STORY: Immigrant advocate groups in Los Angeles took over MacArthur Park on Tuesday (August 12) in support of a 24-hour community stoppage protesting against continued ICE raids in the city.

On foot and on wheels, a large crowd showed up to rally against family separations and communities living in fear under President Trump's crackdown.

Rochelle Bello, 28, of Los Angeles, said the raids hits close to home.

“I have family members who are car washers, and having family members, friends, being in that community, it's terrifying not to know if your family members are going to come back home,” she said.

Speakers at the rally encouraged residents to exercise their purchasing power and boycott stores like Home Depot, sites where ICE raids have been most prominent in the city. They also called for an end to military occupation and any potential law enforcement cooperation with immigration operations.

Los Angeles native Fred Gomez said the potential for militarized troops to reemerge is cause for concern.

“I get scared, man. When you federalize the police force, and when you say you're trying to make [an] example of this and letting LA take notice, you're just going to show how evil people can use these mechanisms to hurt people,” he said.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: DEMONSTRATORS CHANTING AND HOLDING SIGNS AT ANTI-ICE COMMUNITY STOPPAGE RALLY IN MACARTHUR PARK/INTERVIEWS WITH ATTENDEES

SHOWS: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (AUGUST 12, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS MARCHING WITH SIGNS IN MACARTHUR PARK

2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ROCHELLE BELLO, 28, LOS ANGELES, SAYING:

“I have family members who are car washers, and it's honestly, having family members, friends, you know, being in that community, it's terrifying, you know, not to know if your family members are going to come back home or you're going to see them. You know, they're just trying to go to work and go back home, so that's why it's important.”

3. MACARTHUR PARK SIGN WITH DEMONSTRATORS MARCHING

4. VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS MARCHING WITH SIGNS IN MACARTHUR PARK

5. VARIOUS OF ROCHELLE BELLO AND FRED GOMEZ HOLDING SIGNS READING (English) 'STOP THE RAIDS AND STOP FAMILY SEPARATION'

6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRED GOMEZ, LOS ANGELES, SAYING:

“So that's why I get scared, man. When you federalize the police force, and when you say you're trying to make an example out of this and letting LA say, take notice, you're just going to show how other evil people can use these mechanisms to hurt people.”

7. CROWD HOLDING SIGNS AND LISTENING TO SPEAKER

8. SPEAKER ADDRESSING THE CROWD

9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MAGGIE McCOLLESTER, FROM HOLLYWOOD, SAYING:

“Real lives, real families are being torn apart. Real people are being affected, people I know, people I see all over Los Angeles, people I see across the country. It makes me so mad. It hurts my heart, it hurts my humanity. And how can anybody turn away from this?”

10. MAGGIE McCOLLESTER HOLDING SIGN READING (English) 'DUE PROCESS FOR ALL'

11. CROWD GATHERED FOR SPEAKER

12. CROWD HOLDING FIST CUTOUTS

13. WOMAN HOLDING SIGN READING English: NO HATE, NO FEAR: IMMIGRANTS WELCOME HERE

14. (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAVID GREEN, PRESIDENT/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR SEIU LOCAL 721, SAYING:

“We want people to kind of step out of the shadows and stop living in fear. We need the elected officials and the decision-makers to support our immigrant communities and support our families, because people are living in fear and we want them to feel free to express their voice and we're not going to be silenced.”

15. CARAVAN WITH SIGNS DRIVING THROUGH MACARTHUR PARK

16. WOMAN DANCING

17. BAND PLAYING DURING CAR CARAVAN