Marines were seen standing guard outside a federal building in Los Angeles on Friday as they started operations after protests erupted last week over immigration raids.

The president claimed, without giving evidence, that the protesters were “paid” agitators, that the Los Angeles police asked for the National Guard, and that swaths of the city were under gang control.

While the president contends that the L.A. protests against his immigration policy have been chaotic, the scenes are not as violent.