Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton faced fierce backlash on Tuesday after calling the anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles “peaceful demonstrations.” Critics slammed her for what they called a “delusional” take and accused her of trying to spin the chaos while protecting her post from criticism.
“California Governor Newsom didn't request the National Guard be deployed to his state following peaceful demonstrations. Trump sent them anyway,” Clinton posted on X. “It's the first time in 60 years a president has made that choice. Trump's goal isn't to keep Californians safe. His goal is to cause chaos, because chaos is good for Trump.”
Clinton restricted comments on her post, allowing replies only from accounts she follows. That move drew even more attention. “Comments off lol. She can’t handle the ratio. This is what Hillary Clinton calls 'peaceful demonstrations,’” the Libs of TikTok account posted, along with footage of burning cars and mayhem in L.A.
The post set off a firestorm. Critics piled on, accusing Clinton of ignoring the violence and locking down her replies to avoid accountability. “Ever notice that only leftists disable comments?” asked John Dennis, chair of the California Republican Liberty Caucus.
Others demanded changes to platform rules. “Hey @ElonMusk, can you make it so that government officials and former government officials cannot turn off their replies,” one user posted. Another added, “A public figure and a fraud like herself shouldn’t be able to lock her replies, @elonmusk.”
Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna also weighed in. “These are not peaceful Hillary,” she posted. Another user responded to riot footage, writing, “Hillary Clinton is delusional if nothing else.”
The riots broke out Friday after ICE began conducting immigration raids in Los Angeles. Federal agents targeted illegal immigrants, including sex offenders and gang members, as part of President Trump’s renewed deportation push. But Democratic leaders like Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Newsom condemned the operation and voiced support for the illegal immigrants.
The protests quickly spiraled into violence. Rioters threw rocks at federal officers, looted stores, set vehicles on fire, and took over freeways. Despite the chaos, Clinton framed the unrest as calm—prompting widespread outrage and calls for her to stop fueling misinformation.