Los Angeles Rebellion of 2025: What Does it Mean?

By: Matthew J. Hunter

"Insurrection is an art quite as much as war... The first rule is never to play with insurrection unless you are fully prepared to face the consequences."
— Friedrich Engels, The Revolution and Counter-Revolution in Germany (1852)

There is much discussion about what exactly the anti-ICE protests are becoming—isolated protests, local uprising, or the start of something far more eventful. This recent episode of resistance to fascism started on June 4 when ICE and Border Patrol arrested 200 immigrants, mostly at regularly scheduled court appearances or interviews. It has now spiraled into organized and spontaneous community defense and direct action throughout Southern California.

The community of Paramount was able to isolate and block a Border Patrol and ICE raid for a whole day. Clashes in Compton, San Diego, Little Tokyo, and other places have become more common. There’s also been Homeland Security, FBI, California National Guard, and Marines sent in to help local police and ICE continue the raids and try to quell the now constant mass protests and community defense actions.

We have seen instances of people erecting barricades, throwing Molotov cocktails, and getting into skirmishes with the violent police who have been indiscriminately shooting “less lethals” rounds at peaceful protesters, women, children, and the elderly.

The fascist violence, terrorism, kidnappings, and now attempted military occupation of Los Angeles and Southern California are the foundation of this uprising. The mainstream media and politicians like Karen Bass will want to continue to demonize the “violent” protests and act like the pigs are just reacting to the rightfully angry community while supporting the LAPD shooting people.

"To delay the uprising now would be fatal. History will not forgive revolutionaries for procrastinating when they could win today (and will certainly win today), while they risk losing much tomorrow, in fact, they risk losing everything."
— Lenin, Letter to the Central Committee (October 24, 1917)

All solidarity and support must be given to the organizations on the ground leading the struggle—Community Self-Defense Coalition, Union del Barrio, Centro CSO, and so many others (most of them in the coalition). Now is not the time to give ground to fascist violence and rhetoric. This is the start of a long struggle for liberation, justice, and freedom. All power to the people!