Cinco de Mayo battle repeated in East LA

Los Angeles, CA – The Community Service Organization (CSO) and supporters held a protest Friday night, May 2, at a Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) license/sobriety checkpoint located at a major intersection in the immigrant Mexican-American community of El Sereno.

The organizers called this a repeat of the Battle of Puebla, where a ragtag Mexican army defeated the imperial French army in 1862. With volunteers and little resources the community took on the LAPD, informed the community, and protested what they see as a racist attack during Cinco de Mayo weekend.

“Why during Cinco de Mayo and why in El Sereno?” organizers asked the LAPD. They pointed out that police continue to target Mexican/Chicano communities that have majority undocumented immigrants. With no driver's licenses, the undocumented are easy prey for car confiscations.

Car confiscation generates high revenues to local cities, as well as the Official Police Garage Association and their owners, who donate money for campaigns to local politicians for Los Angeles city council elections. For example Councilmember Mitch Englander has received large donations from Official Police Garage Association participants in the past. He in turn is a supporter of the Police Protective League, which also supports police checkpoints and car impounds. The protest was successful as the community came out and joined. Many drivers avoided the police trap, honked their car horns and waved in solidarity. The CSO and supporters will continue to protest any police checkpoint in our community.

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