Media outlets and elected Democrats have made the rounds in recent days, often using the word "peaceful" to describe the anti-ICE unrest in Los Angeles over the weekend despite rioting and violence that has resulted in destruction and injured police officers, a video review by Fox News Digital finds.
"The vast majority of protesters and demonstrators are peaceful," Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., said recently on MSNBC. "They're passionate."
"A lot of these peaceful protests are being generated because the president of the United States is sowing chaos," Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said on Sunday's "Meet the Press" on NBC.
On CNN, a California Democrat House member said she doesn’t know what the "so-called" violence is "all about."
A rioter flies the Mexican national flag in the Compton neighborhood of Los Angeles during a protest over federal immigration operations on June 7, 2025. (Getty Images)
"Well, first of all, it's not even all of downtown," Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said while downplaying the extent of the violence. "This is isolated to a few streets, five or 10 streets. This is not city-wide civil unrest like has happened in our city before. But if you watch the pictures, especially on national TV, you would think that the entire city has blown up into unrest, and this is just not true."
ABC7 Los Angeles anchor Jory Rand cautioned law enforcement from escalating tensions by interfering and said on Sunday that they risked turning "what is just a bunch of people having fun watching cars burn into a massive confrontation and altercation between officers and demonstrators."
Rep. Nanette Barragán, a Democrat who represents California’s 44th Congressional District, said on CNN's "State of the Union" program Sunday, "We are having an administration that's targeting peaceful protests."
ANTI-ICE PROTESTERS IN LOS ANGELES SPIT ON AND BURN AMERICAN FLAG
A rioter holds a Mexican flag as cars burn along a street in Los Angeles on June 8, 2025. (Getty Images)
Former Vice President Kamala Harris, who is widely believed to be eyeing a run for California governor, sparked controversy online when she referred to the unrest as "overwhelmingly peaceful."
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton posted on X, "California Governor Newsom didn't request the National Guard be deployed to his state following peaceful demonstrations. Trump sent them anyway. It's the first time in 60 years a president has made that choice.
"Trump's goal isn't to keep Californians safe. His goal is to cause chaos, because chaos is good for Trump."
A protester waves the Mexican flag in front of a burning Waymo autonomous car during an anti-ICE protest in downtown Los Angeles on June 8, 2025. (Getty Images)
While there were examples of some peaceful protests at the outset, by the end of the day Friday property destruction and violence broke out in a situation that became increasingly violent over the next few days and led to injured officers.
"Last night, over 1,000 rioters surrounded a federal law enforcement building and assaulted ICE law enforcement officers, slashed tires, defaced buildings, and taxpayer funded property," the Department of Homeland Security said in a press release Saturday referring to the previous night.
Several officers have been injured in the rioting, which included rocks and other projectiles being thrown at them, and dozens of people have been arrested related to the protests and rioting.
Conservatives on social media have blasted the various media outlets and Democrats who have used peaceful phrasing to describe the protests despite the various examples of violence, property destruction and burning cars.
President Donald Trump sent in the National Guard over the weekend, sparking outrage from local Democrats, and announced on Monday the mobilization of Marines to help quell the rioting.