Finneas, brother of Billie Eilish and her producer, reports tear-gassing during LA demonstrations.
Peaceful Protest Turns Sour: Finneas O'Connell Tear-Gassed Amid Immigration Raids Protests
Finneas O'Connell, the 10-time Grammy-winning producer, known for his collaboration with his sister Billie Eilish, joined thousands of protesters over the weekend in Los Angeles, only to be met with tear gas. The group was demonstrating against immigration raids.
In an Instagram story to his 4.5 million followers, he wrote, "Tear-gassed almost immediately at the very peaceful protest downtown - they're inciting this."
The unrest followed federal immigration raids in various areas, including the garment district and Ambiance Apparel, where immigration authorities detained employees.
President Donald Trump responded to the escalating protests by deploying National Guard troops to Los Angeles. Roughly 1,000 members arrived by Monday, with Trump authorizing an additional 2,000 if necessary.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced plans to sue the Trump administration, citing the state's sovereignty being "trampled" by Trump. California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, also intends to file a lawsuit, referring to the move as "an illegal act, an immoral act, an unconstitutional act."
Recent events in California mark a rare instance where the National Guard was deployed without the governor's request, creating both practical and legal concerns. This marked one of the first times in decades that such authority has been used over a governor’s objections for a situation involving civil unrest related to immigration enforcement.
Under Title 10 of the U.S. Code, the president has the federal authority to activate National Guard troops, bypassing state approval for domestic deployments in specific missions. Legal experts and state officials may challenge the scope and necessity of the deployment, particularly if seen as exceeding constitutional limits or interfering with state sovereignty over law enforcement.
Much remains up in the air as both the legal and political implications of the deployment take shape. One thing's for sure; the situation is far from over, and we'll be keeping a close eye on developing events.
The peaceful protest against immigration raids in Los Angeles escalated, with Finneas O'Connell being tear-gassed and National Guard troops being deployed at the President's command. This raising of the military presence, without the governor's request, raises questions about policy-and-legislation regarding war-and-conflicts, politics, and general-news. With legal experts and state officials debating the scope and necessity of the deployment, the situation promises to further enmesh California in the ongoing discussion of state sovereignty and federal authority.
