The Dodgers had been silent as Trump’s immigration crackdown roiled LA. Then federal agents arrived outside their parking lot

In times of crisis, teams like the Dodgers are usually a rallying point in Southern California – a unifying force in times of struggle. But over the last few weeks, as major protests popped up in Los Angeles, the Dodgers became a target of local ire.

As one of the City of Angels’ first major professional sports teams, the Dodgers are a cornerstone of Southern California culture. Their interlocking LA logo is as iconic as the Hollywood sign, recognized around the world and worn as a symbol of pride by millions of Angelenos. In times of crisis, teams like the Dodgers are usually a rallying point – a unifying force in moments of struggle. But over the last few weeks, as major protests popped up in Los Angeles in response to increased immigration raids by the Trump administration in the Southern California area, the Dodgers became a target of local ire. It was a tough demotion from being the subject of local adoration just months ago during a World Series championship parade. On June 6, raids outside a Home Depot and an apparel warehouse in Los Angeles set off days of protests and, on some nights, clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement. President Donald Trump on June 7 deployed National Guard troops to the city to “temporarily protect ICE” – the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement – “and other United States Government personnel who are performing Federal functions” and to protect federal property, according to a memo – overriding California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who called the move a “brazen abuse of power.” Families have been split, people were arrested by plain-clothes agents wearing masks and hats and Trump and his administration reveled in the chance to clash with Democratic politicians. As fear spread throughout Los Angeles, many of the city’s institutions spoke up to defend the undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers who were being picked up by the federal government. But not the Dodgers. The team – whose stadium itself is part of the long story of the Latino experience in Los Angeles, given that the land on which it sits was once home to a Mexican-American neighborhood that fought for years against being displaced – was publicly quiet about the tension gripping its city. That silence infuriated many members of the fanbase, who felt abandoned by their team.