LA protest stabbing: 17-year-old student in critical condition

LOS ANGELES - What began as a peaceful protest organized by high school students quickly spiraled into violence — ending in bloodshed.

A demonstration against President Donald Trump’s mass deportation policies took a dark turn when a fight broke out, culminating in the stabbing of a 17-year-old student. The brutal attack was captured on video by Blaze Media correspondent Julio Rosas, who was at the scene. "I just wasn't expecting to see something like this happen so quickly," Rosas said.

The stabbing occurred around 1:35 p.m. outside City Hall at 200 N. Spring Street. Witnesses described chaos as tensions escalated.

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"I saw the blood soaking through a shirt, and he took off his shirt — his entire back was covered in blood," Rosas recounted. "I didn't realize how bad he was bleeding until I looked down at the sidewalk and realized I was standing in it."

First responders arrived quickly, but by the time paramedics took the victim away, Rosas noted, "His skin had gone pretty pale." The teen remains in critical condition, and authorities have detained several individuals.

Friday’s demonstration marked the sixth consecutive day of protests against ICE. In recent days, activists have also taken over the 101 Freeway and burned the U.S. flag in Oxnard.

Rosas believes the rising violence is undermining the movement’s message.

"If you're really trying to convince people that you don't want these deportations to happen, why are you allowing these things to happen as a movement?" he questioned. "And obviously, it’s not just from today — it’s from multiple days."

The violent escalation has raised concerns about public safety and the city’s response.

"Maybe the stabbing will be a wake-up call," Rosas added. "Obviously, we can go out and protest, we can make our voices heard — but maybe we should take a step back and not be so chaotic. I also hope it's a wake-up call for the city to make sure these protests don’t reach this level of chaos again."