Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 9 June 2025

These updates are shared to help raise the situational awareness of Faith-Based organizations to best defend against and mitigate the impacts from all-hazards threats including physical security, cybersecurity, and natural disasters. 

LA protests: What to know as the National Guard mobilizes

On June 8, 2025, Los Angeles was engulfed in intense protests following aggressive ICE raids across the city that resulted in dozens of arrests. Demonstrators clashed with federal agents and local police, with incidents of concrete-throwing, vehicle fires, and freeway blockages prompting law enforcement to declare an unlawful assembly and deploy tear gas, pepper spray, and flash-bang grenades. In response, President Trump invoked a seldom-used Title 10 authority to federalize 2,000 members of the California National Guard marking the first such action since 1965 and warned that active-duty Marines were on standby from Camp Pendleton if violence escalated. 

The Federal intervention sparked fierce backlash from Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass, who condemned it as “unlawful,” “purposefully inflammatory,” and politically motivated, while legal experts and civil liberties advocates raised alarms over federal overreach amid the fury. The deployment and crackdown in Los Angeles highlight a sharply intensifying national conflict over immigration policy, Federal authority, and civil liberties.

Related Articles:

• LAPD says ‘agitators have splintered’ in downtown area, declares unlawful assembly
• Statement from FBI Los Angeles Assistant Director in Charge

Analyst Comments: The large-scale unrest in Los Angeles following ICE raids underscores the growing volatility around immigration enforcement and federal-local tensions. The decision to federalize the California National Guard under Title 10 authority especially over the objection of state leaders signals a significant escalation in the federal government’s willingness to assert control in urban unrest scenarios. The involvement of active-duty military assets, coupled with aggressive crowd control tactics, may erode public trust and raise legal questions around constitutional limits and civil liberties.

Escalations have led to protestors burning multiple autonomous vehicles, while law enforcement crowd control efforts have seen multiple media personnel hit with non-lethal bullets. This situation will likely fuel continued political and legal battles over the boundaries of Federal intervention and immigration policy enforcement. Alongside, with potential for protest to spread it is important to be aware of protest in your area and remain vigilant.

Alongside, congregations may be impacted by protests, not only as active participants but also by bystanders. Protests can escalate into riots, potentially leading to vandalism of nearby buildings. While this is currently evident in Los Angeles, such unrest can spread to other regions as well, making this concern broadly applicable.

Resources:

• Civil Unrest Resources
• Tips for Preparedness, Peaceful Protesting, and Safety
• Civil Unrest Preparedness Resources 

‘Dissent will be punished’: PCUSA pastors express concerns over new ordination standards

The Presbyterian Church is facing a heated debate over Part B of the so-called “Olympia Overture” which proposes adding a question to the ordination process asking candidates to affirm beliefs supportive of LGBTQ+ inclusion. Twenty-six pastors submitted a petition declaring the change would “introduce an ordination question that is deeply at odds with our core Reformed tenet of freedom of conscience” and warning it could “immediately disqualify and exclude many faithful and dedicated … elders, teaching elders, and deacons”. They argue that this shift undermines the denomination’s commitment to pluralism and theological diversity—a hallmark of the Reformed tradition.

In response, the PCUSA’s LGBTQIA+ Equity Advocacy Committee contends that Part B merely affirms the ability to serve “alongside people of different … sexual orientations, even, yes, theological conviction,” and does not infringe on freedom of conscience or local discernment. They emphasize that ordaining bodies retain the authority to assess each candidate based on scriptural interpretations and behaviors, not mandated beliefs. The tension exposes deep fault lines within PCUSA over inclusivity, ecclesial autonomy, and the balance between shared values and interpretive freedom as General Assembly leaders prepare to address the overture.

Analyst Comments: The controversy within the Presbyterian Church over the proposed ordination standards highlights a broader institutional struggle between affirming inclusive values and preserving theological diversity. The pushback from pastors reflects concern that the new language may codify a litmus test around LGBTQ+ inclusion, potentially marginalizing those with traditional views and eroding the denomination’s long-standing principle of freedom of conscience. Meanwhile, advocacy groups argue the overture simply promotes a respectful and inclusive ministry without mandating doctrinal conformity. This dispute signals deeper tensions within mainline Protestant denominations as they navigate evolving social values, generational shifts, and the boundaries of ecclesial authority.