WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.520 --> 00:00:04.400 You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand. 2 00:00:04.519 --> 00:00:08.480 Just looking through all of the different situations and potentially 3 00:00:09.240 --> 00:00:15.439 volatile areas that could develop into something that could overflow 4 00:00:15.560 --> 00:00:18.000 later tonight. But we have a situation right now that's 5 00:00:18.039 --> 00:00:21.960 actually quite dynamic, and it's in downtown LA. Started as 6 00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:27.160 a few hundred protesters near the Federal Building facing off 7 00:00:27.160 --> 00:00:31.079 against National Guard troops. Again, it was not a violent confrontation. 8 00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:33.560 It wasn't a face off where there was anything more 9 00:00:33.600 --> 00:00:38.039 than a presence. That has morphed into what was to 10 00:00:38.159 --> 00:00:41.600 have been a situation where they collect at city Hall. 11 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:46.079 And even as I say that, morphing took the effect 12 00:00:46.240 --> 00:00:49.439 of amplifying the numbers by a lot. So now you 13 00:00:49.520 --> 00:00:51.719 have thousands of people instead of the hundreds that I 14 00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:55.799 just referenced, and their movement is now being controlled a bit, 15 00:00:56.240 --> 00:00:58.479 not only by where they want to go, but where 16 00:00:58.600 --> 00:01:01.479 law enforcement wants to to end up, and they are 17 00:01:01.479 --> 00:01:04.920 being pushed back by LAPD. From last we heard from 18 00:01:04.920 --> 00:01:06.840 Michael Monks, his signal is in and out. Let's go 19 00:01:06.840 --> 00:01:09.680 to Michael now, who is embedded with those protesters. 20 00:01:09.719 --> 00:01:10.719 Hi, Michael, thank. 21 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:14.400 You, Hey Mark. Apologies for some of the technical difficulties. 22 00:01:14.400 --> 00:01:16.079 I think with a large crowd here in all the 23 00:01:16.079 --> 00:01:18.760 mobile phone use that our signal is maybe being a 24 00:01:18.840 --> 00:01:22.239 little bit weakened since this device operates on a mobile signal. 25 00:01:22.280 --> 00:01:25.519 But I will call in if we drop out. Okay, 26 00:01:25.560 --> 00:01:27.439 we'll just use the old fashioned phone and see if 27 00:01:27.480 --> 00:01:29.840 that works better. But for now, let me just say 28 00:01:30.040 --> 00:01:35.359 Alameda Straight completely full of protesters, Temple Street full of protesters. 29 00:01:35.359 --> 00:01:38.480 This was a convergence of these two protests, the one 30 00:01:38.519 --> 00:01:40.519 at the Federal Building and the other one at the 31 00:01:40.599 --> 00:01:44.599 rally at La City Hall, which started at two o'clock 32 00:01:44.640 --> 00:01:47.159 but seemed to move very quickly and gathering these folks 33 00:01:47.480 --> 00:01:51.040 in a march through the streets. And when that march started, 34 00:01:51.239 --> 00:01:53.200 it was really the first time you could see and 35 00:01:53.200 --> 00:01:57.000 feel the presence of the Los Angeles City Police Department. 36 00:01:57.159 --> 00:01:59.159 After all of the stuff that had gone on earlier 37 00:01:59.200 --> 00:02:02.359 today in the street Alameda Street, the police were nowhere 38 00:02:02.400 --> 00:02:05.159 to be found to help enforce any traffic or any 39 00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:08.039 safety concerns. They're not sure what the protocols are, but 40 00:02:08.120 --> 00:02:12.680 they are here in force now directing this parade. When 41 00:02:12.680 --> 00:02:15.599 the parade decided to I said parade, I meant march. 42 00:02:15.639 --> 00:02:19.599 When this march turned back towards that Federal building where 43 00:02:19.639 --> 00:02:24.599 today's protest was centered. Earlier, the police pushed these folks back. 44 00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:26.919 There were a few flash bangs, there was a little 45 00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:29.199 pushing and shoving, not a whole lot. And they have 46 00:02:29.400 --> 00:02:34.199 redirected this march back into the other direction here in downtown, 47 00:02:34.599 --> 00:02:37.439 and the march is now continuing on Alameda Street, away 48 00:02:37.439 --> 00:02:38.360 from Temple Street. 49 00:02:38.560 --> 00:02:38.840 Again. 50 00:02:38.919 --> 00:02:41.439 You gave us a good sense of the marchers just 51 00:02:41.520 --> 00:02:44.400 a few minutes ago, and just to remind everyone who 52 00:02:44.439 --> 00:02:48.039 might just be joining us, that sense was these are 53 00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:52.479 not those bent on violence. Their mere presence speaks was 54 00:02:52.520 --> 00:02:54.360 sort of what you were saying before. 55 00:02:55.879 --> 00:02:57.879 Yeah, this is different than what was happening earlier in 56 00:02:57.919 --> 00:03:02.000 the afternoon. I mean, Lookla is full of people ready 57 00:03:02.039 --> 00:03:04.879 to protest. This city knows how to get a protest 58 00:03:04.879 --> 00:03:07.919 together for whatever cause du jour there is, and they 59 00:03:07.919 --> 00:03:12.439 mobilize quickly. And that was certainly the case this weekend. 60 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:15.319 We've seen how quickly a word of an ice raid 61 00:03:15.560 --> 00:03:20.439 or even the presence of ice agents being somewhere, crowds 62 00:03:20.520 --> 00:03:23.479 show up. So they had hundreds of people here outside 63 00:03:23.479 --> 00:03:25.520 the Federal building. It did get a little chippy, It 64 00:03:25.560 --> 00:03:28.639 did turn violent when the National Guard move folks out 65 00:03:28.680 --> 00:03:30.439 of the way through some tear gas and flash bangs, 66 00:03:30.479 --> 00:03:32.680 use their shields to push people forcefully to make way 67 00:03:32.680 --> 00:03:33.560 for some federal. 68 00:03:33.319 --> 00:03:36.560 Vehicles to make their way into the garage. But this 69 00:03:36.639 --> 00:03:37.599 one is different. 70 00:03:37.639 --> 00:03:40.280 There's not a lot of direct shouting at any individual 71 00:03:40.479 --> 00:03:43.080 National guardsmen or federal agent. 72 00:03:43.599 --> 00:03:45.439 This is just look at how many of us there 73 00:03:45.479 --> 00:03:48.439 are who leave in this. We have taken over these streets, 74 00:03:48.479 --> 00:03:49.639 we are marching through them. 75 00:03:49.759 --> 00:03:50.280 Look at this. 76 00:03:51.039 --> 00:03:54.439 Yeah, this is a situation that again may change in 77 00:03:54.479 --> 00:03:57.400 the hours ahead, and with nightfall. We always worry that 78 00:03:57.479 --> 00:04:00.960 the agitators can really take over, things can get ugly, 79 00:04:01.240 --> 00:04:03.080 but it's really. 80 00:04:03.240 --> 00:04:06.319 You know, go ahead, You're right about that mark. But 81 00:04:06.439 --> 00:04:09.479 I would just make the point that while we have 82 00:04:09.599 --> 00:04:13.599 seen some violence in the nighttime, it's been strange that 83 00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:17.959 the previous two days, the worst of the protests seemed 84 00:04:17.959 --> 00:04:21.560 to happen in daylight. In this case, I mean, typically 85 00:04:21.600 --> 00:04:24.279 what you're saying is true, But I observed this yesterday. 86 00:04:24.279 --> 00:04:24.879 I thought, this is. 87 00:04:24.879 --> 00:04:27.439 Daytime and this is when this has gone down. And 88 00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:29.160 then when nightfall came, while I was on the air 89 00:04:29.319 --> 00:04:32.800 KFI Live last night, I was expecting more bad stuff, 90 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:35.000 but it was mostly just kind of stare downs and standoffs. 91 00:04:35.000 --> 00:04:37.680 There was some, but not compared to what was going 92 00:04:37.680 --> 00:04:39.839 on in the daytime. It's been really interesting to observe that. 93 00:04:40.120 --> 00:04:41.920 That is really interesting, and you know, it's funny. I 94 00:04:41.959 --> 00:04:45.600 was watching Fox News, the local Fox News last night 95 00:04:45.639 --> 00:04:49.240 in Los Angeles, and there had been an incident involving 96 00:04:49.240 --> 00:04:52.079 one of their photographers who was shot at with one 97 00:04:52.120 --> 00:04:55.279 of those less than lethal kind of things. And again 98 00:04:55.439 --> 00:04:57.279 maybe not shooting at him, it might have just been 99 00:04:57.360 --> 00:05:00.639 you know, it was unclear, and there were more those reports, 100 00:05:00.639 --> 00:05:01.879 and I think that's one of the things that can 101 00:05:01.959 --> 00:05:04.480 happen through the prism of local news. You know, we 102 00:05:04.560 --> 00:05:08.279 always tend to want to know those stories, and the 103 00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:12.079 stories that are sexiest oftentimes can be you know, oddly 104 00:05:12.160 --> 00:05:16.319 the most the most violent, or those involving agitators. 105 00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:18.600 And maybe it was that. So I like the fact 106 00:05:18.600 --> 00:05:19.319 that you give us. 107 00:05:19.279 --> 00:05:23.480 Sort of an overall view of things that essentially depict 108 00:05:23.639 --> 00:05:27.160 and reflect what has been a peaceful presence, and you 109 00:05:27.639 --> 00:05:30.040 get the tension, but not the violence. 110 00:05:31.800 --> 00:05:35.120 Yeah, in this case today not a lot of violence, 111 00:05:35.279 --> 00:05:37.800 and we did see that. Again, I just reiterate that 112 00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:39.839 the violence that happened today. If you want to call 113 00:05:39.879 --> 00:05:43.160 it violence, it was probably more of just a physicality 114 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:46.399 is probably a more accurate way to describe it, because 115 00:05:46.439 --> 00:05:49.560 it didn't seem motivated by hate. It was we got 116 00:05:49.600 --> 00:05:51.480 to get these cars in. You're in our way, you 117 00:05:51.560 --> 00:05:53.800 got to go. So that's what happened today. 118 00:05:53.879 --> 00:05:56.000 And again, just to be for those just joining, those 119 00:05:56.000 --> 00:05:58.040 are the flash bangs that you're talking about when you 120 00:05:58.040 --> 00:05:59.879 say get the cars, and this is in the Federal. 121 00:05:59.639 --> 00:06:01.480 Building and that's why. 122 00:06:01.560 --> 00:06:03.720 And there was some tear gas as well. Yeah, tear 123 00:06:03.720 --> 00:06:04.160 gas as well. 124 00:06:04.240 --> 00:06:05.759 Got my first taste of that, so that, I mean, 125 00:06:05.879 --> 00:06:10.839 that was unpleasant, But the situation immediately recovered after those 126 00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:14.720 federal vehicles made their way into the garage. The National 127 00:06:14.720 --> 00:06:16.759 Guard went back to their skirmish line, and then the 128 00:06:16.800 --> 00:06:21.639 protesters reconvened in the street. But maybe also to your 129 00:06:21.720 --> 00:06:26.160 point is that we're these these demonstrators that we're seeing 130 00:06:26.199 --> 00:06:28.920 today are making a statement with their presence. 131 00:06:28.920 --> 00:06:31.839 We live in an age where you know, you don't. 132 00:06:31.720 --> 00:06:35.720 Necessarily need Michael Monks or Mark Thompson from KFI to 133 00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:38.560 talk about you. You can reach an audience directly, and 134 00:06:38.600 --> 00:06:41.240 so there's a lot of imagery that can be weaponized 135 00:06:41.560 --> 00:06:45.120 on both sides of this illegal immigration debate. And so 136 00:06:45.639 --> 00:06:49.160 if you are somebody who is protesting on behalf of 137 00:06:49.240 --> 00:06:53.079 illegal immigrants and against ICE and their activities, and you 138 00:06:53.160 --> 00:06:55.639 get hit in the face with tear gas or a 139 00:06:55.759 --> 00:06:58.759 riot shield, you know, that may be an unpleasant moment, 140 00:06:58.800 --> 00:07:00.959 but it can be a powerful for you. On the 141 00:07:01.000 --> 00:07:03.759 other hand, if you're a police officer, or if you 142 00:07:03.839 --> 00:07:05.759 are an ICE agent, or if you are a federal 143 00:07:05.759 --> 00:07:09.319 official and you're hit by a projectile or a firework 144 00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:12.920 explodes near your vehicle, or they deface your building, those 145 00:07:13.000 --> 00:07:16.319 are images that can also be powerful for your calls. 146 00:07:16.439 --> 00:07:19.680 And I've seen a lot of those types of images 147 00:07:19.920 --> 00:07:22.680 for both sides to weaponize all week and long. 148 00:07:23.000 --> 00:07:25.079 Yeah, that's a really good point, and I made the 149 00:07:25.079 --> 00:07:25.879 point last hour. 150 00:07:25.920 --> 00:07:27.000 Look, these are human beings. 151 00:07:27.000 --> 00:07:30.319 Are in the National Guard, the LAPD, these our people, 152 00:07:30.519 --> 00:07:34.920 and you know they respond to triggers just like we 153 00:07:34.959 --> 00:07:37.240 all do. And so I think you're right to point 154 00:07:37.279 --> 00:07:39.000 that out. We're gonna stay in touch with you and 155 00:07:39.079 --> 00:07:42.399 really appreciate your presence down there, Michael, especially Pleasure. The 156 00:07:42.439 --> 00:07:45.639 situation has become more and more fluid, and it seems 157 00:07:45.639 --> 00:07:47.519 to be growing in terms of the crowd. You know, 158 00:07:47.560 --> 00:07:50.439 I mentioned last hour, I was just mentioning that that 159 00:07:50.480 --> 00:07:53.000 became a rally, a rallying cry for a lot of people. 160 00:07:53.279 --> 00:07:56.079 David Werta is the president of the United service Workers 161 00:07:57.000 --> 00:07:58.240 West Union. 162 00:07:58.040 --> 00:08:01.040 And that's a lot of people involved in healthcare. 163 00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:05.839 Industries, and it's an immense union. And he's a leading 164 00:08:05.879 --> 00:08:11.879 advocate for immigrant integration and is an advocate for immigrants 165 00:08:11.879 --> 00:08:15.639 across the board. And I think the injury he was 166 00:08:15.639 --> 00:08:17.680 taken to the hospital and then the detention of where 167 00:08:17.720 --> 00:08:21.079 to became again, as I say, something of a rallying 168 00:08:21.160 --> 00:08:24.879 cause for many in downtown and for an immigrant community 169 00:08:24.879 --> 00:08:28.600 that feels put upon, you know, they feel singled out, 170 00:08:28.959 --> 00:08:32.279 even as many of them, they would say, work hard 171 00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:34.720 in all of these different industries. And so the raid 172 00:08:34.759 --> 00:08:39.559 at home depot and again the detention of many who 173 00:08:39.759 --> 00:08:44.399 don't have violent records or police records, they view as excessive. 174 00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:47.320 And the last thing I'll just say to review is 175 00:08:47.879 --> 00:08:53.279 the National Guard presence is a complicated issue because the 176 00:08:53.399 --> 00:08:56.399 National Guard is here in Los Angeles at the request 177 00:08:56.519 --> 00:08:58.840 and demand of the President of the United States. Now 178 00:08:58.840 --> 00:09:01.919 the President of the United Statesnald Trump, is already a 179 00:09:01.960 --> 00:09:06.480 controversial figure, and the presence of the National Guard in 180 00:09:06.639 --> 00:09:11.879 LA is the result of no request from the governor, 181 00:09:12.080 --> 00:09:14.639 from the mayor of Los Angeles, or any other public 182 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:18.320 official in California. I read you before how Rick Caruso, 183 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:22.919 who is an I would say, a political opponent and 184 00:09:23.480 --> 00:09:27.279 disagrees someone who disagrees with Karen Bass, the mayor of LA, 185 00:09:27.399 --> 00:09:30.399 on many many issues. They're in lockstep on this. He 186 00:09:30.440 --> 00:09:33.799 made the statement publicly, we don't need the National Guard 187 00:09:33.799 --> 00:09:34.679 here in Los Angeles. 188 00:09:34.720 --> 00:09:37.759 That's Caruso saying that. So the deployment of. 189 00:09:37.679 --> 00:09:39.840 The National Guard at the request of Donald Trump is 190 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:44.679 viewed as another adjutant here. And you know I mentioned before, 191 00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:48.519 I've been around LA. Many of you have been too. 192 00:09:48.720 --> 00:09:51.039 I've been working in news in Los Angeles for thirty 193 00:09:51.039 --> 00:09:55.279 five years. We've seen the National Guard deployed. So the 194 00:09:55.399 --> 00:10:00.360 George Floyd protest, the national Guard was deployed because because 195 00:10:00.440 --> 00:10:02.320 the mayor made a request. 196 00:10:03.840 --> 00:10:05.519 He was Eric Garcetti at the time. 197 00:10:05.840 --> 00:10:09.960 Right the Rodney King riots in nineteen ninety two, you 198 00:10:10.039 --> 00:10:12.879 really felt then there was a palpable sense in the 199 00:10:12.919 --> 00:10:18.120 city that things were overflowing and unpredictable. There was violence 200 00:10:18.120 --> 00:10:22.120 in the street, there were fires and troops were deployed 201 00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:25.679 at the request of the governor and the mayor of 202 00:10:25.799 --> 00:10:28.879 LA And then you can go on back. This is 203 00:10:29.039 --> 00:10:31.440 you know, before my time in LA with the wats riots, 204 00:10:31.480 --> 00:10:34.840 and you know this is again just to watch riots 205 00:10:34.840 --> 00:10:38.320 because I mentioned again the National Guard deployed, but again 206 00:10:38.360 --> 00:10:41.919 at the request of the mayor of Los Angeles. So 207 00:10:42.360 --> 00:10:45.639 this is the first time that you have the National 208 00:10:45.639 --> 00:10:48.960 Guard deployed in Los Angeles at the demand and request 209 00:10:49.279 --> 00:10:53.120 of the President of the United States, over the resistance 210 00:10:53.519 --> 00:10:58.120 of the governor and the mayor. So this is an 211 00:10:58.120 --> 00:11:05.200 extraordinary circumstance. Narrative will continue when we come back. I 212 00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:07.720 want to go to a camp Pendleton, where are their 213 00:11:07.759 --> 00:11:11.279 preparations underway there, and we'll see what that deployment is about. 214 00:11:11.679 --> 00:11:15.120 You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand. 215 00:11:15.879 --> 00:11:18.799 We've got you covered here with everything going on in 216 00:11:18.840 --> 00:11:21.840 southern California and Los Angeles a minute to minute. Let 217 00:11:21.879 --> 00:11:26.159 me just quickly mention that Gavin Newsom has posted a 218 00:11:26.159 --> 00:11:30.159 statement on the X platform every single Democratic governor agrees 219 00:11:31.200 --> 00:11:35.320 Donald Trump's attempts to militarize California are an alarming abuse 220 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:39.159 of power and then attached to that post from Newsom. 221 00:11:40.200 --> 00:11:46.840 All of these governors, I mean, Andy Brashears, Tony Evers, 222 00:11:46.919 --> 00:11:47.840 Bob Ferguson, et. 223 00:11:48.120 --> 00:11:50.080 This is just a list of governors. 224 00:11:51.759 --> 00:11:54.639 President Trump's moved to deploy California's National Guard is an 225 00:11:54.679 --> 00:11:58.679 alarming abuse of power. Governors are the commanders in chief 226 00:11:58.720 --> 00:12:01.120 of their national Guard and then the federal government. Then 227 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:04.879 activating the National Guard in their own borders without consulting 228 00:12:04.960 --> 00:12:09.480 or working with the state's governor is ineffective and dangerous. Further, 229 00:12:09.600 --> 00:12:13.919 threatening to send the US Marines into American neighborhoods undermines 230 00:12:13.960 --> 00:12:17.000 the mission of our service members, erodes public trust, and 231 00:12:17.080 --> 00:12:20.679 shows the Trump administration does not trust local law enforcement. 232 00:12:21.840 --> 00:12:25.279 It's important we respect the executive authority of our country's 233 00:12:25.320 --> 00:12:29.519 governors to manage their national guards, and we stand with 234 00:12:29.600 --> 00:12:34.399 Governor Newsom. Again, this is a letter and statement from 235 00:12:34.759 --> 00:12:38.480 all of these governors. It's important we respect the executive 236 00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:41.639 authority of our country's governors to manage their national guards, 237 00:12:41.639 --> 00:12:44.279 and we stand with Governor Newsom, who's made it clear 238 00:12:44.320 --> 00:12:48.039 that violence is unacceptable and that local authorities should be 239 00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:50.559 able to do their jobs without the chaos of this 240 00:12:50.720 --> 00:12:53.639 federal interference and intimidation. 241 00:12:55.279 --> 00:12:56.120 On that point. 242 00:12:56.799 --> 00:13:01.159 Beyond the National Guard, there are rumbling at Camp Pendleton, 243 00:13:01.399 --> 00:13:06.159 the marine base to our south. Farrar joins us and 244 00:13:06.279 --> 00:13:07.320 he's there now, I. 245 00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:09.799 Phil, how's it going. 246 00:13:10.039 --> 00:13:13.200 Everything that you just said was pretty interesting coming from 247 00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:18.600 governors across the country about using active duty military to 248 00:13:20.039 --> 00:13:25.879 actually get involved in these types of raids by providing security. 249 00:13:27.000 --> 00:13:27.240 Yeah. 250 00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:30.440 I think that what strikes me just as we're talking 251 00:13:30.600 --> 00:13:34.000 is that this is not so dissimilar from what happened 252 00:13:34.080 --> 00:13:37.320 during the George Floyd protests in Lafayette Park in Washington, 253 00:13:37.399 --> 00:13:41.080 d C. That was a time at which the president 254 00:13:41.080 --> 00:13:44.759 at the time was Donald Trump. He felt that something 255 00:13:44.840 --> 00:13:49.679 should be done, and he wanted and he talked about 256 00:13:49.759 --> 00:13:53.559 and this is based on reporting, Actually, isn't there a 257 00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:55.440 way that we can disperse this crowd if they're still 258 00:13:55.440 --> 00:13:58.159 in the streets. Can't we shoot at them without killing anybody? 259 00:13:58.240 --> 00:13:58.799 Can't we know? 260 00:13:58.960 --> 00:14:02.159 There was All of the conversations went on, and ultimately 261 00:14:02.159 --> 00:14:05.559 they did use tear gas on that crowd, and Trump 262 00:14:05.600 --> 00:14:08.759 made that walk, that famous walk to the church. So 263 00:14:10.279 --> 00:14:13.039 beyond that, I can't think of a parallel during a 264 00:14:13.039 --> 00:14:16.440 Trump administration that quite matches this one. But that's what 265 00:14:16.519 --> 00:14:18.879 comes to mind. What's happening at Camp Pendleton. 266 00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:23.000 Well, we had about forty protesters here at Cam Pendleton. 267 00:14:23.039 --> 00:14:28.240 They began around twelve thirty. They are all gone, What 268 00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:30.879 if you hold the protest and no one shows up. 269 00:14:31.320 --> 00:14:31.799 I was. 270 00:14:33.440 --> 00:14:37.360 The only member of the media here and when I 271 00:14:37.519 --> 00:14:39.799 approached one woman and I asked her if I could 272 00:14:39.799 --> 00:14:42.440 talk to her, she says, absolutely not. And I said, 273 00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:46.639 wait a minute. You guys are holding the protest, don't 274 00:14:46.679 --> 00:14:49.639 you want to be heard? And then she wanted to 275 00:14:49.679 --> 00:14:56.519 know about my station, Kogo iHeart, and I proceeded to 276 00:14:56.519 --> 00:14:59.759 tell her what we do, and I said what I do. 277 00:15:00.039 --> 00:15:03.720 I'm an award winning broadcast journalist, and I said, I 278 00:15:03.799 --> 00:15:06.240 give you the facts. And I said, I know exactly 279 00:15:06.240 --> 00:15:11.360 what the facts are. And so they dispersed early. So, 280 00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:14.639 you know, what if you hold the protest and no 281 00:15:14.919 --> 00:15:17.120 media come, And that's kind of what happened. But they 282 00:15:17.120 --> 00:15:19.879 were here. One person told me what he was trying 283 00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:23.639 to do was talk to as many active military because 284 00:15:23.639 --> 00:15:25.960 they are a lot of them are on liberty this 285 00:15:26.039 --> 00:15:28.159 weekend and they are coming back to the base. The 286 00:15:28.159 --> 00:15:32.240 base is very, very busy right now. But this all started, 287 00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:34.399 you know, just a couple of weeks ago with with 288 00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:41.840 we had a restaurant down here, Bona Ferketty, and it 289 00:15:41.960 --> 00:15:46.440 was raided. And then of course Friday night or Friday, 290 00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:51.360 the raids in Los Angeles, Saturday the raids in Paramount, 291 00:15:51.519 --> 00:15:55.320 and then today we're hearing about the raids in Pasadena. 292 00:15:56.120 --> 00:16:02.639 The Department of Defense Pete Hexseth said that the Department 293 00:16:02.919 --> 00:16:06.159 the military would be on high alert and that marines 294 00:16:06.200 --> 00:16:09.799 from Camp Pendleton, if things got out of hand, would 295 00:16:09.840 --> 00:16:13.840 be used in Los Angeles if riots broke out. Now, 296 00:16:13.960 --> 00:16:17.120 I just want to tell you there is a clause 297 00:16:17.679 --> 00:16:22.159 that the president can use. It is called the and 298 00:16:22.200 --> 00:16:25.440 you probably have talked about this. It's called the Insurrection Act. 299 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:30.399 It hasn't been used though, since nineteen ninety two, since 300 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:34.559 the Rodney King riots after the four officers were acquitted. 301 00:16:35.399 --> 00:16:39.600 So there is a way to use this, but we 302 00:16:39.679 --> 00:16:44.200 haven't seen anything like this before. And while there are riots, 303 00:16:44.240 --> 00:16:46.799 while there are protests going on, there are no riots 304 00:16:47.240 --> 00:16:50.759 in Los Angeles now. But we do understand that he 305 00:16:50.919 --> 00:16:57.279 can use this Insurrection Act where he federalizes, federalizes the 306 00:16:57.360 --> 00:17:01.279 National Guard and then uses active military duty. Something that 307 00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:04.200 is very very unheard of and very rare. 308 00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:09.160 Yeah, I'm glad you mentioned it. It would seem, I mean, 309 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:13.279 many would say it's already been incredibly excessive that the 310 00:17:13.359 --> 00:17:17.240 National Guard was deployed here and incredibly right against protocol 311 00:17:17.279 --> 00:17:20.400 that you would somehow deploy them over the objection of 312 00:17:20.440 --> 00:17:23.559 the local mayor, Karen Bass and the governor of California 313 00:17:23.559 --> 00:17:26.759 who says, no, we don't need the National Guard. So 314 00:17:26.799 --> 00:17:28.880 the idea that you would then up the atte as 315 00:17:28.920 --> 00:17:32.240 you suggest with the Insurrection Act, which it just takes 316 00:17:32.240 --> 00:17:35.039 it to another level of absurdity in a sense. 317 00:17:37.400 --> 00:17:42.039 It really does mean usually local jurisdictions are able to 318 00:17:42.079 --> 00:17:49.680 handle this, whether it's police from different localities, municipalities in 319 00:17:49.799 --> 00:17:53.640 Los Angeles, La County sheriffs, if they have to call 320 00:17:53.720 --> 00:17:57.119 in the National Guard, that would be something that the 321 00:17:57.160 --> 00:18:00.519 governor would want to do rather than having the president 322 00:18:01.039 --> 00:18:06.759 federal lies the California National Guard. So this is a 323 00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:12.119 scope we just haven't seen for quite some time. And 324 00:18:13.599 --> 00:18:16.240 you know, we've heard rumblings down here that you know, 325 00:18:16.279 --> 00:18:18.839 the President has it in for California. He wants to 326 00:18:18.839 --> 00:18:22.359 take away federal funding. Governor Newsom wants to withhold eighty 327 00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:25.440 billion dollars in federal or in state funding to give 328 00:18:25.480 --> 00:18:29.480 to the federal government. So a lot of things are 329 00:18:29.480 --> 00:18:33.599 at play here. We know there is no romance between 330 00:18:34.880 --> 00:18:36.960 Governor Newsom and President Trump. 331 00:18:37.119 --> 00:18:41.240 Well and President Trump, just to speak frankly, politics leads 332 00:18:41.240 --> 00:18:43.119 the way with him. You know, it's in us versus 333 00:18:43.119 --> 00:18:45.480 them kind of world for President Trump, and he sees 334 00:18:45.519 --> 00:18:48.880 that them in this case throughout California as the Democrat. 335 00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:52.319 So it's you always wonder to what extent that's working 336 00:18:52.319 --> 00:18:55.599 into the equation. But it's interesting to think that even 337 00:18:55.599 --> 00:18:59.440 for an instant you would deploy Marines from Camp Peddlton 338 00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:03.759 or anywhere else, or even nationalized the National Guard and 339 00:19:03.799 --> 00:19:07.400 deploy in any way additional troops in the city of 340 00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:10.759 LA when at least at this moment, you know, those 341 00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:12.880 of us who've been in LA for decades look at 342 00:19:12.880 --> 00:19:16.440 the situation and go, this really is controllable from the 343 00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:19.839 standpoint of where we sit now by local authorities on 344 00:19:19.920 --> 00:19:23.400 local law enforcement. I mean, I was here after the 345 00:19:23.559 --> 00:19:26.200 Rodney King and you might have been as well after 346 00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:29.759 the Rodney King verdicts, and you really did feel we 347 00:19:29.839 --> 00:19:31.960 got to get ahold of this city. This city is 348 00:19:32.319 --> 00:19:35.640 uncontrollable right now, with just the local authorities and control, 349 00:19:35.799 --> 00:19:38.279 this is nothing in the same universe as that. 350 00:19:39.599 --> 00:19:41.839 No, I don't think it is either. I mean, I 351 00:19:41.880 --> 00:19:47.680 think this is you know, it's controllable, and I think 352 00:19:47.759 --> 00:19:51.839 the San Diego Police to Los Angeles Police Department and 353 00:19:51.880 --> 00:19:55.119 the LA County Sheriffs can do their job. When you 354 00:19:55.200 --> 00:19:59.799 start bringing in National Guard with shields and they start 355 00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:06.480 hiring these pepper balls or tear gas, it almost incites people. 356 00:20:07.079 --> 00:20:11.799 And I think that the leadership of not only the 357 00:20:12.039 --> 00:20:15.559 LA Police Department, but the other municipalities and like I said, 358 00:20:15.559 --> 00:20:18.240 the Sheriff's department, you would think that they could get 359 00:20:18.240 --> 00:20:21.119 this under control. I know there were about a thousand 360 00:20:21.200 --> 00:20:24.920 protesters from what we understand yesterday. I don't know how 361 00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:28.880 many Friday night in Los Angeles, but I know they 362 00:20:28.920 --> 00:20:33.720 were about a thousand in Paramount yesterday. But you know, 363 00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:38.480 we've seemed far worse. We've seen, you know, Lakers winning 364 00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:41.599 the championship, and you know, I don't want to say 365 00:20:41.640 --> 00:20:44.039 riots breakout, but you know, people are. 366 00:20:43.960 --> 00:20:47.640 So significant unrest. I think I agree with you. 367 00:20:47.799 --> 00:20:51.839 Yeah, I like that significant unrest, significant unrest, and they've 368 00:20:51.839 --> 00:20:54.880 been able to quell that you know, but no one 369 00:20:55.039 --> 00:20:57.920 the National Party was not called in when the Lakers 370 00:20:57.960 --> 00:21:01.440 won the championship board the Dodgers. You know, So I 371 00:21:02.720 --> 00:21:07.039 this is right now. It seems as though this is 372 00:21:07.119 --> 00:21:13.240 a little excessive. They're on once again high alert standby 373 00:21:14.039 --> 00:21:18.400 here at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. But that is 374 00:21:18.519 --> 00:21:21.519 all that we know. We have not heard anything. We 375 00:21:21.599 --> 00:21:26.119 don't see any trucks, tanks or anything lined up. As 376 00:21:26.160 --> 00:21:27.680 a matter of fact, if you really want to get 377 00:21:27.720 --> 00:21:32.319 onto this base, if they were allowed to allow the 378 00:21:32.400 --> 00:21:36.920 protesters onto this base, they would be tired just by 379 00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:39.880 getting to anyone, because it's about three or four miles 380 00:21:39.920 --> 00:21:46.359 in right, anybody, Yeah, if you've ever been here, yeah, 381 00:21:46.680 --> 00:21:49.119 I mean it is a city within a city. There's 382 00:21:49.160 --> 00:21:52.119 about thirty three thousand people who actually live on the base. 383 00:21:52.519 --> 00:21:56.000 And then when you are talking about war games, and 384 00:21:56.039 --> 00:22:01.359 I played war games as a reporter with these duty 385 00:22:01.440 --> 00:22:05.759 men and women, it's another area all together that stretches 386 00:22:06.240 --> 00:22:10.920 past the Santao Free Power Plant, past Las Polga, is 387 00:22:11.480 --> 00:22:14.559 almost all the way into Orange County. It is a 388 00:22:15.000 --> 00:22:21.079 massive base. So them being here, you know, forty of them, 389 00:22:21.720 --> 00:22:24.079 I don't know what it did today, I really don't. 390 00:22:24.160 --> 00:22:27.839 They came, they saw, I don't know what and j just. 391 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:28.559 If you're just Johnny. 392 00:22:28.599 --> 00:22:30.559 Is the forty that Phil is talking about are the 393 00:22:30.599 --> 00:22:33.160 protesters who were there at Camp Pendle and essentially make 394 00:22:33.160 --> 00:22:36.000 their plan. Phil, thanks for all the thoughts and the 395 00:22:36.039 --> 00:22:38.599 reporting from Camp Peddlon. Appreciate it and we'll be in touch. 396 00:22:38.720 --> 00:22:41.400 Let's just hope we don't need to be but appreciate 397 00:22:41.400 --> 00:22:44.200 you being there. Thank you, all right, Thank you. Mark 398 00:22:44.240 --> 00:22:47.079 Thompson here on KFI AM six forty, we're watching minute 399 00:22:47.119 --> 00:22:50.720 to minute. We've got Michael Monks embedded in the demonstration 400 00:22:50.799 --> 00:22:54.960 as it continues in southern California and in downtown Los Angeles. Again, 401 00:22:55.200 --> 00:22:58.799