🇺🇸 Protest in Los Angeles: Why Did the President Send the National Guard? By: | Civic Issues | Youth Perspectives

 It’s strange how one city — known for celebrities, sunshine, and beaches — can suddenly look like a battlefield. But that’s what happened in Los Angeles recently. Thousands took to the streets in protest, and things got intense really fast. So intense, that the President of the United States had to send in the National Guard.

I’m a student, sitting halfway across the world, but even from here, I could feel the weight of what was going on.

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So, what exactly happened?

It all started with a protest — I won’t go deep into what triggered it, because by the time I write this, the reason might have evolved. That’s how fast things are changing. But what we do know is that people were angry. Really angry. Crowds grew. Shouts turned into clashes. And then, parts of LA saw fires, broken windows, blocked roads, and a lot of fear.

Police were outnumbered. Local leaders were panicking. And before long, troops from the National Guard were patrolling the streets — not something you see every day in a country that talks a lot about freedom and peace.

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But was this really necessary?

That’s what everyone’s asking. Some say the protest got out of hand and the Guard was needed to keep things safe. Others say it was an overreaction — that it just made people more scared and more angry.

Here’s what I think: when people protest, especially in big numbers, they’re not doing it for fun. It takes courage to stand in a street and yell for justice. Something’s clearly broken. But when protests turn violent, it also makes it harder for others to take the message seriously. And sending in soldiers — no matter how trained they are — changes the energy completely.

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What’s this protest really about?

You can’t reduce it to just one issue. Some were there for justice. Others were fed up with government policies. Some were shouting about police violence. Some just wanted to be heard.

But underneath all of it, there’s one common feeling: people don’t feel listened to. And when people feel unheard for too long, they shout louder.

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What’s scary is how normal this is becoming.

It’s not just LA. Cities all over the world — from Paris to New Delhi — are seeing more protests. And more forceful responses. Are we moving toward a world where disagreement always ends in conflict? I really hope not.

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A few thoughts that stuck with me:

• When the public speaks, the government should listen — not just react.

• Protest is powerful. But violence and anger can erase the message.

• Sending the National Guard might stop the crowd, but it doesn’t solve the cause.

• We’re living in a time when young people (even like me!) need to care more about what’s happening, not just scroll past it.

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No fancy ending. Just this.

Whether you agree with the protest or not, whether you support the Guard’s presence or not — one thing is clear: people are frustrated, and something needs to change.

I might just be a student, but this much I know — when people keep screaming into silence, the streets start to speak louder.

"This felt shocking to me—like why would a country need military inside itself? Shows how serious things are getting."