LOS ANGELES, CA; WASHINGTON, DC — League of Women Voters of California Executive Director Helen Hutchison and League of Women Voters of the US CEO Celina Stewart issued the following joint statement in response to the deploying of National Guard troops against largely peaceful protestors in Los Angeles County. 

“The President villainizing protestors is nothing but a performance to direct violence against the American people. By deploying the National Guard, against the wishes of state officials, the administration intends to cause fear and distract from their inhumane immigration raids.  

“This administration is assaulting concerned Americans to silence voices of dissent. The President's overreach signals a larger crackdown on protests across the country meant to intimidate us from speaking out. 
 
“The President declared the protests as rebellion against the United States, a characterization he uses as his basis for overstepping his presidential powers to subvert the First Amendment right to association and protest.  

“A functioning democracy must ensure that we the people can hold our government accountable without fear of violence from the government. 
 
“The League of Women Voters condemns these actions and calls on the Secretary of Defense to call back the National Guard. We will not be intimidated into silence.”