Overview
- During the fourth day of demonstrations against ICE raids and mass deportations, video footage showed two women distributing dozens of brand-new bionic face shields from a pickup truck near federal buildings
- The full-face shields, marketed online for protection against debris and chemical splashes, retailed at about $60 each and were still in plastic wrap when handed out
- Some observers warn that the distribution suggests outside actors are preparing protesters for clashes with police and National Guard troops
- Los Angeles Police Department officers did not intervene as National Guard personnel stood guard outside the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building
- Mayor Karen Bass accused the federal deployment of provoking unrest and officials have not clarified whether the gear handout was part of a coordinated effort