'Not Asking You, Telling You': Kash Patel Says FBI 'Needs No One's Permission To Enforce Constitution' Amid LA Riots

(MENAFN- Live Mint) The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) chief Kash Patel stated FBI doesn't need anyone's“permission to enforce the constitution” and his responsibility lies to to the America people and“not political punch lines”, while vowing to restore law and order in Los Angeles (LA) as protests against immigration raids continue after US President Donald Trump ordered crackdown on anti-deportation demonstrations.

Patel said LA is“under siege by marauding criminals”. “Just so we are clear, this FBI needs no one's permission to enforce the constitution. My responsibility is to the America people, not political punch lines. LA is under siege by marauding criminals, and we will restore law and order. I'm not asking you, I'm telling you,” he stated.

The protests were partly sparked by federal immigration raids that began late Friday and swept across the city. Demonstrators assembled outside the downtown federal building, including near a detention center. Additional protests erupted in Compton and Paramount, where crowds gathered near a Home Depot amid reports of ongoing raids.

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Clashes erupted between law enforcement and demonstrators on the third day, while Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom exchanged blame over who bears responsibility for the unrest and the task of restoring order.

The deployment of National Guard troops by Trump over the weekend intensified tensions among residents protesting the administration's broad deportation policies. On Sunday afternoon, Governor Newsom announced he had formally requested the White House to withdraw what he called an“unlawful” deployment and return the troops to state control, warning that their presence would only escalate the unrest.

Also Read | Explainer: What triggered the Los Angeles immigration protests against ICE

Governor Newsom called on demonstrators to remain peaceful, though some defied the plea by blocking a major downtown roadway and setting fire to several self-driving ride-hailing vehicles. Newsom met with law enforcement leaders in Los Angeles on Sunday evening.“We're here to keep the peace - not play into Trump's political games,” he said.

Trump referred the demonstrations“migrant riots” and mentioned federal agencies were ordered to take“all such action necessary” to restore order and continue deportation operations.

The Los Angeles Police Department declared an unlawful assembly near the federal facility and used less-than-lethal munitions, including tear gas and batons, to disperse the crowd. According to the LAPD, individuals in the crowd threw bottles, concrete chunks, and other objects, leading to multiple arrests.

The tense demonstration came after two consecutive days of protests triggered by large-scale US immigration raids throughout the region. A White House statement said Trump ordered US Northern Command to take control of the National Guard and deploy 2,000 troops to the area“for 60 days or at the discretion of the Secretary of Defense".

(With inputs from Bloomberg)

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