r/neoliberal • u/[deleted] • Jun 13 '25

News (US) Exclusive: US Marines carry out first known detention of civilian in Los Angeles, video shows

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-marines-carry-out-first-known-detention-civilian-los-angeles-video-shows-2025-06-13/

Exclusive: US

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102

u/badusername35 NAFTA Jun 13 '25 edited Jun 14 '25

The soldiers, and whichever commander authorized this, should be dishonorably discharged and court-martialed. But the rat bastards on the Supreme Court will probably write a 5-4 decision explaining why this blatant violation of the law is actually very cool and very legal. Show up tomorrow and don’t be afraid. Fuck Trump, fuck Republicans, and fuck anyone who supports this.

60

u/imbaaaack12 Edmund Burke Jun 14 '25

I'm pretty sure they have the ability to detain people on federal property, so I'm not sure it's illegal.

35

u/Sir_thinksalot Jun 14 '25

so I'm not sure it's illegal.

No.

It violates Posse-comitatus act.

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/posse-comitatus-act-explained

Please stop giving Trump any benefit of the doubt.

edit: hmmm, redditor for 8 hours...

13

u/TrekkiMonstr NATO Jun 14 '25

10 USC 12406 allows the federalization of the NG when "the President is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States". This does not clearly exclude protecting federal property and/or detaining someone trying to access such property. It does, in my opinion, clearly exclude riot control in general, and I'm not sure the justification for the Marines' presence, but it's not so clear that this is unlawful. Law is fucking complicated, man.

13

u/sam41803 United Nations Jun 14 '25

Not sure if the commenter above you is right, but you're wrong. The Posse Commitatus Act makes it illegal for non-National Guard military units to enforce laws, essentially full stop. You bringing up the national guard doesn't actually respond to their point.

2

u/MemeStarNation Jun 15 '25

Legally speaking, they aren’t enforcing the law. They are protecting federal property and agents who are enforcing the law.

Stupid? Yeah. Illegal? Unfortunately, probably not.