California first lady Jennifer Siebel Newsom steps out to shop in Beverly Hills as riots engulf LA streets

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA: While Los Angeles spirals into turmoil, Jennifer Siebel Newsom seemed unfazed as she appeared to step out for a chic outing in Beverly Hills.

California’s First Lady was spotted in the heart of crisis-hit Los Angeles on Monday, June 9. 

Jennifer, 50, was seen at One Beverly Hills, an ultra-luxurious complex of spas and wellness centers nestled in the city’s swankiest zip code. She rocked a pair of $500 Common Projects sneakers and slung a $2,500 Goyard tote bag over her shoulder.

She offered a coy smile as she strolled past with her bodyguard close behind, the Daily Mail reported.

Marines in the streets, shops looted, and a body found

Meanwhile, just blocks away from Jennifer Siebel Newsom's serene spa stop, Los Angeles looked more like a battleground. President Donald Trump had sent Marines into the city under emergency orders, and businesses were still picking up the pieces from a weekend of looting and unrest.

The situation took an even darker turn on Tuesday, June 10, morning with the grim discovery of a body outside one of the ransacked stores. 

Jennifer's outing's timing sparked some backlash, with critics questioning whether she was indulging in luxury amid a statewide crisis. Her reps, however, denied such claims.

“The First Partner didn’t have a spa treatment yesterday, but she does have a prior skin cancer diagnosis and was picking up skin care products on her personal time," they told the Daily Mail.

Indeed, Jennifer has publicly shared her skin cancer battle, which she revealed in 2023.

Gavin Newsom and Donald Trump clash as tension in LA intensifies

Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom is locked in a high-stakes showdown with President Donald Trump and his supporters.

It’s the second time this year Newsom’s found himself in a political rut, and this one’s playing out with boots on the ground.  

Both Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass have demanded that Trump withdraw federal troops, saying they’re only making things worse. “The deployment has inflamed the situation,” Newsom said, arguing that the federal presence is complicating efforts by local law enforcement to manage the demonstrations.

But Trump isn’t backing down. He has already activated 4,000 National Guard troops and sent in hundreds of Marines, insisting that the city would’ve been “completely obliterated" without his intervention.

Protesters hit the streets, police strike back

The protests kicked off on Friday after a series of police raids triggered outrage among anti-ICE demonstrators. 

What started as peaceful resistance quickly turned violent—cars were set on fire, major freeways were blocked, and downtown shops were looted. Protesters hurled rocks and debris at police and vehicles, prompting law enforcement to respond with pepper balls, flash bang grenades, and tear gas.

By Monday, hundreds had gathered again—this time outside a federal detention center in downtown LA, chanting “free them all” while waving Mexican and Central American flags.

National Guard troops formed a human barricade in front of the building. After several warnings, police dispersed the crowd using gas canisters and made several arrests. 

Clashes erupted again later that evening, this time in the Little Tokyo area. Protesters scattered as LAPD officers and sheriff’s deputies moved in. Flash bangs echoed through the streets while tear gas filled the air. Tourists huddled inside nearby hotels, and residents watched the chaos unfold from balconies above.

Despite the skirmishes, Bass told KABC that most of the protestors remained nonviolent, even though more than 100 arrests were made on Monday alone.