Karen Bass says LA anti-ICE riots 'never happened' as the media reported them

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is getting ridiculed for arguing that the mainstream media exaggerated "a couple of incidents" of vandalism during anti-ICE protests into full city rioting.

Bass made the comments at a media briefing Thursday, where she was confronted by a reporter who challenged her on the spread of anti-ICE violence. He cited the terror attack on an ICE facility in Texas allegedly planned and executed by heavily armed left-wing activists.

'The way that it was portrayed nationally, was like the whole city was up in flames, the comparison to 1992, which was completely and 100% inappropriate.'

"Well, let me just say that the quote-unquote 'riots' that were reported never happened," Bass responded.

"We did have a couple of incidents of vandalism and looting," she continued. "But the way that it was portrayed nationally was like the whole city was up in flames, the comparison to 1992, which was completely and 100% inappropriate."

She was also dismissive of the alleged terror attack on an ICE facility in Texas and said she didn't know anything about it.

"And I think the example that you use — I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with it — it was from some other state," she added.

"Yes, Texas," the reporter responded.

"I have no idea what happened in Texas. What I do know is what happened in Los Angeles," she added.

At that point, Bass was whisked away by one of her aides.

The Republican National Committee posted a shortened version of her comments, but the extended version of the video includes her argument that the rioting was exaggerated.

RELATED: Border Patrol chief has defiant message for Mayor Karen Bass after she claims to have stopped ICE raid in Los Angeles

Many critics online excoriated the mayor for downplaying the violence of the anti-ICE rioting.

"This is false. They rioted for nights on end. The rioters set Waymo vehicles on fire, torched police vehicles, held them captive under a bridge, and assaulted multiple officers," read one popular response.

"Seriously, that's just ignoring reality. Leaders should address violence, not act clueless. LA isn’t immune to these issues," read another response.

"So those weren’t cement block pieces crashing down on police cars from all angles above and keeping police trapped under a freeway overpass?" asked another detractor.

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