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Protests over immigration raids pop up across the US with more planned

Protests over immigration raids pop up across the US with more planned
People protest against federal immigration sweeps, near the US immigration court at the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building, in New York City, US, June 10, 2025. (Reuters)
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Updated 11 June 2025

Protests over immigration raids pop up across the US with more planned

Protests over immigration raids pop up across the US with more planned
  • The Trump administration said it would continue its program of raids and deportations despite the protests

AUSTIN, Texas: Protests that sprang up in Los Angeles over immigration enforcement raids and prompted President Donald Trump to mobilize National Guard troops and Marines have begun to spread across the country, with more planned into the weekend.
From Seattle and Austin to Chicago and Washington, D.C., marchers have chanted slogans, carried signs against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and snarled traffic through downtown avenues and outside federal offices. While many have been peaceful, some have resulted in clashes with law enforcement as officers made arrests and used chemical irritants to disperse crowds.
Activists are planning more and even larger demonstrations in the coming days, with “No Kings” events across the country on Saturday to coincide with Trump’s planned military parade through Washington.
The Trump administration said it would continue its program of raids and deportations despite the protests.
“ICE will continue to enforce the law,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted Tuesday on social media.
A look at some protests across the country:
San Francisco
About 200 protesters gathered outside the San Francisco Immigration Court on Tuesday after activists said several arrests were made there.
That gathering came after protests on Sunday and Monday swelled to several thousand demonstrators and saw more than 150 arrests with outbreaks of violence that included vandalized buildings, and damaged cars, police vehicles and buses. Police said two officers suffered non-life threatening injuries.
Most of the arrests were Sunday night.
“Individuals are always free to exercise their First Amendment rights in San Francisco, but violence, especially against SFPD officers, will never be tolerated,” San Francisco police posted on social media.
Police described Monday’s march as “overwhelmingly peaceful,” but said “two small groups broke off and committed vandalism and other criminal acts.” Several people were detained or arrested, police said.
Seattle
About 50 people gathered outside the immigration court in downtown Seattle on Tuesday, chanting with drums and holding up signs that said, “Free Them All; Abolish ICE” and “No to Deportations.” Protesters began putting scooters in front of building entryways before police arrived.
Mathieu Chabaud, with Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Washington, said they were there in solidarity with the Los Angeles protesters, “and to show that we’re opposed to ICE in our community.”
Legal advocates who normally attend the immigration court hearings as observers and to provide support to immigrants were not allowed inside the building. Security guards also turned away the media. The hearings are normally open to the public.
New York City
A mass of people rallied in lower Manhattan on Tuesday evening to protest deportations and federal immigration policy.
Demonstrators gathered outside two federal buildings that house immigration courts and began marching amid a heavy police presence.
Some protesters held signs reading “ICE out of New York” and others chanted, “Why are you in riot gear? I don’t see no riot here.”
New York City police said multiple people were taken into custody. There were no immediate charges.
Chicago
In Chicago, a small crowd gathered Tuesday outside immigration court in downtown and called for an end to Trump administration immigration sweeps and military presence in California.
“With the militarization of Los Angeles it’s time to get out and let Trump know this is unacceptable,” said retiree Gary Snyderman. “All of this is so unconstitutional.”
The group then marched through downtown streets drumming and chanting, “No more deportations!”
The demonstration had grown to at least a thousand protesters by late Tuesday, remaining relatively peaceful with limited engagement between the group and police officers.
Denver
A group of protesters gathered in front of the Colorado state capitol in Denver on Tuesday, creating a sea of cardboard signs, one exhorting: “Show your faces. ICE cowards.”
The group, inspired by the Los Angeles protests over the past several days, split in half, marching down two different thoroughfares and crowding out traffic.
A large police presence wasn’t seen initially, but a few officers began blocking a street behind the the marchers.
Santa Ana
In Santa Ana near Los Angeles, armored vehicles blocked the road Tuesday morning leading into the Civic Center, where federal immigration officers and numerous city and county agencies have their offices.
Workers swept up plastic bottles and broken glass from Monday’s protests. Tiny shards of red, black and purple glass littered the pavement. Nearby buildings and the sidewalk were tagged with profane graffiti slogans against ICE and had Trump’s name crossed out. A worker rolled paint over graffiti on a wall to block it out.
National Guard officers wearing fatigues and carrying rifles prevented people from entering the area unless they worked there.
While a small group kept up their demonstration Tuesday, several counter-protesters showed up. One man wore a red T-shirt and Make America Great Again cap as he exchanged words with the crowd opposing the raids.
Austin
Four Austin police officers were injured and authorities used chemical irritants to disperse a crowd of several hundred demonstrators Monday night that moved between the state Capitol and a federal building that houses an ICE office. State officials had closed the Capitol to the public an hour early in anticipation of the protest.
Austin police used pepper spray balls and state police used tear gas when demonstrators began trying to deface the federal building with spray paint. The demonstrators then started throwing rocks, bottles and other objects at a police barricade, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said. Three officers were injured by “very large” rocks and another was injured while making an arrest, she said.
Austin police arrested eight people, and state police arrested five more. Davis said her department is prepared for Saturday’s planned protest downtown.
“We support peaceful protest,” Davis said. “When that protest turns violent, when it turns to throwing rocks and bottles ... that will not be tolerated. Arrests will be made.”
Dallas
A protest that drew hundreds to a rally on a city bridge lasted for several hours Monday night before Dallas police declared it an “unlawful assembly” and warned people to leave or face possible arrest.
Dallas police initially posted on social media that officers would not interfere with a “lawful and peaceful assembly of individuals or groups expressing their First Amendment rights.” But officers later moved in and media reported seeing some in the crowd throw objects as officers used pepper spray and smoke to clear the area. At least one person was arrested.
“Peaceful protesting is legal,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, posted on X. “But once you cross the line, you will be arrested.”
Boston
Hundreds of people gathered in Boston’s City Hall Plaza on Monday to protest the detainment of union leader David Huerta Friday during immigration raids in Los Angeles.
Protesters held signs reading “Massachusetts stands with our neighbors in Los Angeles” and “Protect our immigrant neighbors,” and shouted, “Come for one, come for all” and “Free David, free them all.”
Huerta, president of Service Employees International Union California, was released from federal custody later Monday on $50,000 bond.
“An immigrant doesn’t stand between an American worker and a good job, a billionaire does,” said Chrissy Lynch, President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO.
Washington, DC
Several unions gathered Monday in Washington to protest the raids and rally for Huerta’s release, and marched past the Department of Justice building.
Among the demonstrators was US Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a Democrat from Washington state.
“Enough of these mass ICE raids that are sweeping up innocent people,” Jayapal said. “As we see people exercising the constitutional rights to peacefully use their voices to speak out against this injustice, they are being met with tear gas and rubber bullets.”


Malaysia to lead ASEAN delegation to war-torn Myanmar

Malaysia to lead ASEAN delegation to war-torn Myanmar
Updated 10 sec ago

Malaysia to lead ASEAN delegation to war-torn Myanmar

Malaysia to lead ASEAN delegation to war-torn Myanmar
  • Malaysia currently chairs the bloc, which has tried to increase pressure on member state Myanmar’s junta
  • Military chief Min Aung Hlaing has ended the nationwide state of emergency declared during the 2021 coup
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will lead a regional delegation to Myanmar next month after the junta scrapped its state of emergency, Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan announced on Friday.
Mohamad told reporters the trip will “most likely” take place on September 19 and include the foreign ministers of Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.
“I want to get a clear picture for me to bring to the attention of the ASEAN leadership in October,” he said, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ year-end summit.
Malaysia currently chairs the bloc, which has tried to increase pressure on member state Myanmar’s junta, including by barring its leaders from summits, over the ongoing bloodshed.
But the ASEAN has so far been fruitless in its diplomatic efforts to end Myanmar’s conflict, triggered by the junta’s ousting of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, sparking a many-sided civil war.
Last week, military chief Min Aung Hlaing ended the nationwide state of emergency declared during the coup and touted plans for an election in December.
Opposition groups said they will boycott the vote, while a UN expert has branded the exercise a “fraud” designed to legitimize the junta’s continued rule.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad said the ASEAN delegation will look into the coming polls.
“I want to discuss with them whether their elections will be comprehensive,” he said.
Mohamad pointed out that “there are still 63 cities or areas currently still under a state of emergency.”
Most of them are conflict zones or areas under the control of anti-junta groups.
No exact date has yet been set for the election.

Thousands evacuated as wildfire spreads north of Los Angeles

Thousands evacuated as wildfire spreads north of Los Angeles
Updated 08 August 2025

Thousands evacuated as wildfire spreads north of Los Angeles

Thousands evacuated as wildfire spreads north of Los Angeles
  • A brush fire in a mountainous area north of Los Angeles triggered evacuations in two US counties, scorching nearly 5,000 acres (2,000 hectares), authorities said Friday

LOS ANGELES: A brush fire in a mountainous area north of Los Angeles triggered evacuations in two US counties, scorching nearly 5,000 acres (2,000 hectares), authorities said Friday.
At least 10 zones in Los Angeles and Ventura counties were under evacuation orders, with 2,700 residents displaced as of 11 p.m. (0600 GMT) Thursday, Ventura County Fire Department spokesperson Andrew Dowd told AFP.
At least 400 personnel have been deployed to contain the fire, according to Dowd.
The blaze erupted as firefighters battled a separate wildfire — California’s largest of the year so far — which raged for an eighth straight day and engulfed more than 99,000 acres in the Los Padres National Forest, threatening hundreds of homes.
The latest fire has so far burned 4,856 acres and remains zero percent contained, Dowd said.
LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents the area, urged residents to heed evacuation guidelines.
“The #CanyonFire is spreading fast under extreme heat & dry conditions near Ventura-LA County line,” Barger wrote on X.
“If you’re in Santa Clarita, Hasley Canyon, or Val Verde, take evacuation orders seriously — when first responders say GO, leave immediately. Keep aware--please don’t risk lives.”
The fires follow a July blaze that scorched more than 70,000 acres and needed hundreds of firefighters to contain it.
Fire authorities at the time noted that dry brush, sustained winds and high temperatures were fueling the flames.
That came after several earlier fires, stoking fears of a difficult season in a state still reeling from wildfires that killed 30 people in January.
Earlier this week, Zurich-based reinsurance giant Swiss Re said natural disasters caused $135 billion in economic losses globally in the first half of this year, fueled by the Los Angeles wildfires.


Wildfire near Spanish tourist town under control

Wildfire near Spanish tourist town under control
Updated 08 August 2025

Wildfire near Spanish tourist town under control

Wildfire near Spanish tourist town under control
  • The blaze broke out on Tuesday in La Peaa, a wooded area near a beach outside Tarifa, a coastal town of about 19,000 residents
  • Spain is currently experiencing a heat wave, with temperatures nearing 40°Celsius in many regions

MADRID: Firefighters have brought under control a wind-driven wildfire near the southern Spanish tourist town of Tarifa that forced the evacuation of more than 1,500 people, officials said on Friday.

The blaze broke out on Tuesday in La Peaa, a wooded area near a beach outside Tarifa, a coastal town of about 19,000 residents known for its strong winds that attract windsurfers.

Authorities said the fire started in a camper van at a campsite and quickly spread in the gusty conditions.

About 1,550 people and 5,000 vehicles were evacuated from campsites, hotels and homes. Residents and tourists were allowed to return on Wednesday after the fire was declared “stabilized.”

While the flames have been contained, firefighting crews will remain in the area in the coming days to secure the perimeter and prevent flare-ups, Andalusia’s regional firefighting agency, Infoca, said on X.

Spain is currently experiencing a heat wave, with temperatures nearing 40°Celsius in many regions.

The extreme heat is expected to last until at least Wednesday. Civil protection authorities have warned of a high to extreme wildfire risk across much of the country.


Indonesia cracks down on pirate protest flag

Indonesia cracks down on pirate protest flag
Updated 08 August 2025

Indonesia cracks down on pirate protest flag

Indonesia cracks down on pirate protest flag
  • The pirate banner was taken up by disgruntled truck drivers earlier this summer
  • But the symbol of protest has recently snowballed into an online and real-life movement

JAKARTA: Indonesia is cracking down on a viral pirate flag that is spreading as a symbol of political protest ahead of independence day.

The Jolly Roger skull and bones with a straw hat – from Japanese anime series “One Piece” – has been fluttering from a rising number of trucks, cars and homes.

Officials warn the “provocation” – seen by many as a protest against President Prabowo Subianto’s policies – should not fly alongside the country’s red-and-white flag.

The pirate banner was taken up by disgruntled truck drivers earlier this summer, but has recently snowballed into an online and real-life movement.

“I personally raised the One Piece flag because the red and white flag is too sacred to be raised in this corrupt country,” Khariq Anhar, a 24-year-old university student in Sumatra’s Riau province, said.

“I believe freedom of speech in Indonesia exists, but it is very limited. Voicing your opinion is getting more dangerous.”

Government officials say the flag’s use is an attempt to divide the nation.

They warn it may be banned from flying next to Indonesia’s colors, or being raised on August 17 – the 80th independence anniversary after Japan’s surrender at the end of World War II.

“It is imperative we refrain from creating provocation with symbols that are not relevant to this country’s struggle,” chief security minister Budi Gunawan said in a statement last week.

Ministers have cited a law that prohibits flying a symbol higher than the national flag as the basis for any punishment.

Under that law, intent to desecrate, insult or degrade the flag carries a maximum prison sentence of five years or a fine of nearly $31,000.

State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi on Tuesday said Prabowo had no issue with the “expression of creativity,” but the two flags “should not be placed side by side in a way that invites comparison,” local media reported.

A presidency spokesman did not respond to an AFP question about its position on the pirate flag, which was put two days earlier.

Experts say unhappy Indonesians are using the flag as a way to express anti-government feeling indirectly, with some of Prabowo’s economic and defense policies causing concern about democratic backsliding.

“Symbols like the pirate flag let people channel frustration without spelling it out,” said Dedi Dinarto, lead Indonesia analyst at advisory firm Global Counsel.

“It reflects a public sentiment that parts of the country have been ‘hijacked’.”

Others, like food seller Andri Saputra, who has flown the pirate ensign below an Indonesian flag at his home for a week, say they want to be able to decide what symbols they display.

“I want to be free to express my opinion and express myself,” the 38-year-old said in Boyolali regency in Central Java.

“This is just a cartoon flag from Japan.”

Online culture has been a popular channel for Indonesian dissatisfaction against perceived government corruption and nepotism.

Japanese anime is popular in Indonesia, and in the best-selling ‘One Piece’ manga series created in 1997, the flag represents opposition to an authoritarian world government.

In February, protests known as ‘Dark Indonesia’ began against Prabowo’s widespread budget cuts, sparked by a logo posted on social media showing a black Indonesian mythical Garuda bird alongside the words ‘Emergency Warning’.

Other rallies in 2016 and 2019 were also sparked online, and Dedi says the government may be worried that “this follows the same digital playbook.”

There is also a generational divide, with older locals viewing the Indonesian flag as hard-won after centuries of colonial rule, while younger Indonesians see the new movement as an expression of disappointment.

“They just want Indonesia to get better, but... they can only express it through the ‘One Piece’ flag,” said Ismail Fahmi, founder of Indonesian social media monitor Drone Emprit.

Police in Banten Province neighboring capital Jakarta and West Java Province, Indonesia’s most populous, have threatened action if the flag is flown next to the nation’s colors.

One printing business owner in Central Java said on condition of anonymity that his facility was raided by plain-clothes police on Wednesday evening to halt its production of the pirate emblem.

Rights groups have called the response excessive and say Indonesians are allowed to wave the flag by law.

“Raising the ‘One Piece’ flag as a critic is a part of the freedom of speech and it is guaranteed by the constitution,” said Amnesty International Indonesia executive director Usman Hamid.

Despite the government’s threats, some young Indonesians are still willing to risk walking the plank of protest.

“Last night my friend and I went around the town while raising a One Piece flag,” said Khariq on Wednesday.

“If the government has no fear of repressing its own people, we shouldn’t be scared to fight bad policies.”


Trump to host Armenia, Azerbaijan for historic ‘Peace Signing’

Trump to host Armenia, Azerbaijan for historic ‘Peace Signing’
Updated 08 August 2025

Trump to host Armenia, Azerbaijan for historic ‘Peace Signing’

Trump to host Armenia, Azerbaijan for historic ‘Peace Signing’
  • US President Donald Trump will host the leaders of sworn enemies Armenia and Azerbaijan on Friday, touting the prospect of sealing a long-sought peace deal between the two regional rivals after decade
  • Peace has also been elusive for Armenia and Azerbaijan. Sworn enemies for decades, the two former Soviet republics went to war twice over the disputed Karabakh region

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump will host the leaders of sworn enemies Armenia and Azerbaijan on Friday, touting the prospect of sealing a long-sought peace deal between the two regional rivals after decades of conflict.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev will attend a “Peace Signing Ceremony” at the White House, Trump posted Thursday on his Truth Social platform.
The latest US diplomatic push comes a day after Cambodia’s prime minister announced he had nominated Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize.
Trump has repeatedly praised his own diplomatic efforts, saying he deserves the prize, while also voicing frustration about the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and the hunger plaguing Gaza during Israel’s offensive.
Peace has also been elusive for Armenia and Azerbaijan. Sworn enemies for decades, the two former Soviet republics went to war twice over the disputed Karabakh region, which Azerbaijan recaptured from Armenian forces in a lightning 2023 offensive, sparking the exodus of more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians.
The two countries have held talks aimed at securing a peaceful resolution, including last month in the United Arab Emirates, but a breakthrough has proved elusive.
“These two Nations have been at War for many years, resulting in the deaths of thousands of people,” Trump wrote.
“Many Leaders have tried to end the War, with no success, until now, thanks to ‘TRUMP.’ My Administration has been engaged with both sides for quite some time,” he added, saying he was “very proud of these courageous Leaders for doing the right thing.”
Friday “will be a Historic Day for Armenia, Azerbaijan, the United States, and, THE WORLD,” Trump said.
Trump, a billionaire business tycoon, also said that Washington will sign bilateral deals with both countries “to pursue Economic opportunities together, so we can fully unlock the potential of the South Caucasus Region.”
One major agreement was already inked in Washington on Thursday, when Aliyev and Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff were present for a memorandum of cooperation signed between ExxonMobil and Azerbaijan’s state energy company SOCAR.
Aliyev and Witkoff then sat down for talks, the Azerbaijan president posted on X.
The former Soviet republics had agreed on the text of a comprehensive peace deal in March.
But Azerbaijan has since outlined a host of demands — including amendments to Armenia’s constitution to drop territorial claims for Karabakh — before signing the document.
It was not immediately clear Thursday whether those demands have been met. And while Trump said his administration “has been engaged with both sides for quite some time,” he did not provide specifics on the document that will be signed by representatives of the two countries.
In early July, Pashinyan and Aliyev met for the latest round of peace talks in the United Arab Emirates, but they failed to yield a breakthrough.
The two foes had previously met on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in Albania in May.
At the time, French President Emmanuel Macron and European Council President Antonio Costa called for a prompt signature of a peace agreement between the two countries.
A deal to normalize ties would be a major breakthrough in a region where Russia, the European Union, the United States and Turkiye all jostle for influence.