Finneas Says He Was Tear-Gassed During ICE Protest in L.A.

Finneas has spoken out after being tear-gassed while attending what he called a “very peaceful” protest in downtown Los Angeles.

Finneas has spoken out after being tear-gassed while attending what he called a “very peaceful” protest in downtown Los Angeles.

The Grammy-winning artist and producer took to Instagram on Sunday (June 8) to describe the scene, where protesters rallied against recent mass ICE raids in Southern California. “Tear-gassed almost immediately at the very peaceful protest downtown. They’re inciting this,” he wrote on his Story, referring to escalating tensions sparked by federal agents and military presence in the city.

The protest was one of several erupting across the city after President Donald Trump ordered National Guard troops into L.A. — a move that California officials called unconstitutional and inflammatory.

Among the scenes shared by Finneas: a viral video showing Australian 9News reporter Lauren Tomasi being struck by a rubber bullet while covering the unrest. Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department fired rounds of crowd control munitions to disperse those gathered, with one hitting Tomasi in the leg, prompting her to cry out and grab her calf while continuing to report.

9News later issued a statement confirming the incident and affirming the safety of Tomasi and her camera operator. “While reporting from protests in Los Angeles, 9News reporter Lauren Tomasi was struck by a rubber bullet,” the statement read. “This incident serves as a stark reminder of the inherent dangers journalists can face while reporting from the frontlines of protests, underscoring the importance of their role in providing vital information.”

California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the deployment in a letter sent to the White House on Sunday, calling it “a serious breach of state sovereignty.” He was in Los Angeles meeting with law enforcement and local leaders but did not confirm if he had spoken with Trump since the raids began.

“What we’re seeing in Los Angeles is chaos that is provoked by the administration,” said Mayor Karen Bass in an afternoon press conference. “This is about another agenda — this isn’t about public safety.”

The White House quickly fired back. “It’s a bald-faced lie for Newsom to claim there was no problem in Los Angeles before President Trump got involved,” said spokesperson Abigail Jackson in a statement.

Finneas, who has previously used his platform to advocate for immigrant rights and social justice, also encouraged military personnel to resist unconstitutional orders. He shared the GI Rights Hotline — 1-877-447-4487 — along with a message soundtracked by Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down.”

The protest he attended was one of several that grew increasingly tense over the weekend, including one outside a federal building where immigrants were reportedly detained after arriving for routine check-ins with ICE. Lawyers say some detainees were escorted to basement holding areas without notice.