Jessica Juarez was out early on Sunday morning, walking along Alondra Boulevard with a trash bag filled with empty gas canisters. She was among a group of local residents in Paramount, California, who came together to clean up their community after a tumultuous weekend. The air still carried a harsh smell from the gas canisters and flash bang grenades that law enforcement had used against protesters just a day before.
Residents, wearing plastic gloves and face masks, took to the streets to tidy up after the chaos. Juarez, 40, expressed her pride in the community’s resilience. “They put so much fear into Paramount, and for what? These guys didn’t even clean up after themselves,” she said.
Paramount, a city of about 54,000 people in southeastern Los Angeles County, found itself in the national spotlight over the weekend. The Trump administration announced the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles following two days of protests against immigration raids. The protests escalated as demonstrators confronted immigration agents during raids at local businesses.
Tensions flared once more on Sunday, as protesters clashed with federal and local authorities in downtown Los Angeles. The scene was a stark contrast to the close-knit community that Paramount has been known for, where crime rates have dropped significantly over the years.
The aftermath of the protests left residents shaken. Scorch marks on the pavement outside the local Home Depot were a reminder of the violence that erupted. Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the National Guard, were present in the area, with troops stationed in a nearby business park.
Union organizers and local residents, including Ardelia Aldridge and Alejandro Maldonado, led the cleanup effort. Aldridge called it “solidarity Sunday,” emphasizing the community’s unity in the face of fear and uncertainty.
The images of the weekend’s events, with smoke and police in riot gear, were unsettling for many. Mayor Peggy Lemons acknowledged the fear among residents regarding the federal government’s presence. “Today there are people who are angry about the federal government coming into their city,” she said. “That comes from fear.”
The protests began when federal officers fired smoke canisters at demonstrators, causing panic in the nearby residential areas. Maldonado described the situation as an attack on the community, with residents standing up against what they see as unjust immigration policies.
Pastor Brian Warth, who witnessed the events unfold, noted the community’s desire for answers. “We still don’t know what’s going to happen next,” he said, as he participated in the cleanup. “There’s a real unknowing feeling. God is good. Paramount is good.”
As the community worked together to restore their neighborhood, the hope was to move forward peacefully after a weekend that had brought fear and uncertainty to their lives.