A contingent of U.S. Marines deployed to Los Angeles made their first detention of a civilian on Friday, marking a rare use of active-duty military force in support of local law enforcement.
The action comes as demonstrations grow nationwide ahead of President Donald Trump’s controversial military parade in Washington.
The detained individual was identified as Marcos Leao, 27, a U.S. Army veteran and naturalised citizen who immigrated from Portugal and Angola.
According to Leao, he was briefly held after crossing a restricted area outside the Wilshire Federal Building, where he had an appointment with the Veterans Affairs office.
He said Marines handcuffed him using zip ties before turning him over to personnel from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) nearly two hours later.
“They treated me very fairly,” Leao said after his release. “They told me this was a stressful situation for everyone, and that they were just doing their jobs.”
The U.S. Northern Command later confirmed the detention, stating that active-duty troops may temporarily detain individuals in specific situations until civilian authorities take over. DHS redirected press queries back to Northern Command.
Roughly 200 Marines have been assigned to protect the Wilshire Federal Building, part of a larger deployment of 700 troops assisting the National Guard.
The deployment was ordered by President Trump in response to protests over immigration raids.
This move was made despite opposition from California Governor Gavin Newsom and local officials, who argue that the use of military force is unwarranted.
The protests began last Friday after a wave of federal immigration raids. Demonstrations have continued daily for eight days, mostly centred around downtown Los Angeles.
Law enforcement agencies report that fewer than one percent of demonstrators have engaged in unlawful behaviour such as looting or assaulting officers.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, speaking alongside more than two dozen elected officials, condemned the raids and military presence. “Can the federal government come in and seize power from a state and from a local jurisdiction? How much will the American people put up with?” she asked.
Bass also announced a curfew over a one-square-mile area of downtown Los Angeles to maintain public order, saying it will remain in effect until the unrest subsides. “We are hoping that if the cause of the turmoil ends — which is stopping the raids — the curfew will be lifted shortly,” she said.
Meanwhile, about 1,800 protests are planned across the United States on Saturday to oppose the Washington military parade, which commemorates the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army and coincides with Trump’s 79th birthday.
The parade and the deployment of active-duty troops for domestic policing purposes are both highly unusual in the United States.
Controversy was already mounting after federal agents forcibly removed and handcuffed a U.S. senator during a press conference held by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday.
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