Walk through downtown Los Angeles right now and you might see the scars before you see the headlines. Plywood on a window here. A fresh layer of "buff" paint over graffiti there. It makes you wonder. If you’re scrolling through social media or catching snippets of national news, the question is usually the same: is there still riots in la?
The short answer? No, not "riots" in the sense of the city being on fire or under a 24-hour siege like the headlines from June 2025. But the vibe is definitely heavy.
Honestly, the term "riot" is a loaded gun in this city. Depending on who you ask—a protester in Pershing Square or a shop owner in Little Tokyo—you’ll get a completely different story. Since the massive unrest of 2025 triggered by federal immigration raids, Los Angeles has been trapped in a cycle of high-tension protests that occasionally boil over. It’s not a war zone, but it’s not exactly "business as usual" either.
The Ghost of June 2025 and the "Anti-ICE" Wave
To understand if there are "still" riots, we have to talk about what happened last summer. In June 2025, the city essentially hit a breaking point.
Following a series of high-profile federal immigration enforcement actions—specifically raids in the Fashion District and near Westlake—thousands of people took to the streets. It wasn't just a march. It turned into a series of clashes that the 119th Congress later labeled as the "June 2025 Los Angeles Riots."
During that stretch, the LAPD issued citywide tactical alerts. We saw Molotov cocktails, commercial-grade fireworks, and business owners in Little Tokyo using outdoor dining tents as makeshift barricades. It was chaotic. Fast forward to today, January 2026, and that raw energy hasn't just vanished into thin air.
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- Current Reality: Most of the National Guard troops that were deployed to Los Angeles have been withdrawn as of late December 2025.
- The "Rain Check": However, the federal government has made it clear that the withdrawal is conditional. There’s a "rain check" on the table to redeploy if crime or "chaos" spikes again.
- The Protest Loop: Just this past week, in mid-January 2026, we saw thousands gather for "National Day of Action" rallies.
Is There Still Riots in LA? Mapping the Tension
Right now, the "riots" have mostly downshifted into "volatile protests." You aren't going to see columns of smoke on the horizon, but you might find yourself stuck in a gridlock on Alameda Street because of a sudden dispersal order.
Downtown and the Federal Complex
This is the epicenter. If you’re looking for where the friction is, look at the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building. On January 10, 2026, thousands of demonstrators filled downtown. It started peacefully—vocal but non-violent—responding to the fatal shooting of a woman by an ICE agent in Minneapolis and a local incident in Northridge.
But things changed around 6:30 p.m.
The LAPD moved in with a skirmish line. A dispersal order was issued for a stretch of Alameda. There were arrests for battery on an officer. This is the "new normal." It’s a localized, intense flashpoint that doesn't engulf the whole city but keeps everyone on edge.
The Suburban Shift
What’s weird about 2026 is that the unrest is popping up in places you wouldn't expect. It’s not just DTLA anymore.
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- Downey: This week, community members marched to City Hall after videos surfaced of immigration agents confronting landscapers.
- Pasadena & Sierra Madre: These quiet suburbs saw hundreds of protesters last weekend. They remained peaceful, but the sheer volume of people showing up indicates the "fire" hasn't been put out; it’s just smoldering.
Why the Headlines and Reality Don't Always Match
There’s a massive gap between what people see on TikTok and what’s actually happening on the ground. You’ll see a video of a trash can on fire with a caption like "LA IS BURNING," and suddenly the "is there still riots in la" search volume spikes.
Actually, the city's crime stats for 2025 tell a confusing story. Police Chief Jim McDonnell recently noted that murders and robberies actually tumbled last year, dropping to pre-COVID levels. That sounds like good news, right? But in the same breath, he had to admit that officer-involved shootings spiked by 62%.
That’s the paradox of LA right now. The city is "safer" by some metrics, yet the relationship between the public and law enforcement is arguably at its most strained point since 1992. When people ask about "riots," they are often sensing this underlying tension rather than actual looting.
Real Stories: The View from the Sidewalk
I talked to a few people who live right in the middle of it. Ryota Sakai, who runs a retail shop on 1st Street, said the vandalism from the June riots really hurt. He’s back open now, but he’s "living with the roar of helicopters" as a constant background noise.
Then there’s the flip side. Protesters like "J"—who didn't want to give a full name—insist that the "riot" label is being used to delegitimize their cause. "There's only like a few bad things that happen, but they make it like a big thing," he told reporters during a recent vigil.
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This disagreement is exactly why the question is so hard to answer. To the Department of Justice, a group throwing rocks at a federal building is a riot. To the people in the crowd, it's a desperate response to "militarized" enforcement.
Navigating Los Angeles Right Now
If you are visiting or living in the area, you don't need to stay in a bunker. But you do need to be smart. The situation is fluid.
Monitor Local Alerts: Don't rely on national news. Follow local feeds like the LAPD’s official communications or "X" accounts of local journalists who are actually on the pavement. Tactical alerts and dispersal orders can happen in minutes.
Avoid the "Hot Zones" During Vigils: If a major national incident involving federal agents happens, expect the area around the Metropolitan Detention Center and the Federal Building to get crowded and potentially volatile by sundown.
Understand the Terminology: When you see "Tactical Alert," it basically means the LAPD is keeping officers on duty past their shifts to handle a potential situation. It doesn't mean the city is falling apart, but it’s a signal to maybe take a different route home.
Summary of the Current Climate
The "riots" of 2025 have transitioned into a sustained, high-friction protest movement in 2026. While the widespread arson and looting have ceased, the heavy police presence, frequent dispersal orders, and localized clashes remain. The city is in a state of "fragile stability."
Next Steps for Staying Informed:
- Check the LAPD Newsroom or official social media for "Citywide Tactical Alert" status before heading into Downtown.
- Follow the ACLU of Southern California for updates on planned marches, as these are the most likely times for traffic disruptions or police activity.
- Verify viral videos by checking the date and location; many "riot" videos circulating right now are actually old footage from June 2025 being re-shared for engagement.