LA 2028 Olympics: fears of mass displacement and homeless sweeps as Trump threat looms

‘My fears come from being an Angeleno and seeing our communities attacked and displaced when major events come our way.’ Composite: Rita Liu/The Guardian/Getty Images

In the lead-up to the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, the city deployed 30 police officers on horseback to rid downtown of unhoused people and, in the words of a captain, “sanitize the area”.

Some people were arrested and transported to detox centers. Others were forced from public view while their possessions were trashed.