Over the weekend, Los Angeles saw some of its most intense street fights in years after President Trump sent the National Guard there. Thousands of protesters blocked the 101 Freeway, set fire to self-driving cars, and clashed violently with law enforcement. Rubber bullets and tear gas reminded people of the past.
Still, this time it was unprecedented: Using a rarely used authority that hasn’t been used since the civil rights era, Trump bypassed California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Local leaders were furious at the move. Trump is defiant, signaling hundreds of Marines are on standby, ready to help. Los Angeles wakes up to assess the damage and count the arrests, but one question lingers ominously: Is this a dangerous new normal?
