Protesters gathered in the morning on LA’s historic Olvera Street, which dates to Spanish and Mexican rule, before marching to City Hall.

A large crowd gathered in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday in response to the recent increase in ICE raids and deportations. The gathering briefly closed the 101 Freeway, which led to police declaring an unlawful assembly and forcing demonstrators to disperse during the daylong event.

Draped in Mexican and Salvadoran and flags, roughly 1,000 demonstrators gathered near City Hall shortly before noon, blocking traffic at Spring and Temple streets