ICE Protests Ignite Nationwide Unrest Ahead Of Olympics

Protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tactics swept across several American cities and even reached the international stage this past weekend, as demonstrators voiced outrage over aggressive immigration enforcement and recent deaths linked to federal agents. From Los Angeles to Baltimore, and as far as Milan, Italy, thousands gathered to demand change, confront federal authorities, and stand in solidarity with immigrant communities.

In downtown Los Angeles, the mood was charged and the crowds were large. On Friday, January 30, 2026, a protest ended with police deploying chemical agents to disperse a crowd of about 200 people, according to the Los Angeles Times. LAPD spokesperson Kevin Terzes reported eight arrests, including one for assault with a deadly weapon on an officer, one for a curfew violation, and six for failing to disperse. The police issued a dispersal order for the area of Alameda between Union Station and 1st Street, and tensions ran high as law enforcement pushed into the crowd.

The following day, Saturday, January 31, saw an even larger turnout. Hundreds gathered at City Hall and Gloria Molina Grand Park for what began as a peaceful demonstration against ICE tactics. According to KABC, the situation escalated by nightfall, with agitators throwing fireworks, rocks, and bottles at officers. Federal authorities responded by deploying tear gas on Alameda Street between Aliso and Commercial streets. LAPD declared a tactical alert at 10 p.m., detaining 47 adults and three juveniles for failure to disperse, and making one arrest for felony evasion. Reports were also taken for felony assault with a deadly weapon on an officer and vandalism; one officer sustained a leg injury.

Video footage captured by AIR7 showed fireworks exploding in the area and a brief police pursuit ending in a crash tied to the protest. Several streets near the federal building were closed overnight but reopened the next morning. The LAPD stated that most of the 50 arrests made Saturday night were for failing to disperse, though some faced charges of assault with a deadly weapon and vandalism.

The demonstrations in Los Angeles were part of a broader, nationwide movement. Organizers called for a “national shutdown” to protest what they described as increasingly aggressive immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. The protests were also sparked by the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti—killed by immigration enforcement officers in Minneapolis—galvanizing activists across the country. In Santa Monica, hundreds of cyclists participated in a 10-mile “Unity Ride” in honor of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse and avid cyclist. Damian Kevitt, executive director of Streets Are For Everyone, told the Los Angeles Times, “These are just cyclists, clubs, bike shops and individuals who have come together and said, ‘Hey, Alex was one of us.’ He was an ICU nurse, he loved the outdoors, he loved cyclists and he loved cycling.”

At the Los Angeles rallies, the atmosphere was a mix of anger, humor, and determination. Protesters brandished signs with slogans like “I like my ice crushed” and “Mothers, don’t let your sons grow up to be ICE holes.” Vendors sold buttons and hats emblazoned with “resistance is beautiful,” while music and chants filled the air. “When we fight, we win!” the crowd shouted in unison, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. Lisa Keller, a city resident, explained her motivation for attending: “I think it’s really important to stand up for the rights of all people living in this country, no matter your immigration status.”

Political leaders weighed in as the protests unfolded. L.A. Mayor Karen Bass urged demonstrators to remain peaceful, warning that violence would only harm the city and could invite a more forceful federal response. “This just hurts the city,” Bass said, according to the Los Angeles Times. “That does not impact the administration in any kind of way that is going to bring about any type of change. What can happen, when the protest is violent, that is exactly what this administration wants to see happen because don’t be surprised if the military reenters our city.”

President Trump, meanwhile, took to his social media platform to issue a stern warning. He stated that the federal government would not “participate in various poorly run Democrat Cities with regard to their Protests and/or Riots unless, and until, they ask us for help,” but added that federal authorities would “guard, and very powerfully so, any and all Federal Buildings that are being attacked by these highly paid Lunatics, Agitators, and Insurrectionists.” The president’s post further warned, “There will be no spitting in the faces of our Officers, there will be no punching or kicking the headlights of our cars, and there will be no rock or brick throwing at our vehicles, or at our Patriot Warriors. If there is, those people will suffer an equal, or more, consequence.”

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli echoed the administration’s hardline stance, announcing on X (formerly Twitter) that he had ordered a surge of federal officers and authorized the probable cause arrest of anyone engaging in violence against federal property, promising that offenders would face federal charges. “We’re not playing around,” Essayli declared.

Elsewhere in the country, similar scenes played out. In Baltimore, hundreds gathered at Hopkins Plaza on Friday, January 31, to protest ICE enforcement across Maryland and the nation. Protesters specifically chose the George H. Fallon Federal Building so that detainees inside could hear their calls for justice. Maryland’s Congressional delegation, including U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and U.S. Rep. Johnny Olszewski, addressed the crowd. Van Hollen criticized ICE’s “vigilante-style aggression” and lack of accountability, especially in Minneapolis and St. Paul, stating, “The fact that people’s rights are trampled on, the fact there is a vigilante-style aggression among ICE troops, and the fact that nobody is being held accountable.”

Baltimore City Councilman Mark Conway called for an end to ICE cooperation in the city, describing the situation as “an affront, an atrocity to the city. Not just to our values, to our authority, to our safety or our humanity.” Protesters demanded an immediate halt to immigration enforcement and deportations, with organizer Jake Eckler emphasizing, “We have the power to do that, and we will do that until our demands are met.”

The controversy even spilled onto the international stage as the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina approached. On Saturday, February 1, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Kirsty Coventry described the buildup to the Games as “distracting and sad” due to protests against the deployment of ICE agents to Milan and the appearance of Los Angeles 2028 chair Casey Wasserman in the Epstein files. Hundreds demonstrated in Milan’s Piazza XXV Aprile, a square symbolizing Italy’s liberation from fascism, to protest the presence of ICE agents, who were set to accompany U.S. Vice-President JD Vance to the opening ceremony. Milan’s mayor, Giuseppe Sala, made it clear: ICE agents “are not welcome.”

Despite the turmoil, IOC officials tried to focus attention back on the Games. “What is keeping my faith alive, is that when that opening ceremony happens and those athletes start competing, suddenly, the world remembers magic and the spirit that the Games have,” Coventry said. Meanwhile, Olympic executive director Christophe Dubi reassured the public that the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena would be ready on time, despite last-minute construction efforts.

As the protests continue to reverberate across cities and continents, the debate over immigration enforcement, civil rights, and the intersection of sport and politics shows no sign of abating. For many, the events of this weekend have underscored both the urgency of reform and the enduring power of public protest to shape the national conversation.