These Photos Capture How Police Escalated Saturday’s ‘No Kings’ Protest Into Violence in DTLA
"The police violence was totally unprovoked and has been the worst I've ever seen it in all my years of covering protesting," said photographer Kemal Cilenigr, who documented the day's shift from peaceful to besieged.
A woman chokes on tear gas fumes in Downtown L.A., June 14, 2025. Photo by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACO
By all accounts from we've seen from people on the ground, including on live broadcasts on corporate media, Saturday's "No Kings" protest started peacefully in Downtown Los Angeles and ended with violence spurred by authorities.
An estimated 200,000 participants were there, which included Angeleno families, children, seniors, and activists expressing their feelings with creative signs, performance art, dancing, and occasional costumes, all rallying against the Trump's administration's efforts to deport our families, neighbors, and friends.
Photographer Kemal Cilengir was at the protests to document a palpable, horrifying shift in the day's energy, telling L.A. TACO, "The police violence was totally unprovoked and has been the worst I've ever seen in all my years of covering protesting."
Here are a handful of Cilengir's photos from Saturday afternoon, showing both the peaceful energy of the protests, and the sudden flip to a crowd coming under what felt like an attack from law enforcement later in the afternoon.
Photo by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPhoto by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPhoto by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPhoto by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPhoto by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPhoto by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPhoto by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPhoto by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPhoto by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPhoto by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPhoto by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPhoto by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPhoto by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPhoto by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPhoto by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPhoto by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPhoto by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPhoto by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPhoto by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPhoto by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPhoto by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPhoto by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPhoto by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOA woman chokes on tear gas fumes in Downtown L.A., June 14, 2025. Photo by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPhoto by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOPolice deploying tear gas on No Kings Day protest in downtown Los Angeles last Saturday. Photo by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACO.Photo by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACOA hurt demonstrator at downtown L.A.'s peaceful protest on No Kings Day. Photo by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACO. Photo by Kemal Cilengir for L.A. TACO
Around 40 people were kidnapped from Santa Paula to Riverside, with more than half from the City of L.A. in the last three days. Plus, are ICE and CBP adjusting their strategy again?
The OC Rapid Response Network noted a rise in "profane and harassing” phone calls "reflecting an intent to intimidate and disrupt” since First Assistant US Attorney Essayli shared his post.
