down the streets of Washington, DC, in a military parade marking the US Army's 250th anniversary and coinciding with Trump's 79th birthday.

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Global travel warning: Smartraveller warns Australian travellers about risk, not just in the Middle East

West Australian

35 minutes ago

West Australian

Global travel warning: Smartraveller warns Australian travellers about risk, not just in the Middle East

The Australian Government has warned Aussies that the 'unpredictable' situation in the Middle East may put them at risk or leave them stranded and unable to get home, regardless of where they are globally. On Saturday night (local time), US President Donald Trump dropped a barrage of tactical bombs on uranium enrichment nuclear facilities across Iran, the first direct involvement from the superpower in the Israel-Iran war. In the wake of the strike, world leaders are calling for diplomacy as fears of retaliation grow. On Monday, Smartraveller, which is part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, warned Australians about the 'global impacts of conflict in the Middle East'. 'The situation in the Middle East is unpredictable. It could get worse with little warning. Security risks may increase. There may be travel disruptions within the region and globally,' Smartraveller said. The advice followed a US State Department 'worldwide travel warning' issued on Sunday night. The new information from Smartraveller warned Aussies that they could be caught up in conflict 'even if your destination is not in the Middle East'. 'Closure of airspace around transit hubs in the Middle East may impact flights globally. It may cause flight delays and cancellations,' the warning said. 'If you travel to or through the Middle East, you may be unable to leave if conflict escalates. 'Local security situations could get worse with little warning. Flights can change or stop at short notice. Roads and borders can close.' Australians are being warned about safety and security globally, not just in the Middle East. 'Conflict in the Middle East could impact safety and security elsewhere. There is a risk of reprisal attacks and further escalation,' Smartraveller said. 'Protests and civil unrest may happen globally. The risk of terrorist attacks can increase, particularly around areas where foreign tourists gather, embassies and other foreign interests.' The new alert included information on the risks of armed conflict, terrorism, kidnapping, protests and civil unrest. On Sunday night, the United States Government warned its citizens of increased risk globally. 'The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East,' the US State Department said in a statement. 'There is the potential for demonstrations against US citizens and interests abroad. 'The Department of State advises U.S. citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution.' Before Aussies leave the country, they should contact their airline to ensure the flight is still planned. Smartraveller also encourages Aussies to check their travel insurance policy before travel. If Australians leave the country or are overseas, while travelling, they are encouraged to stay alert to possible threats, monitor local and international news for new threats, take official warnings seriously and follow the instructions of local authorities. Yes. There are currently large impacts on airline services due to the Middle East conflict. Flight routes were changed when war between Israel and Iran escalated and missiles were launched. Many airlines have temporarily suspended flight on some routes. Airlines including Etihad, Emirates, Flydubai, Wizz Air, Air Arabia, Watar Airways, Oman Air, Kuwait Airways, Gulf Air, Syrian Airlines, EgyptAir, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Air Canada, Air France, KLM, Ryan Air, Swiss Air Lines, Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Aeroflot have current suspensions on services. Virgin Australia and Qantas are understood to be monitoring the situation closely, both for any direct flights and those carried out with partner airlines.

Australian Government issues global travel warning

Perth Now

36 minutes ago

Perth Now

Australian Government issues global travel warning

Albanese says Australia supports US strikes on Iran, but insists action was 'unilateral'

SBS Australia

40 minutes ago

SBS Australia

Albanese says Australia supports US strikes on Iran, but insists action was 'unilateral'

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called upon Iran to "abandon any nuclear weapons program". Source: AAP / Lukas Coch Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said Australia supports the United States' attack on nuclear facilities in Iran, in his first public comments in response to the strikes over the weekend. The prime minister echoed Foreign Minister Penny Wong's comments from earlier on Monday when she said "Iran cannot be allowed to get a nuclear weapon" and that Australia "supports action to prevent that". "The US action was directed at specific sites central to Iran's nuclear program. We don't want escalation and a full-scale war. We continue to call for dialogue and for diplomacy," Albanese said. He called on Iran to "come to the table and abandon any nuclear weapons program". The prime minister was also asked to confirm whether or not Australia provided any military support to the US for its attack on Iran, or if facilities such as Pine Gap — Australia's joint intelligence surveillance base with the US in the Northern Territory — played a role. "Well, we don't talk about intelligence matters, but we confirm, of course, that this was a unilateral action by the United States," he said. Albanese was asked multiple times to confirm there was "no Australian involvement" whatsoever in the attack, each time replying that it was "unilateral action taken by the United States". US President Donald Trump said the unprecedented strikes had "totally obliterated" Iran's nuclear enrichment facilities, while Iranian officials downplayed both the damage and loss of previously enriched uranium. Israel — which started striking Iran on 13 June — declared its support for the US attack, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu describing it as a "bold, righteous, and historic" action. Iran has strongly criticised the attack and said it won't go unanswered. On Monday, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said the US "must receive a response ", while Iran's ambassador to the United Nations said the US had "waged a war" against it under an "absurd pretext". Speaking on ABC radio's RN program on Monday morning, Wong said the world had agreed "Iran cannot be allowed to get a nuclear weapon" and that Australia "supports action to prevent that". Israel has for decades warned Iran was developing a nuclear weapon. Iran has consistently denied that claim, saying its uranium enrichment program is exclusively for peaceful purposes such as energy. International assessments have found no evidence Iran has an active nuclear weaponisation program, and it is a signatory to the UN's Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Israel is not a signatory to the treaty, and is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons itself, but has never confirmed or denied this. Shortly before Israel launched strikes against Iran on 13 June, the UN nuclear watchdog said Iran was in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in 20 years, saying it had failed to provide the agency with "full and timely co-operation regarding undeclared nuclear material and activities". Wong said despite Australia supporting the US strikes, the "key question is what happens next", and urged de-escalation. "Australia says, like so many other countries, we do not want escalation and a full-scale war, and we continue to call for dialogue and diplomacy," she said. Wong was asked if her calls for diplomacy extended to demanding Israel stop its attacks on Iran. "We have seen strikes, we have seen what the US has done, we have seen the destruction, or the debilitation, of these nuclear facilities. Now is the time for diplomacy. Now is the time for de-escalation, and ... that call is to all parties," she said. Wong also appeared on Channel 9's Today program, where she said the US had not made any requests of Australia regarding action in Iran, and wouldn't speculate on the future. She wouldn't say whether or not Pine Gap, Australia's joint intelligence surveillance base with the US in the Northern Territory, played a role in the US strikes on the weekend. Wong said more than 4,000 Australians had registered for help to leave the Middle East — around 2,900 in Iran, and 1,300 in Israel. Australian officials have been deployed to Iran's border with Azerbaijan to assist Australians who were able to cross. "People have to make a judgement about how risky that is. But we urge them to move if they believe they can do so safely," she told ABC's RN. "In relation to Israel, the airspace is closed. There is some prospect of a window of airspace opening. Obviously, that is highly dependent on the situation on the ground. And we are seeking to try and arrange a facilitated flight in the event that the airspace opens." Andrew Hastie, the Opposition's acting foreign affairs spokesperson, reiterated the Coalition supports the US strikes on Iran, telling ABC's RN he was "glad to see that Penny Wong has essentially endorsed our opinion" and "glad we have bipartisanship on this". "Do we support the US in their strikes? Yes, we do. Why? Because we don't want to see Iran getting a nuclear weapon. "We support those strikes, and now we want to see dialogue and diplomacy." — With additional reporting by the Australian Associated Press