Los Angeles, Jun 11 (AP) Mayor Karen Bass issued a curfew for downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday "to stop the vandalism, to stop the looting." She said in a news conference that she had declared a local emergency and that the curfew will run from 8 pm on Tuesday until 6 am on Wednesday.

"We reached a tipping point" after 23 businesses were looted, Bass said.

The curfew will be in place in a 1 square mile (2.59 square kilometre) section of downtown that includes the area where protests have occurred since Friday. The city of Los Angeles encompasses roughly 500 square miles (2,295 square kilometres).

The curfew does not apply to residents who live in the designated area, people who are homeless, media or public safety and emergency officials, according to Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell.

McDonnell said "unlawful and dangerous behaviour" had been escalating since Saturday.

"The curfew is a necessary measure to protect lives and safeguard property following several consecutive days of growing unrest throughout the city," McDonnell said.

Earlier on Tuesday, National Guard troops began protecting immigration agents as they made arrests in Los Angeles on Tuesday, an expansion of their duties that had been limited to protecting federal property. Photos posted Tuesday by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) show National Guard troops standing guard around officers as they made arrests.

ICE said in a statement that the troops were providing security at federal facilities and protecting federal officers "who are out on daily enforcement operations." The change moves troops closer to engaging in law enforcement actions like deportations as President Donald Trump has promised as part of the administration's immigration crackdown.

The agency said Guard members are also providing support with transportation. The Guard has the authority to temporarily detain people who attack officers but any arrests ultimately would be made by law enforcement. (AP) RUK RUK

Curfew imposed for downtown to restrict nighttime movement; exemptions for residents, media, and emergency personnel. A curfew was imposed for a one-square-mile section of downtown Los Angeles from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. after vandalism and looting, accompanied by a local emergency declaration; exemptions cover residents in the zone, people who are homeless, media, and public safety and emergency officials. Separately, National Guard personnel began providing security and transportation support to immigration enforcement operations, moving beyond facility protection to accompany officers in the field; Guard members may temporarily detain attackers but formal arrests must be made by law enforcement.