As we've seen from RedState's ongoing coverage, things in the Los Angeles metropolitan area seem to be going from bad to worse. There are what appear to be thousands of people in open rebellion against established authorities, both local and federal. Law enforcement officers are being attacked, cars are being burned, roads and highways are being blocked, and the rebels have already caused thousands, if not millions, in property damage.
I don't use the term "rebels" lightly. There is an active rebellion going on in the LA area today. Unlike the hooliganism of J6, this is a real no-stuff insurrection; there is simply no other term that applies.
My colleague Dan Zoernig has already covered that part of this mess:
See Also: Houston, We Have an Insurrection
Dan writes:
This is different. This isn't just a bunch of goons throwing rocks and burning cars because they "see injustice." This is a bunch of goons throwing rocks and burning cars because they want to stop the enforcement of federal law by federal officers through violence. That's what insurrection is.
18 U.S. Code § 2383 - Rebellion or Insurrection
Any act of rebellion or insurrection against the U.S. government constitutes a serious federal crime punishable by serious jail time and fines. This crime is embodied under Title 18 U.S. Code 2383.
There's no nuance here, and either the government is going to prosecute these people or it isn't. J6 can be argued as either a riot or an insurrection. Los Angeles cannot. It's an insurrection, and it's an insurrection against the federal system that we all vote for every time there is an election. No one here votes for a system based on laws that are followed only by those like them, and no one here votes for laws that apply to some but not others. In the end, you might get people who live by the former, but that's what jail is for.
So, an insurrection it is. This sets the stage for the next consideration: Is it time for President Trump to declare the LA metro area to be an area in rebellion and declare martial law? It would solve a few problems, and likely create a few more. First, what is martial law?
Simply put, martial law is the suspension of civil authority and the imposition of military authority. That would place the LA area under direct military control, and would also allow the use of active-duty Army and Marines to be used to enforce order. Any rioters or vandals would be subject to military, not civil authority. The existing civil authorities, like Mayor Bass, would be essentially stripped of any authority. Habeas corpus may be suspended. And this may be just the step to take, as this issue is more than simply the rioters; local and even state authorities are openly defiant of the federal law enforcement officers, namely ICE, carrying out their lawful duties under the Constitution.
Martial law has been declared several times in our nation's history, always limited in area; a nationwide declaration would be impossible to enforce. Some post-Civil War examples:
The 1892 Coeur d’Alene riots. During a miner's strike, the mine owners brought in non-union workers and armed guards to protect them. Armed conflict ensued between the guards and armed miners, resulting in a declaration of martial law. Order was restored by state and federal troops. This was repeated in 1894 and 1899.
The Ludlow Massacre of 1914. Essentially a repeat of the 1892 issue, with striking miners on one side and National Guard troops on the other. For reasons still not clear, the National Guard opened fire on a miner's camp, resulting in 25 deaths.
Hawaii, 1941. Following the Pearl Harbor attack, the territory of Hawaii was briefly under martial law, with no casualties resulting directly from the declaration, although people of Japanese descent, including some American citizens, were detained and moved to camps.
Most recently, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans was declared to be in a "state of emergency," which allowed the governor to suspend laws and issue emergency orders, such as barring the sale of guns and ammunition.
There is precedent for this action. What will the president do? Local law enforcement may be reaching the breaking point.
See Also: Watch: LAPD Chief Blows Up the Dem Narrative About Riots, Lays Down Warning to Rioters
As we can see from history, the consequences of this step can be serious. This is not a move to be taken lightly. On the other hand, the situation in the LA area has become very serious indeed. The clashes between rioters and law enforcement are growing more serious, and it's only a matter of time before some seminal event takes things to the next level; for example, consider what would result from just one unhinged rioter opening fire on local police or ICE agents, the authorities returning fire, with the possible result of a general massacre and open warfare on the streets of one of America's major cities.
A declaration of martial law would enable the president and federal troops to re-establish order by force. And, to judge from the Monday morning reports from RedState and elsewhere, that may be what it takes to bring this major city back under control.
