Department of Homeland Security vehicles with masked agents were stationed Thursday morning outside Dodger Stadium, in another sign of the raids sweeping Southern California.
It is unclear what operation the federal agents were carrying out or whether anyone in the area was arrested. Images of the government vehicles immediately played out on social media and fueled speculation about their activities. The agents declined to say why they were at the stadium when asked by a Times reporter.
-
Share via
The vehicles appeared to be staging near the downtown parking lot entrance to the stadium, which was empty Thursday morning except for a small contingent of local media.
According to multiple people with knowledge of the situation who were not authorized to speak publicly, agents were denied entry to the Dodger Stadium grounds when they attempted to enter the parking lots.
A Los Angeles Police Department source denied that the department received a request from the Dodgers to remove federal agents from the stadium grounds. Federal agents had gathered near the stadium to conduct a briefing, but had left by the time images of the gathering began circulating on social media, the source said.
The Dodgers did, however, ask police to intervene after a group of protesters showed up to the area, according to the source, who requested anonymity in order to discuss internal matters.
The parking lot is not owned by the Dodgers, but is considered Dodgers property by the team. The parking lot is jointly owned by the Dodgers’ ownership group and the team’s former owner, billionaire Frank McCourt.
The Dodgers have been under pressure since the raids began earlier this month to make a statement in support of immigrants. On Wednesday, the team said it intended to announce plans Thursday to assist the immigrant communities recently affected in Los Angeles.
Singer and social media personality Nezza sang a Spanish version of the national anthem at Dodger Stadium, in an act of protest against the immigration raids, despite being asked by a team employee to sing in English.
Staff writer Libor Jany contributed to this report.
