The Los Angeles Police Department reported that a protester was apprehended after using a chemical agent on two officers outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles.
The department announced on X that the event transpired early Saturday when LAPD officers were attempting to clear debris from the roadway, surrounded by demonstrators.
The detention center has been a focal point of ongoing protests against federal immigration enforcement and the Trump administration’s mass deportation strategies. According to federal data, there are over 60,000 immigrant detainees in federal facilities.
In an attempt to de-escalate the early Saturday situation, the department stated that the officers got into their vehicle and began to drive away when a protester “reached in and sprayed a chemical agent, which nearly led to a traffic collision.”
The officers managed to exit the area safely and called for medical assistance, according to the social media post.
A representative from the Los Angeles Fire Department was unable to confirm if paramedics responded to aid the officers.
LAPD indicated that the two officers received treatment and were released, while the protester was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.
An LAPD spokesperson did not provide additional information regarding the arrest or the identity of the individual taken into custody.
