Hundreds Rally in Long Beach Against ICE Raids, Immigration Policies

LONG BEACH, Calif. — June 10, 2025

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered at the Long Beach Civic Center on Tuesday to protest recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in the Los Angeles area and to urge city leaders to boost funding for immigrant legal services.

The protest began in the late afternoon at Harvey Milk Park in downtown Long Beach, where roughly 100 people assembled before marching a few blocks to the Civic Center. By 5 p.m., the crowd had swelled to around 300, many carrying signs condemning ICE and the Trump administration’s immigration policies. The demonstration continued to grow, with about 500 participants eventually converging on the Civic Center.

The Long Beach rally was part of a broader wave of demonstrations across Southern California, including a sustained protest in Downtown Los Angeles now entering its fourth consecutive day.

After the main rally concluded, a number of protesters remained in the area and moved onto portions of Ocean Boulevard and Chestnut Avenue, temporarily disrupting traffic.

In a statement, the Long Beach Police Department said “Earlier this evening, LBPD facilitated peaceful First Amendment activity in the Civic Center Plaza area and remained focused on ensuring the safety of both our community and those participating in the demonstration. While the demonstration remained peaceful, there were brief traffic disruptions in the area surrounding Ocean Boulevard and Chestnut Avenue. The Long Beach Police Department fully supports the right to peaceful protest. We thank everyone who exercised their rights responsibly.”

However, tensions escalated around 8 p.m., when LBPD declared the gathering an “unlawful assembly.” Officers blocked the eastward path of the marchers, prompting the crowd to redirect westward toward Pacific Avenue. By 9 p.m., the demonstration had been fully dispersed. Police, some in riot gear and on motorcycles, returned to headquarters adjacent to City Hall.

No major incidents or arrests were reported.