By Brandon Kim, NOlympics Campaign Intern
This past week, the federal government invaded L.A., mobilizing the national guard without the consent of California’s Governor Gavin Newsom as well as deploying several hundred U.S. Marines. Meanwhile, federal agencies continue to kidnap residents, and peaceful protests are being violently suppressed by police. These protests are also being mischaracterized and condemned by the Trump Administration and some media as insurrections, which could pave the way for the president to declare martial law.
The events unfolding in front of us are just the beginning. With mega events such as the Super Bowl, the World Cup, and the LA28 Olympics on the horizon, L.A. will become increasingly more militarized. President Trump has called this week’s demonstrations a “rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States,” emphasizing that the deployment of the Marines and National Guard is in the interest of public safety. Tellingly, when questioned further, he stated, “you got to remember we have the Olympics coming, and we don’t want people looking at Los Angeles like it was [referring to the demonstrations].” The Trump Administration is thinking ahead towards LA28, and how best to sell their version of America to a global audience.
Over a year ago, on January 30, 2024, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designated the LA28 Olympic Games as a National Special Security Event (NSSE). NSSE is a designation given to large-scale events such as the Super Bowl, World Cup, Democratic and Republican National Conventions, and more. When an event is certified as an NSSE, authority over security is transferred from local law enforcement to the federal government. In regards to the Olympics, federal agencies will be given control to police L.A.. Don’t believe me? Take a look at the California Olympic and Paralympic Public Safety Command (COPPSC) framework:
The Los Angeles Security Command Structure was produced all the way back in 2017, eight years ago. The graphic displays the different departments that are in charge of LA28 security, such as Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the National Guard, and the U.S. military, all of which have been deployed this weekend.
What makes this so alarming is that it gives the departments under the DHS free rein in L.A.—departments including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and CBP. The public safety framework for LA28 doesn’t stop at enabling policing for “public safety”; COPPSC operates in collaboration with federal law enforcement and the military to carry out whatever agenda they assign. In many other Olympics host cities, this has meant displacing residents, infringing on civil rights, and silencing opposition for the comfort of the various investors, tourists, and fans who attend.
A research paper published by the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) found that security measures at NSSE-designated events violated both the First and Fourth Amendments by failing to protect free assembly and expression and enabling unconstitutional searches and seizures. The NLG warns that the “NSSE designation allows federal and local authorities to impose excessive security measures that limit the ability of people to assemble and express grievance.” During an NSSE, the government will often deploy “special ordinances,” which are essentially exceptions allowing law enforcement to bypass previously upheld procedures and practices. Examples of special ordinances in action include the use of “spatial tactics,” which have established protest-free zones, criminalizing demonstrations; unwarranted searches and raids; planting undercover agents within protests and movement groups to spy on members; unregulated use of “less-lethal” weapons (e.g., rubber bullets or tear gas) against crowds; and excessive bail prices for suspected demonstration leaders.
Especially disturbing is the approach taken by law enforcement to NSSEs, which is to “prepare for ‘worst-case scenarios’” by training officers “to see protesters as inherently criminal.” Police and electeds rationalize these measures by instilling fear in the public, warning that the primary goal of protestors is “to disrupt the event through violence,” misinterpreting and misconstruing the grievances of demonstrators.
The federal government will continue to use the fast-approaching mega events to justify injustice in Los Angeles. Events like the LA28 Olympics allow law enforcement agencies to ramp up policing in our communities, unlawfully detain our neighbors, and silence our voices. Say NO to the Olympics and other mega-events. They do more harm than good.
Get involved and learn more by joining NOlympics LA, a coalition of organizers and organizations opposed to the 2028 Olympic Games.
