Areas in and around downtown Los Angeles could be temporarily off-limits to filmmakers as protests over recent immigration raids continue to unfold, a local film office advised creatives on Monday.
While the permitting authority for the city of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Police Department, is tackling projects on a case-by-base basis, film permits may be denied for areas around City Hall and the L.A. Mall as demonstrations continue, FilmLA said in a production alert on Monday. Also at risk of being affected are productions looking to film in areas around the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Office and a separate federal building near Little Tokyo.
FilmLA further noted that protests were planned to begin at 9 a.m. in Gloria Molina Grand Park, right in front of City Hall, on Monday. One of those demonstrations is a protest against the June 6 arrest of local labor leader David Huerta that started at noon and was supported by several Hollywood labor groups.
“We are unable to give more specific boundaries for affected areas at this time as the situation is fluid. Care for crew safety is important, as is making room for protected free speech,” the production alert stated.
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department said simply in a request for comment, “I would strongly encourage you to stay out of the area due to demonstrations.” The department did not respond to a request for more specifics on which areas are currently out-of-bounds.
The L.A.-area film office stated that it is not yet aware of any productions that have been shut down or interrupted by demonstrations, but noted that in the city of Los Angeles, “filming is allowed in all areas except those where protest activity is concentrated.”
The city’s downtown is a popular location for filmmakers, with major films including Independence Day, Collateral, Blade Runner and Inception having been produced at least in part in the area. City Hall famously served as the exterior for Clark Kent’s newspaper the Daily Planet in the 1950s Adventures of Superman series and has appeared in titles like L.A. Confidential and Gangster Squad since.
Any restrictions for permitted film and television productions wouldn’t affect organizations covering breaking news, which do not need a permit to film.
Protests in the L.A. area began on Friday in response to immigration raids and ballooned over the weekend, with President Donald Trump on Saturday night calling for at least 2,000 National Guard troops to descend on the city in response. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has called the move unlawful and “immoral,” and California sued the Trump administration over the action on Monday.
