LOS ANGELES — The unrest centered on ICE raids throughout the Los Angeles area has found its way to Dodger Stadium.
Federal agents were denied access to Dodger Stadium on Thursday morning. Video shows as many as 20 vehicles approaching Gate A at the stadium and being turned around by the security guard there. The same thing was repeated at Gate E.
It is unclear whether the agents were affiliated with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or Border Patrol — or a combination. Both are under the control of the Department of Homeland Security.
News cameras showed some of the vehicles parked outside the stadium entrance for some time before being escorted away around noon by Los Angeles police as protesters arrived at the site.
The Dodgers acknowledged the incident in a statement, saying “ICE agents came to Dodger Stadium and requested permission to access the parking lots. They were denied entry to the grounds by the organization. Tonight’s game will be played as scheduled.”
On the official Homeland Security social media, DHS denied that it was attempting to conduct any operation at Dodger Stadium. Sources indicate the operation involved transferring detainees between vehicles.
“This had nothing to do with the Dodgers,” @DHSgov posted in response to the team’s statement. “CBP vehicles were in the stadium parking lot very briefly, unrelated to any operation or enforcement.”
The Dodgers have been criticized for their lack of response during the two weeks of civil unrest. But they let it be known on Wednesday night that they would make an announcement about their plans to support immigrant communities with a combination of programs and donations.
That announcement was postponed.
“Because of the events earlier today, we continue to work with groups that were involved with our programs but we are going to have to delay today’s announcement while we firm up some more details,” team president Stan Kasten said. “We’ll get back to you soon with the timing.”
Kasten would not address “the events earlier today.”
The federal agents arrived at the first stadium gate at approximately 8 a.m. Later in the morning at Gate E, police initially lined up across the entrance. Protesters faced the officers, playing music and holding signs declaring opposition to immigration enforcement operations, reading “ICE out of LA” and that families should not be separated.
Police advised protesters that if they crossed the gate into the stadium, they would be subject to arrest and dissolved the line of officers at the stadium gate around 12:30 p.m., remaining in their vehicles past the entrance to the stadium.
After reports that the Dodgers organization declined ICE agents access to the grounds, a group of roughly two dozen individuals remained at the gates, some donning Dodgers jerseys and hats.
Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez arrived at the stadium and said she had been in communication with Dodgers officials and the mayor’s office.
“We’ve been in communication with the mayor’s office, with the Dodgers, with Dodgers security, about seeing if they can get them moved off their private property,” she told KABC-TV. “Public property is different. Private property – businesses and corporations have the power to say, ‘Not on my property,’ And so we’re waiting to see that movement happen here.”
The team has been silent on the civil unrest over the past two weeks prompted by increasingly aggressive ICE raids and President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops and Marines against the wishes of California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
The Dodgers have a long, tangled history with the Latino community in Los Angeles. An entire community was displaced from Chavez Ravine in order to build Dodger Stadium in the early 1960s. It wasn’t until Fernando Valenzuela arrived with the team and became an iconic figure to his fellow Mexicans that those wounds were healed. Now, Latino fans make up a large portion of their fan base.
Popular utilityman Kiké Hernandez has been the only Dodger player willing to comment on the situation. He posted this on Instagram:
“I may not be Born & Raised, but this city adopted me as one of their own. I am saddened and infuriated by what’s happening in our country and our city. Los Angeles and Dodger fans have welcomed me, supported me and shown me nothing but kindness and love. This is my second home. And I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart. ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and human rights. #CityOfImmigrants.”
Dozens of protesters stood in front of the Dodger Stadium sign as fans began lining up for Thursday’s game. Singer-songwriter Amanda Carrera stood across the street from Dodger Stadium holding a sign that read, “Proud to be a Latina.”
Although the Dodgers blocked federal agents from entering the stadium in the morning, many fans feel the Dodgers can do more.
“For the Dodgers to be quiet up until this point is very disappointing. … It’s heartbreaking to know that the team you love doesn’t love you back,” Carrera said. She plans to boycott the Dodgers by not attending any games or buying any merchandise.
“As much as I love my Dodgers, I love my people more,” Carrera said.
The L.A. City Council on Wednesday welcomed Nezza to perform the U.S. National Anthem in the Council Chamber, days after the musician sang a Spanish rendition of the song at a Dodgers game after being told by the team not to.
“I’m very proud today to have a proud American of Dominican and Colombiana, tambien, los dos, standing here with us today,” City Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez said. “In a moment in time when our community continues to be targeted, racially profiled and frankly, abducted across the country, she did something very profound.”
The musician, Nezza, whose name is Vanessa Hernandez, performed a roughly 90-second rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” in Spanish, prompting a standing ovation from council members, city staff and some members in the audience.
On Saturday, Nezza’s performance at Dodger Stadium went viral on social media, as well as a behind-the-scenes video she posted, in which a representative for the team asked her not to perform the anthem in Spanish.
In her TikTok video, Nezza is seen talking with a Dodgers employee, who is off-camera. The representative can be heard saying, “We are going to do the song in English today, so I’m not sure if that wasn’t transferred or if that wasn’t relayed.”
Staff writers Sierra van der Brug and Ryanne Mena, The Associated Press and City News Service contributed to this report