Fact check: Did governor Newsom tell protesters to ‘fight back’ against federal forces

1. Summary of the results

The claim that Governor Newsom told protesters to "fight back" against federal forces is demonstrably incorrect based on the available sources. Multiple independent sources confirm that Newsom actually:

• Explicitly urged protesters to "Never use violence. Speak out peacefully" ^{[1] [2]}
• Called for peaceful demonstrations ^[1]
• Specifically told protesters "Don't give them one" in reference to a spectacle ^[1]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question omits crucial context about what Newsom actually said and the situation surrounding his statements:

• Newsom criticized the federal deployment as being "purposefully inflammatory" ^{[1] [3]}
• He specifically addressed the National Guard deployment, stating it was meant to create a "spectacle" rather than address actual law enforcement needs ^[3]
• During this period, Newsom was actually focused on other matters, including wildfire recovery efforts and a proposed "LA 2.0" rebuilding plan ^[4]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The framing of the question suggests potential deliberate mischaracterization:

• The phrase "fight back" implies violent confrontation, which is the exact opposite of what Newsom advocated for ^{[1] [2]}
• This mischaracterization could benefit those seeking to:
• Paint Democratic governors as promoting violence
• Create a narrative of state-federal conflict
• Delegitimize peaceful protests by suggesting leadership encouraged violence
• The actual record shows Newsom consistently advocated for de-escalation and peaceful demonstration while criticizing what he viewed as provocative federal actions ^{[1] [3]}