A teenager was left critically wounded after he was stabbed in downtown Los Angeles during a protest over President Trump’s immigration crackdown.
The violence broke out during the sixth straight day of demonstrations sweeping across the L.A. area and beyond, ABC 7 reported. Authorities said the gatherings had been mostly peaceful up until the stabbing occurred Friday afternoon.
The 17-year-old victim, who has otherwise not been identified, was among hundreds of people gathered in Grand Park, near Los Angeles City Hall, many of them students who’d walked out of their nearby schools.
They were protesting new White House policies — including those aimed at enhancing border security, increasing deportations and blocking new immigrants from legally entering the U.S. — when a scuffle broke out near the 200 block of North Spring Street.
When officers arrived on the scene just after 1:30 p.m., they found the teen victim on the ground and bleeding in the center of a large group.
In video aired by KTLA, people can be seen tending to the boy, who appears to be shirtless, with blood coating his back and shoulder. He was transported to an area hospital, where he remained in critical condition on Saturday, Fox 11 reported.
Another teenager was reportedly taken into custody, but no arrests have been announced in connection with the bloodshed. Police went on to order the remaining protesters to disperse, and they ultimately obliged.
Details about what occurred in the lead-up to the stabbing were not immediately provided. It’s also unclear how many people were involved in the confrontation and whether or not they were students.
“Violence of any kind will not be tolerated. LAPD has responded and is working to keep Angelenos in the area safe,” Mayor Karen Bass said on X. “The City of Los Angeles supports free speech and the right to peacefully protest — but those who commit crimes will be held accountable.”
Federal agents from the DEA, ATF and Homeland Security conduct an immigration enforcement raid on Ogden Ave. in the Bronx on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (DEA New York / X)
Since returning to office last month, Trump has wasted no time making good on his campaign promise of ramping up deportations, with ICE agents conducting raids in major cities, including New York. He has also signed a series of immigration orders and actions, which include efforts to end birthright citizenship, suspend the nation’s asylum system and deploy troops to the border.