ACTIVISM, Rubber Bullets, and Human Rights

written and photographed By Nathan Ross

Currently, Los Angeles has become the epicenter of nationwide protests after the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted sweeping immigration raids targeting undocumented immigrants, including those without criminal records, with no due process. The raids, part of a broader Tr*mp Administration crackdown, sparked outrage across immigrant communities, civil rights groups, and private citizens alike due to moral, legal, and humanitarian concerns. Protesters argue that the actions are cruel, separate families, and instill fear in vulnerable populations.

The situation escalated as the federal government deployed National Guard troops and Marines to support ICE operations, which is seen as a militarized overreach compared to the mostly peaceful protests. Demonstrations have included street blockades, sit-ins, and clashes with police, who responded with arrests, curfews, and aggressive crowd-control tactics. Activists are demanding an end to the raids and a change of the U.S. immigration policy.

Reckless Correspondent Nathan Ross gives his first hand account of the protests.

Los Angeles, USA

I’m going to start this piece by introducing myself. My name is Nathan Ross, a 23-year-old photographer, born and raised in the Bay Area. Since moving to Pomona, California for college, I have fallen in love with photography and the local music scene and spent the past three years working as a concert photographer. While I’m not a Los Angeles native, this has become a second home for me, and I feel it is important for me to go out and document the reality of the protests taking place in the streets.

On Saturday, June 7th, 2025, I made my way to Paramount, a suburb of Los Angeles, where protesters were clashing with police on Alondra Boulevard on both sides of the LA River. I found myself in front of the Home Depot, facing off with dozens of Border Patrol officers and police who were working to keep protesters away from the corporate park that they had turned into an ICE operations center.

Despite there being a smaller crowd than other protests around LA, officers repeatedly fired tear gas, flashbangs, pepper balls, and rubber bullets into the crowd. Clouds of tear gas forced protesters to scramble down the street and around the corner to fresh air; however, the officers were unable to disperse the crowd. The ground quickly became littered with the remnants of the “less-lethal” weapons being used by the police. Dozens of vehicles came in and out of the gated property, including a helicopter that appeared to land within the corporate park. While I was photographing the events on the Paramount side of the river, the explosions echoing from across the bridge told me that things were much more intense on the Compton side. The entire 5+ hours I was in Paramount, I could hear explosions coming from across the ridge.

On Sunday, June 8th, I headed to the Federal Detention Center in Downtown Los Angeles. Things began with a peaceful crowd standing across from the National Guard, who were dressed in full riot gear. People in the crowd were chanting and taking turns giving speeches over bullhorns. Multiple individuals knelt and prayed for the officers in an attempt to show peace and love. These crowds remained nonviolent, even after tear gas was dumped into the crowd in order to create space for vehicles to enter the detention center.

As the day progressed and the crowds continued to grow, police began to push protesters down the street and away from the detention center, shoving people back with their batons and firing less-than-lethal weapons and tear gas. As the police continued to move the crowd, the tensions in the crowd escalated. Agitators and kids began to throw water bottles and fireworks towards the officers, leading to police attempting to target them, but often shooting other members caught in the crossfire. Eventually, protesters made their way to the roads over the 10 freeway. The California Highway Patrol fully blocked off all access to the 10 West in an effort to prevent protestors from making their way onto the freeway. While some of the crowd pushed back against the CHP, others began to attack several Waymo self-driving cars that had become trapped in the crowds. These cars were quickly tagged with graffiti and smashed before eventually being set on fire. Many people posed on and in front of the burning cars despite the toxic fumes and smoke pouring out of the vehicles. Protesters sat on the ledges above the freeway, which for some reason angered the police to the point of shooting directly at them and risking knocking them several stories directly onto the freeway below. I made my way home from the protest before it happened, but I later learned that the crowds were eventually able to force their way onto the freeway for some period of time.

Monday, June 9th, saw a day that began with smiles and laughter. I once again started at the Federal Detention Center, where both sides of the street were completely blocked off by lines of the Los Angeles Police Department. A group organized and led by CLUE (Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice) brought together leaders and followers of several different faiths and beliefs to join one another for prayers and conversations with the officers blocking the streets.

I made my way back up to where the Waymos had been burned. The charred remains were lifted onto flatbeds as clean-up crews worked to remove the piles of ash and rubble left behind. I then saw a large mass of protesters marching down North Main St, which I followed to the El Pueblo Plaza.

As the crowd settled at the plaza, speakers were set up, and the apparent leaders of the march gave inspiring speeches to the crowd. A large van arrived and lifted its side panels to reveal a band that played crowd favorites like La Chona, I watched on as they joyously danced in the streets. Moments like this revealed a positive outlook on a community that has filled the streets to protest against ICE raids.

The crowd then worked its way to the front of the Federal Building on North Los Angeles Street, where they faced off with the National Guard lining the front of the building. This crowd sat peacefully for over an hour until police and National Guard forces came down the street and began to force the crowds away. Officers fired flashbangs and rubber bullets from the street as well as from rooftops and bridges overlooking the crowd. As they opened fire, protesters and press both scrambled to find cover behind, many behind cars that were stuck in the intersection.

As the police advanced their line away from the Federal Building, their aggression only increased. As I backed away, I captured a series of images of two officers on a ledge shoving down a young couple before violently throwing one of them headfirst off the ledge to the concrete below. They continued to slowly push people further down the street, pushing with batons and firing flashbangs and rubber bullets directly at the feet of the crowd.

At one point, a mother and her child stood in each other’s arms, attempting to resist the pushes of the police. When they refused to move, Officer Piro of the LAPD Metropolitan Division made an effort to beat them back with his baton; however, other protesters stepped in and took the full force of his blow. At the same time, other officers fired rubber bullets directly at the mother’s feet as well as at an older woman who was standing more than 10 feet away from the officers.

Despite the aggression from police, the vast majority of protesters remained completely nonviolent. Members of the crowd could be seen carrying flowers and blowing bubbles, even as they were forced back by the officers. There were small groups throwing water bottles and fireworks; however, other members of the crowd did their best to discourage their actions and prevent more escalations by protesters. Once again, I made my way out of the protests before dark in an effort to avoid those who were only in the streets to loot and damage the community that these protests are working to protect.

I never thought there would be a day when I would be wearing a military style helmet and gas mask to photograph life in Los Angeles, but this is the situation we are in. While I may not have loved ones who are targets of deportations, being out in the streets capturing these protests has shown me not only the reality of the situation but also the power of my own voice. I’ve seen how I am able to shed light on what is taking place, and it has encouraged me to work harder to document these moments so they may be preserved for the future.