'Incite violence and face arrest': Kristi Noem warns LA protesters, slams California governor again

Department Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday (June 12) vowed a continued federal presence in Los Angeles and Southern California as immigration enforcement continues — and she warned that protesters who stir up violence will be arrested and prosecuted.

“We are not going away. We are staying here to liberate this city from the socialist and the burdensome leadership that this governor (Gov. Gavin Newsom) and that this mayor (Mayor Karen Bass) placed on this country and what they have tried to insert into this city,” Noem said, referring to the state and city’s so-called “sanctuary” policies, which prohibit the use of state and local resources and personnel for federal immigration enforcement.

Noem said that the IRS is there at the press conference to "assist us in tracking how these violent protestors are financed". She implied "NGOs out there, unions, other people" might be financing the demonstrations and turning them violent.

She is repeating Trump's allegations in the past few days describing LA protestors as "paid insurrectionists." His press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, doubled down on that accusation on Wednesday, saying the protestors look "well-funded" and stated federal authorities were investigating "who is funding" the protests.

Nobody in the Trump administration has provided evidence for these claims.

She added that there are millions of individuals in Los Angeles "illegally," and that there are tens of thousands of targets, ICE has been pursuing.

Noem described protests that were transpiring in Los Angeles as “un-American.” “Masked thugs are assaulting police officers. They’re setting vehicles on fire. They’re waving foreign flags on American soil while burning American flags and they damaged public property and destroyed private businesses,” Noem said.

Noem said that sanctions will be imposed uniformly on individuals who violate the law in LA. "We do have a constitution. Our police officers have been attacked. They've been stoned and bricked. They've had their vehicles torched. There've been Molotov cocktails. We've witnessed individuals toss bottles and hammers at them. We've also witnessed them being attacked and spit upon verbally or punched or assaulted. Those behaviors, she explains, are "just not acceptable"." she said.

“If you attack one of our law enforcement officers, we are going to come after you and we are going to arrest you, prosecute you and jail you,” she added.

Noem also claimed that she left voicemails on California Governor Gavin Newsom, "hoping to have a conversation". "Has he called them back? No," she said.

Noem also claimed the White House contacted LA mayor Karen Bass and spoke with them. Noem repeated her claims that “some organised crime non-profit funder” is “sending a political message” through the protests.

Again, nobody in the Trump administration has provided evidence for these claims.