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Arrests Made As DACA Demonstrators Block Traffic In Westwood
Immigrants and allies protesting in front of Senator Dianne Feinstein's Los Angeles office temporarily blocked traffic in Westwood Thursday morning. Police declared an unlawful assembly at the busy intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Veteran Avenue near the federal building at around 10:30 a.m., and began handcuffing individuals who were blocking the street a short time later. The intersection was cleared and reopened to traffic by approximately 10:45 a.m., according to City News Service.
The protest coincided with the deadline for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients to renew their DACA status. The Trump administration announced plans to end the Obama-era program last month. According to a press release from the Immigrant Youth Coalition, who helped organize the protest, the rally was "calling for an end to the detention and deportation of all 11+ million undocumented immigrants and 13 million legal permanent residents."
It's not yet known how many total arrests were made, but a Facebook post from the Immigrant Youth Coalition states that nine of their members were arrested and booked at the LAPD's West Los Angeles Division station.
An LAPD spokesperson told LAist that an official dispersal order had been given before anyone was detained, and that the protesters hadn't obtained permits ahead of time or given the department advance notice.
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