“There Was No Violence”: Maxine Waters’ Defiant Denial of LA Unrest Sparks Outrage

As footage shows burning cars and looted stores, veteran Democrat claims protests were peaceful—drawing fierce backlash

LOS ANGELES — Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) has ignited a firestorm by declaring there has been “no violence” during the anti-ICE protests rocking Los Angeles—a claim that directly contradicts days of televised chaos showing looted stores, flaming vehicles, and rioters hurling projectiles at police.

The 86-year-old Democrat made the eyebrow-raising assertion during a Tuesday press conference, where she blasted President Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops as an overreaction to what she described as peaceful demonstrations.

Rep. Maxine Waters speaking to the press in front of National Guard members at the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles on June 8, 2025.

“Nobody Was Shot, Nobody Was Killed”

Standing firm amid mounting evidence of destruction, Waters told reporters:
“Don’t think that somehow because they called out the National Guard there was violence. There was no violence. I was on the street, I know… Nobody was shot, nobody was killed, get it into your head.”

Her remarks came as:

Retailers in Compton were ransacked by masked looters (with video showing thieves stealing cash registers)
Protesters in Paramount threw Molotov cocktails and bricks at officers
A journalist was hospitalized after being struck by a rubber bullet
A body was discovered near downtown looting scenes (under investigation)

Waters claimed that there has been “no violence” at the anti-ICE protests in LA.

The Great Disconnect

Waters isn’t alone in downplaying the unrest. Other Democrats and left-leaning media outlets have echoed similar rhetoric:

Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA): Called rioters “passionate” and insisted most protesters were peaceful
CNN: Described events as “lawful protests with some unrest”
KABC’s Jory Rand: Dismissed footage of burning cars as “a bunch of people having fun”

But the narrative faced pushback from an unlikely source—Democratic Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), who tweeted:
“This is anarchy… My party loses the moral high ground when we refuse to condemn setting cars on fire.”

People seen looting a convenience store in Compton amid the LA riots.

The Political Fallout

The controversy highlights a deepening divide:

Republicans accuse Democrats of enabling lawlessness
Local business owners demand accountability for destruction
Fact-checkers note at least 60 arrests and multiple officer injuries

As National Guard troops maintain patrols, Waters’ comments risk alienating moderates—while giving ammunition to conservatives who argue liberal leaders are out of touch with reality.