Why Are 700 US Marines Being Mobilized for Protests in Los Angeles?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 700 US Marines have been mobilized in response to protests.
- The deployment marks a significant escalation in military presence.
- Marines will defend federal properties and personnel.
- Restrictions on law enforcement activities apply unless the Insurrection Act is invoked.
- This action bypassed local authorities.
Los Angeles, June 10 (NationPress) Approximately 700 US Marines have been mobilized to address the ongoing protests in Los Angeles, the nation's second-largest city.
The Marines, hailing from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, stationed at the US Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, California, will augment the thousands of National Guard troops activated by President Donald Trump over the weekend, all without the approval of California's governor or Los Angeles' mayor, as reported.
The full battalion's deployment signifies a notable escalation in Trump's military engagement as a show of strength against protesters, according to Xinhua, citing CNN.
Similar to the National Guard, the Marines are restricted from performing law enforcement duties, including making arrests, unless the Insurrection Act is invoked, which allows the president to deploy military forces to suppress insurrections or rebellions against federal authority, the report states.
Located roughly 220 kilometers east of downtown Los Angeles, the Marines mobilized are set to defend federal properties and personnel, according to two officials from the US Department of Defense, as reported by NBC News. ABC News has stated they are expected to arrive within the next 24 hours.
On Saturday, Trump made a significant decision by activating 2,000 National Guard troops to address immigration protests occurring in the Los Angeles area, exercising federal authority and circumventing Governor Gavin Newsom's jurisdiction.
About 300 National Guard troops were deployed early Sunday morning to downtown Los Angeles, where over 1,000 protesters clashed with the National Guard amid demonstrations against immigration raids that swept across California that weekend.