Democrat Sen. Cory Booker (NJ) is facing backlash after describing the violent anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles as “mostly peaceful,” even as footage shows masked agitators clashing with police, setting fires, and throwing rocks at law enforcement. Rather than condemning the chaos, Booker attacked President Donald Trump for deploying the National Guard to restore order, calling the move “dangerous and authoritarian.”
During a Sunday appearance on NBC’s "Meet the Press," Booker claimed the protests in LA were peaceful and blamed Trump for creating chaos by arresting individuals attending immigration hearings, suggesting that the administration's actions, not the rioters, were fueling unrest.
On Saturday, law enforcement used flash grenades and tear gas to break up the violent anti-ICE rioters. The unrest escalated as the night continued, with agitators setting a car on fire. Two motorcyclists were seen riding around the fire, waving a Mexican flag. Meanwhile, other anti-ICE protestors were hurling rocks at Border Patrol vehicles and throwing Molotov cocktails at cars driving down the streets.
In response, Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to the city to keep the protests from escalating.
In addition to Booker’s comments blaming Trump for what Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) called a “spectacle,” California Sen. Adam Schiff (D) falsely claimed that federalizing the National Guard was “unprecedented.”
Schiff argued that the Trump administration’s deployment of the California National Guard without Newsom’s approval is unprecedented and meant to escalate tensions and chaos. He claimed the governor should be the one to request the Guard if needed to restore peace. However, Newsom sat back and did nothing while the city burned.
The Trump Administration’s calling on the California National Guard without the authorization of the Governor is unprecedented.
— Adam Schiff (@SenAdamSchiff) June 8, 2025
This action is designed to inflame tensions, sow chaos, and escalate the situation.
If the Guard is needed to restore peace, the Governor will ask for…
Schiff, who previously condemned the January 6 insurrection, appeared to support violent riots against federal law enforcement officers arresting illegal immigrants in Los Angeles. The Democrat criticized Trump’s decision to federalize the National Guard, calling it unprecedented, while also warning against using the Insurrection Act to quell the unrest, referring to the rioters as protesters.