The Brief

The World Cup launches soon in Los Angeles during tumultuous times.

It's still not clear if Iran's national team will make it to its two games here amid the U.S. war, and if they do, they'll show up to a diaspora unsure how to greet them. SoFi workers have voted to authorize a strike at the stadium, which means there could be a picket line outside the opening U.S. match against Paraguay. And ICE agents are part of the World Cup security apparatus.

This all means there could be protests at the stadium or various fan events. Even if demonstrations don't materialize, there are plenty of questions about what's happening with the tournament, what's allowed in the stadium and fan zones, and what else to expect. Even FIFA's water bottle policy (they're not allowed) is sparking criticism.

Below, we answer some of your questions about what's ahead and how to prepare when the World Cup arrives in L.A. on June 12.

What's allowed in the stadium?

FIFA's rules about what fans can bring into the stadium are strict. Sealed water bottles and even empty reusable water bottles are prohibited — a rule that's raised eyebrows since the tournament is taking place in the heat of summer.

Fans can bring posters and flags if they're under a certain size, but FIFA's guidelines also prohibit any political messages, so some signs won't be allowed.

All the rules can be found in FIFA's Code of Conduct. Here are some highlights:

What you can bring:

• A flag or poster no larger than 78 inches x 60 inches, if FIFA deems that it adheres to other rules, including one banning political messages
• A clear bag that does not exceed 12 inches x 6 inches x 12 inches
• A small clutch purse or wallet no larger than 4.5 inches x 6.5 inches (does not need to be clear)

What you can't bring:

• Materials, including flags and posters, that are "political, offensive and/or discriminatory nature"
• A sealed water bottle or an empty reusable water bottle
• Outside food, except for baby milk

What about the FIFA Fan Festival and city watch parties?

Similar stadium rules apply at the fan festival. Those guidelines are here. LAist has asked the Los Angeles host committee if reusable water bottles are also banned at fan zones, but did not receive an answer as of publication.

The city of L.A. is hosting watch parties that don't require a ticket, which means there aren't the same restrictions on what you can bring. Details are here.

Free speech in and around the stadium

If you're wondering if FIFA has a right to ban political speech within its stadiums, the short answer is yes, according to David Loy, legal director of the First Amendment Coalition.

" The First Amendment protects against censorship by the government. It does not apply to the actions of private entities," Loy said. "A private entity is entitled to set its own rules for what speech it allows and doesn't allow at, at its events."

Loy said people have the strongest First Amendment protections in a "traditional public forum" like a public park, street or sidewalk. In those settings, restrictions on protests have to be politically neutral. That means demonstrations can still be limited by what are known as "time, place, or manner restrictions" — such as noise regulations — but not because of the content of the demonstration.

ICE at the World Cup

A number of officials have confirmed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will be part of the security plan for the World Cup in Los Angeles, sparking outrage.

L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna recently said he'd received assurances from the Department of Homeland Security that ICE would not be conducting immigration enforcement.

Still, L.A. host committee officials and others have offered no guarantees that immigration enforcement won't take place.

LAist has a "Know Your Rights" guide to interacting with ICE agents here.

SoFi Stadium workers represented by Unite Here Local 11 are also currently negotiating with their employer for the right to walk off the job if they feel unsafe due to the presence of ICE agents at their workplace.

What if I have a human rights concern? What can I do?

FIFA has a grievance mechanism where you can report human rights concerns. You can find that portal here.

L.A. County has also deployed its 211 helpline for the World Cup. You can call 211 to submit a complaint.

Still, some groups aren't satisfied, saying human rights at the tournament have been an afterthought. You can read our stories on those concerns here.

Cleanup of a toxic chemical from storage tanks in Garden Grove has been postponed because “some needed resources” were unavailable. The Orange County Health Care Agency did not say when the cleanup would start.

Last month, a chemical leak in a storage tank owned by GKN Aerospace forced about 50,000 nearby residents to evacuate. Officials had originally scheduled to remove the neutralized methyl methacrylate, a chemical used in plastics manufacturing, to begin Thursday, June 4.

The postponement comes as Garden Grove leaders are demanding more answers from GKN Aerospace, the company that owns the storage tanks. During a special meeting Thursday, City Council members and Mayor Stephanie Klopfenstein called on the company to address the public at their meeting next week.

“The City of Garden Grove expects accountability. The community should not be left to absorb the consequences of this incident without answers, support, and a clear commitment from GKN to prevent future harm,” Klopfenstein said as she read a letter addressed to the company.

Earlier this week, the company said it’s giving $3 million to a community fund through United Way to help affected residents, but officials said it was not enough.  

”While it will help some folks in the immediate nature, it is not a refund or a reimbursement for everyone in their times of financial stress and for the hardship that they experienced,” Councilmember Ariana Arestegui said.

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Federal agents returned to MacArthur Park on Thursday, less than a month after a raid targeting suspected drug smugglers.

“This is a continuation of Free MacArthur Park,” Anthony Chrysanthis, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Los Angeles office, told reporters. “I told everybody when I was here that day: This is not a one-day operation.”

“We will come out again. It might be tomorrow, it might be next week,” he said. “We are here for the long haul.”

The Los Angeles Police Department said officers made 13 arrests and issued six citations during Thursday’s operation, which began at around 3:10 p.m. Authorities drove off about an hour and a half later.

Capt. Benedict Fernandes of LAPD’s Rampart Division said the six citations were issued for “smoking in public” and other “quality of life issues.” Arrests were made for alleged offenses including drinking in public, being under the influence of narcotics, an outstanding misdemeanor warrant and bringing bulky items or “large encampments” into the park, Fernandes said.

At least one Westlake resident dismissed the operation as political theater.

“It’s all for show because if they really wanted to arrest the people they’re after, they wouldn’t do it this way. It’s political — it’s about winning votes,” said Delia Sandoval, who has worked at a nearby market for five years.

Federal agents returned to MacArthur Park on Thursday, less than a month after a raid targeting suspected drug smugglers.

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Marina Peña

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The LA Local

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Video posted to the DEA Los Angeles office’s Instagram account showed agents walking through the park with a loudspeaker, ordering people to turn over illegal narcotics. Aerial footage from KTLA showed dozens of agents in the park.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said Thursday’s operation marks the next phase of “Operation Free MacArthur Park,” which will involve a sustained law enforcement presence in the park to crack down against public drug use and possession of narcotics.

DEA and LAPD officers will come unannounced to carry out regular sweeps of the park, Essayli said.

“It could be any day, any time, and it could be once a week, multiple times a week, we’re not gonna announce it, but they’re gonna come and do these regular sweeps and any laws that are being violated will be enforced,” he said.

In May, federal authorities arrested at least 18 people and searched businesses in Westlake as part of an investigation into an alleged fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking network operating in and around the park. The operation left some businesses surrounding the park ransacked, and at the time, multiple owners told The LA Local they had nothing to do with the drug trade.

On Thursday, it didn’t appear that authorities had searched any additional businesses. But workers had mixed feelings about the operation.

“They’re terrorizing our communities. This is just going to hurt street vendors like me and also other small businesses in the area,” one street vendor told The LA Local, who asked not to be named because of her immigration status. “I haven’t considered leaving the area just because I have my customers here.”

Lucia Damian co-owns La Palmera, a Guatemalan restaurant close to Alvarado and 7th streets. Alvarado was shut down to traffic during the operation.

“On the one hand, it’s good for them to go after people that are trafficking drugs, but on the other hand, it really hurts us because business goes down,” Damian said.

Speaking to reporters at the park, District Attorney Nathan Hochman vowed to improve conditions and said he would bring his family there for a picnic on Labor Day.

“If anyone’s actually seen the people suffering from this illegal drug use, you would think we were in a third-world country. You would could not imagine we’re in Los Angeles, circa 2026,” he said. “We’re just not gonna make MacArthur Park a cemetery anymore.”