Marriott Becomes Giant Anti-ICE Billboard As L.A. Protesters Project ‘Blood Money’ Onto Its Walls

Protesters turned a the Warner Center Marriott Woodland Hills into a giant anti-ICE billboard Sunday night, projecting “Marriott takes blood money from ICE” onto its exterior while the hotel’s own logo remained lit up beside it. Spotted at Woodland Hills Marriott where ICE is reportedly staying. — Raider (@iwillnotbesilenced.bsky.social) November 9, 2026 The messages include “Marriott houses the Gestapo,” “Marriott loves Trump” (with a heart), and “Marriott devours your tax dollars for fascism.” The closing message is: “We beat you before. We will beat you again.” Woodland Hills Indivisible had publicized the allegation on November 6, saying its community network had confirmed agents were staying there. A separate event listing advertised an “ICE OUT OF MARRIOTT” demonstration for Sunday evening, and here’s footage of the protest. This was posted on BlueSky, so naturally replies support a Marriott boycott, with one commenter listing out the brands because even Marriott execs can’t name them all. Another offers, “Projector resistance is an underappreciated art form.” And someone asks, “Motel 6 forget to leave the lights on?” I covered Motel 6 properties handing guest lists to ICE, and the chain’s subsequent $7.6 million settlement. Reporting your own guests to immigration authorities is a very different business strategy than renting rooms to the federal government. The Trump Hotel Got This Treatment, Too This immediately brings to mind the projections I wrote about at the former Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. in 2017. Artist Robin Bell projected “Emoluments Welcome” and “Pay Trump Bribes Here,” with an arrow pointing toward the entrance. He also displayed the Constitution’s emoluments clause. Projecting Light Isn’t Trespassing So can someone actually do this? In Wilson v. Interlake Steel, California’s Supreme Court said nondamaging intrusions of light, noise, or odor aren’t trespass. However, Light shining into occupied rooms would be nuisance if it’s sufficiently substantial and unreasonable. Actually putting the projection equipment on hotel property or blocking access could be actionable. And LA’s sign ordinance could be implicated – Los Angeles includes projected images in its sign definitions, with restrictions on supergraphic signs. I think it’s an interesting legal queston whether a temporary political display can be restricted based on a municipal sign ordinance but a neutral time, place and manner restriction seems plausible. Renting Rooms To Agents Isn’t The Same As Running A Detention Center The hotel is in HM Alpha Hotels & Resorts’ management portfolio. When HM Alpha announced taking over management, it identified the property as part of Southwest Value Partners’ portfolio. The hotel’s operator makes booking decisions, but a protest aimed at the Marriott name can spread the cost across the brand. Customers generally book a Marriott, not a particular real estate investment firm’s management arrangement. Still, renting an agent a room doesn’t establish that Marriott “loves Trump.” Back in 2019, Marriott, Hilton and Choice said they wouldn’t turn their hotels into immigration detention facilities. Marriott was also criticized for hosting a Customs and Border Protection trade symposium at the Marriott Marquis Chicago. I supported then-CEO Arne Sorenson’s argument that renting meeting space doesn’t mean endorsing a group’s views. Hotels shouldn’t need to agree with their guests’ politics before handing over a room key. I also covered Hilton telling properties to stop housing detained children, followed by government records showing children held at Hilton, Marriott and Choice properties. And Marriott’s neutrality claim looked awfully selective when a Prague hotel rejected a Uyghur conference. In January, Hilton removed a Minnesota Hampton Inn from its system after it continued refusing Homeland Security bookings. I’m not sure that refusing these bookings is something that the property would even be allowed to do, though post-midterms a lot of this is probably up in the air. And indeed the President himself has just walked back his own administration’s tough on immigration stance. (HT: Paul H) Topics on this page