Pics from the No Kings protest in Downtown Los Angeles

Following last week's ICE protest, police were back with more tear gas, more flash bangs and now horses

Jun 15, 2025

It was about as peaceful of a protest as it could have possibly been until LAPD officers on horseback ran through a crowd on Los Angeles Street, in front of the federal building where the National Guard was stationed.

After that, protesters spent much of the day near City Hall in Downtown L.A. chanting “peaceful protest,” often with their hands up. Not nearly as many people throwing rocks, water bottles or other debris at police or vandalizing police vehicles compared to the ICE protests the week before. But LAPD and sheriff’s deputies aggressively deployed flash bangs, tear gas and rubber bullets for several hours until City Hall and the surrounding blocks were clear.

Media reports say seven LAPD officers were injured. Nothing on how many protester injuries, but I witnessed at least a few — including a woman who had to be picked up and carried away by other protesters, who made sure she wasn’t trampled by horses.

Here are some pics I took throughout the day:

2:50 p.m. — Peaceful

Almost no signs of police at this point except for California Highway Patrol officers blocking people from walking down to the freeway.

3:36 p.m. — Protesters at the federal building

Protesters were gathered on Los Angeles Street in front of the federal building with the National Guard, but no violence between the two sides. Just a lot of chanting “Fuck ICE” and other things.

3:50 p.m. — Police gather

LAPD and L.A. sheriff’s deputies confront protesters at Los Angeles and Aliso streets shortly before unleashing the horses.

4 p.m. — The horses are unleashed

Note the officer beating the guy next to me with a stick at about the 1m/30s mark.

4:50 p.m. — Clearing streets near City Hall

Police relentlessly tear-gassed protesters on Main Street, between Temple and First (the block that separates City Hall from City Hall East), as they began shutting down the area.

6:04 p.m. — Police start shutting down the Spring Street side of City Hall

From what I saw, this area mostly had people who were staying out of the fray throughout the day. The sudden flash bangs and rubber bullets led to more running and panic en masse.