Former US vice president Kamala Harris on Monday sharply criticised US President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard in her home city of Los Angeles, calling it a “dangerous escalation meant to provoke chaos.” Her remarks have triggered political backlash and reignited debate over federal intervention in local protests.In a statement shared on X, Harris condemned both the recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and the National Guard deployment, accusing the Trump administration of using fear as a political weapon. “Deploying the National Guard is a dangerous escalation meant to provoke chaos,” she wrote. “In addition to the recent ICE raids in Southern California and across our nation, it is part of the Trump Administration’s cruel, calculated agenda to spread panic and division.”Protests erupted across Los Angeles over the weekend following a wave of immigration raids in Latino neighbourhoods. Demonstrators took to the streets, setting cars ablaze, blocking major roads, and clashing with police. In response, Trump sent 2,000 National Guard troops, including soldiers from California’s 79th Infantry Brigade, to control the unrest. His administration defended the move as necessary to counter what he called “insurrectionist mobs.”But Harris, the former California attorney general, argued that the government’s approach was not about public safety. “This Administration’s actions are not about public safety — they’re about stoking fear. Fear of a community demanding dignity and due process.”Despite Harris’s claim that “demonstrations in defence of our immigrant neighbours have been overwhelmingly peaceful,” police used flash-bangs and smoke grenades to disperse crowds. Protesters targeted ICE facilities, disrupted traffic, and reportedly set fire to at least three self-driving Waymo vehicles.Harris voiced support for demonstrators exercising their right to protest, saying: “Protest is a powerful tool — essential in the fight for justice… I continue to support the millions of Americans who are standing up to protect our most fundamental rights and freedoms.”However, her remarks have drawn criticism from conservative figures and officials who accuse her of downplaying the violence. House Speaker Mike Johnson backed Trump, blaming California governor Gavin Newsom for losing control and insisting the Guard was necessary to restore order. Trump hinted at broader military action, even suggesting he may invoke the Insurrection Act.Newsom condemned the federal deployment, calling it a breach of state sovereignty. “We didn’t have a problem until Trump got involved,” he wrote. “This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they’re actually needed.”Harris framed the protests as a defence of immigrant rights. However, a CBS News poll conducted before the unrest indicated that a slight majority of Americans supported the crackdown on undocumented immigration.
