On June 8, 2025, renowned guitarist and activist Tom Morello, best known for his work with Rage Against the Machine, took to the streets of Boyle Heights in Los Angeles to stand with demonstrators protesting ICE raids and deportations. Morello’s presence highlighted the increasingly urgent calls for immigrant rights and resistance to federal enforcement in California.
Beginning June 6, protests erupted across Los Angeles County in response to aggressive Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations targeting workplaces and immigrant communities. By June 7, thousands had taken to the streets in cities like Paramount, Compton, and downtown LA. Security forces, including the LAPD, California National Guard, and federal agents, deployed tear gas, pepper balls, and flash-bang grenades to disperse crowds. The National Guard was federalized at the direction of former President Trump, prompting outcry from Governor Gavin Newsom and others.
On Sunday morning, June 8, Morello marched in Boyle Heights protests, joining processions near the Metropolitan Detention Center. He was later seen in Downtown LA, fronting chants and showing solidarity through music and speech. Sharing images from the scene, Morello described on Instagram how he “made noise about some friends in Boyle Heights and DTLA yesterday.”
Morello has a long history of activism, using his guitar and voice to amplify causes like labor rights, racial justice, and immigrant protections. With past performances alongside unions, student organizers, and social justice campaigns—including the Kaiser hospital hunger strike—his appearance is consistent with his career-long dedication.
Demonstrators on June 8 faced heavy control measures: dozens of arrests, deployment of over 2,000 National Guardsmen, and use of non-lethal munitions by federal agents. Activists, community leaders, and a few local officials responded strongly, decrying raids as destructive and inhumane—calls intensified by the involvement of artists and public figures like Morello.
Tom Morello’s presence may fuel ongoing and upcoming demonstrations, particularly in immigrant communities across greater Los Angeles. As protests continue, the focus now turns to public policy responses, legal challenges to federal actions, and whether more political and cultural leaders will join the cause.
