'My party loses the moral high ground': Fetterman sharply criticizes Democrats for their response to LA demonstrations

Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.) criticized his party harshly Monday for its response to the United States to the violent demonstrations that have taken place in Los Angeles since last Friday against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, with hundreds of protesters not only vandalizing various parts of the city, but also attacking law enforcement officers and even destroying Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) vehicles.

In a statement on X, Fetterman stressed that while he supports both free speech and peaceful protests, what is happening in Los Angeles is lawlessness. "I unapologetically stand for free speech, peaceful demonstrations, and immigration—but this is not that. This is anarchy and true chaos. My party loses the moral high ground when we refuse to condemn setting cars on fire, destroying buildings, and assaulting law enforcement," the Democratic senator wrote along with a photograph of a person waving a Mexican flag over one of several smoking and burning cars.

Restoring order

Shortly before Fetterman's release, President Donald Trump announced that he would deploy Marines to Los Angeles to try to restore order in the city, following numerous incidents of chaos and violence that have taken place, with several Republican figures stressing that the situation is impossible for law enforcement to control, noting further that several ICE officers have had their lives put in danger by the way some protesters have not only obstructed their work, but also committed violent attacks against them.

Trump's decision generated controversy, as the measure does not have the approval of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass or California Governor Gavin Newsom. Since the start of these mass demonstrations, nearly 60 arrests have been made and numerous shocking scenes have taken place that have been seen around the world. In addition to the numerous burning police vehicles, another incident involved an officer firing a rubber bullet at a female journalist from Australia who was covering the violent protests.