Los Angeles declared as "unlawful assembly" zone after clashes between protesters and security forces

Authorities have declared the entire downtown Los Angeles area an "unlawful assembly" zone after a third consecutive day of clashes between protesters and law enforcement, sparked by the crackdown on immigration ordered by US President Donald Trump.

"You are to leave the area immediately," the Los Angeles police department (LAPD) wrote on X in the early hours of Monday.

Over the weekend, 56 people were arrested in connection with the ongoing protests, according to police reports.

Police chief Jim McDonnell was quoted by US media as announcing that "the number of arrests so far is nothing compared to what is yet to come."

On Sunday, tensions spiked dramatically following Trump's order to deploy the National Guard and, controversially, mobilize regular military forces - despite opposition from local officials.

Thousands of protesters flooded the streets in response to the unprecedented deployment. Law enforcement responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and flash bangs in an effort to disperse the crowds.

However, the rest of the sprawling metropolis reportedly continued to function largely as normal, aside from isolated pockets of unrest in the downtown area.

The protests began on Friday after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers executed search warrants across the city as US President Donald Trump pushed forward with his goal of mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has accused the Trump administration of deliberately provoking the escalation and acting unlawfully in an effort to portray the president as a strongman leader.

The Democratic governor - considered a potential contender for the 2028 presidential race - announced that the state would file a lawsuit against the federal government.