Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced on June 17th that 30 individuals face charges stemming from recent anti-ICE protests in downtown Los Angeles. The protests, targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, resulted in hundreds of arrests, according to Hochman’s press conference.

While many arrests involved misdemeanors like curfew violations and failure to disperse, Hochman emphasized that these 30 individuals are accused of using the protests as a smokescreen for criminal activity. He stated that they “wanted to commit crimes” and saw the protests as “a cover, an opportunity to go ahead and ply their illegal trade and commit a whole variety of crimes.” The DA highlighted that this behavior undermined the efforts of legitimate protesters.

The specific charges against the 30 individuals haven’t been fully detailed, but the announcement underscores a significant development in the aftermath of the widespread demonstrations.