Gates installed on 101 Freeway in downtown LA ahead of No Kings protests

Caltrans crews are installing gates on the 101 Freeway on and off-ramps at Los Angeles Street ahead of this weekend's No Kings protest in downtown. 

A Caltrans spokesperson said the "proactive safety measure" was requested from the California Highway Patrol after demonstrators walked onto the freeway during previous protests.

"During previous protest activities, this location has seen pedestrians walk onto the highway using these ramps, creating unsafe conditions for pedestrians and motorists," the spokesperson wrote in an email. "They will be used only as needed to ensure people are out of harm's way of fast-moving vehicles and motorists can safely use the highway."

A CHP spokesperson said the gates will be used as needed and that officers will coordinate with Caltrans before closing the freeway ramps.

Caltrans said crews should finish installing the gates on the 101 freeway ramps by Friday morning. CBS LA found gates installed on three different ramps on Thursday night. 

Over the last several years, protesters have walked onto the 101 Freeway during demonstrations, including the George Floyd marches in 2020, pro-Palestinian rallies in 2024 and most recently, anti-ICE protests throughout 2025.

Across Southern California, dozens of demonstrations are planned for the third round of No Kings protests since June 2025. 

The initial rally happened on June 14, a week after the uptick in immigration enforcement operations in LA County.  After a mostly peaceful rally, demonstrators clashed with police, with officers firing rubber bullets, deploying flash-bangs and using tear gas on crowds after people threw rocks, bricks, bottles and commercial-grade fireworks at law enforcement.