Singer and producer Finneas O'Connell—the brother of singer Billie Eilish—spoke out in an Instagram story after he was tear-gassed at a peaceful protest in downtown Los Angeles in response to President Donald Trump's immigration raids.
Trump ordered the deployment of active-duty U.S. Marines and an additional 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles late Monday, vowing that protesters opposing immigration arrests would be “hit harder” than ever before.
The sweeping mobilization—700 active-duty military personnel and thousands of Guard troops—marked a dramatic escalation as protests entered their fourth day in a city with a large immigrant and Latino population, sparked by a wave of federal immigration arrests.
Many protesters have reported being tear-gassed—and Finneas is the latest to confirm this, writing the following:
"Tear-gassed almost immediately at the very peaceful protest downtown. They’re inciting this."
You can see his story below.
@finneas/Instagram
Many have joined the record producer in criticizing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as well as the larger Trump administration for inflaming hostilities.
In addition to tear gas, police have shot protesters—and even journalists—with rubber bullets.
Over the weekend, footage emerged of an officer appearing to aim at 9 News Australia reporter Lauren Tomasi before shooting her in the leg with a rubber bullet while she was covering the protests, prompting Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and assorted politicians to condemn the authorities for targeting members of the press.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has criticized the Trump administration, saying Trump is "putting fuel on this fire." Newsom announced California will sue the administration on the grounds that "commandeering a state’s National Guard without consulting the Governor of that state is illegal and immoral."
Trump has defended his move and suggested his border czar Tom Homan should "arrest" Newsom. He has also called protesters "professional agitators" and "bad people ... [who] should be in jail."