Camarillo (United States) (AFP) – Protesters clashed with US immigration agents conducting a raid at a legal cannabis farm in California, with the FBI saying it was searching for a man who “appeared to fire a gun” at authorities during the unrest. Migrant rights activists were among the protesters who were met with tear gas near a legal cannabis plantation in Ventura County, some 56 miles (90 kilometers) from Los Angeles. The FBI was offering a $50,000 reward for information on the suspect after tense and chaotic encounters between protestors and federal agents Thursday at what officials described as a “marijuana farm.”
Video broadcast by local news channel ABC7 showed a man pointing a gun at targets off camera and firing several times. “During a lawful search today, a man appeared to fire a gun at law enforcement,” the Federal Bureau of Investigation posted on X. “A reward up to $50K is offered for information leading to a conviction.” US Attorney for California Bill Essayli said on X that federal agents had “already arrested multiple individuals for impeding this operation” and warned others against interfering with the law enforcement action.
The raid comes as President Donald Trump’s administration has intensified its immigration crackdown across the United States, targeting what it says are criminal enterprises exploiting vulnerable populations. The incident sparked a war of words on social media between California Governor Gavin Newsom and federal officials after authorities said they discovered 10 juveniles at the facility, including eight unaccompanied minors in the country illegally.
Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott said the discovery of 10 juveniles had triggered an investigation into potential child labour violations, calling it “Newsom’s California.” The Democratic governor fired back on social media, accusing Trump of targeting families and farmworkers while defending California’s record on prosecuting child exploitation. “Kids running from tear gas, crying on the phone because their mother was just taken from the fields,” Newsom wrote. “Trump calls me ‘Newscum’ — but he’s the real scum.”
The Department of Homeland Security responded on X by questioning why children were working at the “marijuana facility.”
© 2024 AFP
