Anaheim, CA – On May 5, Community Service Organization (CSO OC) along with the family of Albert Arzola mobilized to Anaheim City Council to demand that killer cop Nathan Garcia be fired from Anaheim Police Department. When the family and CSO OC arrived, they came with signs that read “Fire killer cop Nathan Garcia.” The city council was visibly shaken and rattled by the signs.

Pearl Arzola opened her comment with, “It has been five months, and you have not given us anything but a name, but that name is still patrolling our neighborhood. Officer Garcia is not a part of a gang unit, so why is he allowed to patrol in an unmarked car terrorizing the whole community?” Arzola followed with “I get really bad anxiety attacks and so does my sister in-law, and you guys just continue to not care. You guys continue to pay this person. You need to fire him immediately.”

Arzola, who works in healthcare talked about the night of Albert’s murder, “If I would’ve done any necessary measures I could’ve saved my brother’s life, but I couldn’t because your officer was pointing a gun at me saying get the fuck inside.”

Pearl’s comment set the tone. The Arzola family, CSO OC members, and other city council attendees chanted “Fire him! Fire him!” and “Fire Nathan Garcia!”. The crowd was very emotional and angry all night.

Leslie Lopez, a cousin of Albert Arzola, called out a city council member by saying, “Norma [Campos Kurtz] isn’t here, but I wanted to congratulate her because she still has a killer cop working within her district. We know this because we saw him. About a month ago he was at a raid within the same neighborhood where the officers were high-fiving him like it was a celebration that he was back. There is nothing to celebrate.”

Lopez continued, speaking about the night of Albert’s murder. “Matt Sutter, the public information officer stated there were 12 people detained. I want to show you the 12 people detained.” Lopez then proceeded to show images on her iPad, many of whom were children. On the live video, the city officials turned the camera away from Leslie in an attempt to hide information. Leslie then followed with “Statements were made that night. When the officers needed to move Albert they said, ‘let's drag his ass.’”

Throughout the whole night, the Arzola family yelled “Shame!” and rang bells to create noise and disruption. The noise fell on heartless ears, as did the very emotionally heavy comments of the family.

Grace Arzola stated “It’s Cinco De Mayo and I want to share a song that reminds me of my nephew. I actually listen to this song every day on my way to work. It says that when two souls truly love each other, no matter how far apart they are they will never stop loving one another. That's why, beautiful sky when I die, don’t stop loving me.” Grace continued “I will never stop loving my nephew. Until the minute I stop taking my last breath I will miss him dearly.” Grace's comment moved everyone in that room. She said it with tears in her eyes and every person felt it.

She followed her comment with “I’m not sure if you guys read the LA Times report, but Nathan Garcia had a previous incident of excessive force with a 14-year-old. If the kid’s parents had done what Nathan Garcia did, the kid would be in foster care. He profiles young Chicano males. If officer Garcia had been held accountable for that incident then my nephew would still be alive.”

David Pulido, a CSO OC member, went into further detail. “On June 27, 2024 Nathan Garcia and his partner brutally arrested an unarmed 14-year-old Chicano. They drove their knees into his back, fractured a rib, and kicked him in the genitals.” Pulido continued with “This is why we fight for community control of the police. We should have direct authority over the police and who is hired, fired and how they are disciplined.” Pulido brought a lot of anger and frustration with his comment, he continued by saying “We demand the public release of all body cam footage; we demand the release of the autopsy report, we demand that killer cop Nathan Garcia be fired!”

Donna Nelson, who’s 21-year-old son was murdered by Anaheim Police on July 22, 2012, stated, “12 months prior to the killing of my son, the Anaheim Police Department also killed David Raya, Marcel Ceja, Bernie Villegas, Rosco Cambridge, Martin Hernandez, Manuel Diaz. All within one year. In 2014 it started up again. I picture the bodies piled up here, and they kept piling, and more and more families kept coming here asking for change. We have all these layers of oversight that doesn’t do anything.” She continued, “In 2016 Gustavo Nejera was killed by officer German Alveraz who’s standing right by the door.”

After the comments ended, CSO OC members and friends and family of Albert Arzola confronted Alveraz who was standing outside the council chambers. David Pulido said this to him: “You killed a 22-year-old for what? For throwing sand?” A coworker of Albert said, “You're the only gang here, and can kill people and get away with it.” Alveraz didn’t have much to say, but he was visibly shaken. He showed no remorse for his killing of Gustavo.

Throughout the whole night, residents of Anaheim, and other impacted families alike spoke in support of the Arzola family's demand to fire Nathan Garcia from the force. The entire chamber erupted in chants, yelling at the council and Anaheim Police Chief Manny Cid to fire killer cop Nathan Garcia. Many attendees who were there for other reasons rallied behind the demands. The community’s anger and distrust and ion with Anaheim PD grows stronger by the day.

#AnaheimCA #CA #OC #OrangeCounty #CSOOC #AlbertArzola #InjusticeSystem #OppressedNationalities #KillerCop #NathanGarcia

Minneapolis, MN – On Wednesday, April 22, the city of Minneapolis released a long-awaited after-action review examining the Minneapolis Police Department’s failures in the handling of the murder of Allison Lussier and the shooting of Davis Moturi.

Allison Lussier was a Native woman living in the North Loop of Minneapolis who called MPD more than six separate times to protect her from her abuser Chuck Foss. Despite her family and community making MPD aware of Foss’s potential connection to the case, MPD never called a crime scene unit to investigate and failed to interview witnesses or review surveillance footage. Chief O’Hara, without reviewing the findings of the medical examiner, immediately declared she had died of an overdose despite the lack of investigation.

There was similar neglect in Davis Moturi’s case. Moturi logged 19 separate complaints with MPD regarding racist harassment and threats from his white neighbor John Sawchak, and, leading up to the shooting, the Moturi household called MPD at least 38 times according to the report. Officers did not arrest Sawchak until five days after the attempt on Moturi’s life.

The findings confirmed what families, organizers, and community members have been saying for years: the system meant to protect the most vulnerable is failing, and without sustained public pressure, those failures are buried. This review did not come out of nowhere. It exists because Allison’s family and loved ones refused to stay silent. They organized, they pushed, and they forced this city to confront the truth.

Activists and community members listened as the City Auditor presented for nearly four hours to a joint meeting of the Audit Committee and the Minneapolis City Council. What the City Auditor presented was beyond misconduct; the presentation showed MPD engaged in patterns of neglect and indifference toward non-white victims and that these failures show up in every level of the department’s functioning.

The audit revealed that MPD did not request the Medical Examiner’s report in Allison’s case until nearly two years later and only after the Auditor attempted to obtain it. Several officers outright refused to participate in the audit, including Sergeant Heyers, who was the detective assigned to Allison’s case. One officer who took early retirement before the auditor could speak to him reportedly said, “I’m not going to participate in the investigation.” Despite orders from leadership to participate, O’Hara chose not to enforce this order and as yet there have been no consequences for these officers.

When asked whether race played a role in how Allison’s case was handled, Chief O’Hara repeatedly dodged the question. Additionally, coordination between MPD and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office still had not been established even after months of public scrutiny and promises. O’Hara blamed these issues on understaffing, but a lack of staff does not explain why reports weren’t requested, why officers refused to cooperate and properly file reports, why families were ignored, or why accountability only shows up when the community forces it. MPD received a budget increase of over $5 million in addition to nearly $20 million in approved overtime in 2026, so the issue is clearly not a lean budget but a mismanagement of its resources.

Despite everything revealed in this audit, justice has still not been served. Allison Lussier’s killer has not been charged and MPD has yet to take full responsibility not just for failing her in the investigation, but for failing her before her murder and in how they communicated with the public afterward.

We also stand in solidarity with the family of Mariah Samuels, whose case reflects the same patterns. These are not isolated incidents. This is a pattern of neglect, especially when it comes to indigenous women, Black women, and marginalized communities. The families and community members demand a full direct apology, real consequences for officers who failed to act and investigate these cases, and immediate and meaningful investment in domestic violence response. Twin Cities Coalition for Justice will continue to highlight these cases and push for community control of the police so that cops are held accountable for these egregious failures.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #TCC4J #AllisonLussier #DavisMoturi #MariahSamuels #PoliceAccountability #InjusticeSystem #OppressedNationalities

Colorado Springs, CO – On May 2, the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) gathered in the parking lot of the McDonald’s where Benjamin “Benji” Greenfield was shot and killed by the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD). The gathering was a planned vigil called by Greenfield’s family. Around 20 people gathered to remember Benji and to protest against the police killing.

On April 4, three officers unloaded a total of 20 bullets into the car Greenfield was in, killing him. CSPD had deemed Greenfield a “suspicious individual,” and officers assumed he had some sort of weapon. Only one of the three officers’ body cam footage was released, and it was done without the family’s consent. All three officers have yet to face any consequences for their violent actions.

At the beginning of the vigil, loved ones of Greenfield and members of COSAARPR chanted their outrage for Benji’s wrongful death, shouting “Justice for Benji” and “Jail killer cops.” People had taken a small part of the parking lot away from the building while McDonald’s customers drove by offering support. The family called for a quick march around the block continuing the chants for accountability and justice, but when the march came back to the site of the killing, two officers, reportedly called by McDonald’s management, had arrived to shut down the vigil. However, the crowd was not intimidated and refused to be pushed out.

The people chased the officers into the restaurant shouting for them to leave and shaming them for working for CSPD. More police arrived, but the family and the members of COSAARPR continued to hold their ground. Officers escalated the situation without warning, grabbing and arresting a close friend of Benji, Flaca Archulea, and, soon after, arresting the chair of COSAARPR, Brandon Rincon, and member of COSAARPR, Luna Lesterud.

The crowd demanded their immediate release but was ignored. All three were taken to CSPD headquarters where they were cited for trespassing. Lesterud was also cited for interfering with a public official. Folks from the vigil followed them to CSPD headquarters to meet them and ensure their safe release. Their court dates will be May 26.

#ColoradoSpringsCO #CO #InJusticeSystem #COSAARPR

Los Ángeles, CA – En la mañana de abril 20, el movimiento contra los crímenes policiales en Los Ángeles ganó una gran victoria ya que un juez dictó que el caso civil de Joseph Perez contra la Ciudad de Los Ángeles iba a proceder. Docenas – principalmente chicanos, afroamericanos, e incluso coreanos que han sufrido violencia policial y están en las calles luchando en contra – llenaron el Juzgado Stanley Mosk para exigir justicia por Joseph Perez.

En 2020, Joseph Perez fue brutalmente golpeado por miembros de pandillas de ayudantes del sheriff usando el nombre “Indians” y quienes operaban desde la estación del Sheriff de City of Industry. Una pandilla de ayudantes de sheriff está conformada por oficiales policiales que participan en golpizas, plantar evidencia, e incluso ejecuciones extrajudiciales. Los oficiales pandilleros se identifican uno al otro con un tatuaje de la pandilla, el cual consiguen cometiendo crímenes en el fomento de su pandilla. Algunas pandillas como los “Banditos” de la subestación del Sheriff del Éste de los Ángeles y los “Executioners” de la subestación de Compton son conocidos a nivel nacional e incluso internacional por sus crímenes. Los Indians de Industry son bien conocidos por aquellos que aterrorizan pero son una de las pandillas más nuevas.

El Condado de LA quería que este caso civil fuera denegado pero Vanessa Perez, la madre de Joseph Perez, y sus defensores lucharon contra el condado. El juez dictó que el caso pasará a juicio en septiembre de 2027, una gran victoria y lo que Vanessa Perez quería.

El Noticiero ¡Lucha y Resiste! entrevistó a Vanessa Perez en los escalones del juzgado inmediatamente después del fallo.

¡Lucha y Resiste!: Estamos afuera del juzgado con Vanessa Perez, ¿puedes decirnos qué ocurrió hoy?

Vanessa Perez: El juez fue y acordó que avanzaremos al siguiente paso y volveremos a la corte por Joseph. El siguiente paso que vamos a conseguir es el descubrimiento y averiguaremos qué le hicieron a Joseph.

¡Lucha y Resiste!: ¿Lo que quieren es que el Condado de los Ángeles y el Departamento de Sheriff de Los Ángeles sean llevados a juicio por lo que le hicieron a Joseph?

Perez: Sí, básicamente. Queremos la verdad.

¡Lucha y Resiste!: ¿Cómo se ve la justicia para usted?

Perez: Lo que le pedimos al juez hoy fue que dejara que el caso avanzara para mejor entender lo que le pasó a Joseph. Joseph es una persona de piel morena con problemas de desarrollo y de salud mental. Él es el tipo exacto de persona que es estadísticamente más probable de sufrir violencia policial en su vida. El sistema de justicia debería ser flexible con personas como Joseph para que estos casos puedan ser escuchados y la policía sea responsabilizada por abusar a personas vulnerables como mi hijo. Hoy estamos luchando por Joseph para que algo pueda terminar de forma diferente para otros como él, para que la próxima madre que llame al 911 buscando ayuda para su hijo en crisis no tenga que tener miedo de que algo terrible le pase como lo que le hicieron a Joseph. Vamos a continuar luchando adentro y afuera de este juzgado hasta que veamos que ese mundo sea una realidad.

¡Lucha y Resiste!: ¿Hay algo más que quisiera añadir?

Perez: Hemos estado intentando lo posible para conseguir justicia para Joseph Perez pero el sistema no está hecho para personas como él. En vez de recibir la asistencia física y mental que él necesitaba, pasó dos años encarcelado por la golpiza que recibió mientras que estos oficiales pandilleros están golpeando a otros niños allá afuera.

El oficial Shawn Merrick y el oficial Adam Nelson ambos son miembros confirmados de la pandilla Industry Indians. Ellos junto a sus aprendices Jake Adamo y Sabastian Pombal golpearon a Joseph Perez. También golpean a adolescentes jóvenes afuera de una bolera de Montclair donde los oficiales fueron arrestados y Merrick y Nelson admitieron ser parte de una pandilla. Estos cuatro agentes fueron despedidos. Vincent Rodriguez, Paul Saldana, y Abraham Rivera son otros oficiales que golpearon a Joseph Perez y siguen siendo policías.

Centro CSO – una organización comunitaria que lucha contra los crímenes policiales en Boyle Heights y el Este de los Ángeles – han apoyado a Vanessa Perez en su lucha por la justicia. En diciembre de 2025, hicieron historia juntos al tener la primera protesta afuera de la estación de Sheriff de Industry. Para seguir al tanto de esta lucha por la justicia, sigan a @JusticeforJosephPerez y @CentroCSO.

#LosAngelesCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #CentroCSO

Brooklyn, NY — Dedicated community members and activists gathered at the NYPD’s 71st Precinct on Thursday, April 30, to once again demand Justice for Eudes Pierre. The New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NYAARPR) organized this protest along with Pierre’s family to demand that the cops who murdered Pierre be fired and charged with murder.

Eudes Pierre was a 26-year-old Haitian American man who called 911 in the midst of a mental health crisis on December 20, 2021. Instead of being met with compassion and care, he was murdered by the NYPD officers who answered that call.

The NYPD’s disciplinary board, the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), ultimately ruled that the officers acted within NYPD guidelines. Furthermore, New York’s Attorney General Letitia James declined to pursue any criminal charges against the officers. The outcome of Pierre’s case is all too common for victims and survivors of police brutality — the officers face no accountability or consequences, and families are given no modicum of justice for their loved ones.

“It should not be difficult to see an egregious murder committed by the NYPD and call it what it is,” said Shivani Ishwar, the chair of NYAARPR. They went on to highlight Officers Peter Lan and Conrado Abreu-Gerez, who were responsible for Pierre’s murder, yet continue to serve on the NYPD and have been professionally rewarded. “We demand that killer cops face immediate consequences, starting with being fired from the force and jailed for their crimes.”

Jasmine Fox, also from the New York Alliance stated, “With community control, the police won’t answer to a commissioner in an ivory tower,” she said. “They will answer to the youth in the subway. They will answer to the mothers on our block. They will answer to the family of Eudes Pierre!”

The protest directly confronted the cops at the 71st Precinct, with chants of “NYPD kills on patrol! How do we stop them? Community control!” Protesters also used cowbells and pots and pans to create loud noises, amplifying their message and attracting the attention of passersby.

The New York Alliance and Pierre’s family will continue to protest at the 71st Precinct on the last Thursday of every month, pledging to continue demanding justice, honoring Eudes Pierre’s memory, and advocating for community control of the police.

#BrooklynNY #NY #InJusticeSystem #NYAARPR

Washington, D.C. – Around 50 activists and community members gathered on Monday, April 27 at Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) 4th District Precinct for a justice vigil held in honor of Isaac Carlos Aguirre, a 19-year-old who was found hanging from a tree outside of the precinct two weeks before.

Hosted by the DC Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (DCAARPR) and Movimiento Migrantes DC (MMDC), the vigil was the second action at the station to demand answers over Isaac Aguirre’s suspicious death, and was called to put more pressure on MPD after they refused to give answers to Aguirre’s family, who traveled over 36 hours to seek information.

The MPD 4th District is known by locals to be a hot spot of police terror in the community. It's where Karon Hylton Brown, a 20-year-old Black man, was killed by MPD in 2020, and where the murderer of Lazarus Wilson, killer cop Jason Bagshaw, is currently stationed.

The vigil began by the tree where schoolchildren found Isaac’s body. Merawi Gerima, a member of DCAARPR, stated, “What we have organized today is a vigil to raise up the name Issac Aguirre. To honor him and to reclaim this ground back into the fold of the people who loved him most, rather than the police who in my opinion, violated him, his name, and his family.”

Gerima and the co-emcee read statements from Isaac's father, friends and teachers who could not make it due to distance. His loved ones remembered him fondly and noted that he moved across the country from Arizona to Washington D.C. to start a new life.

The crowd then marched from the tree and around the perimeter of the police precinct building before stopping in front to continue the rest of the program in the streets, right in the middle of the busy Georgia Avenue during rush hour.

A community member spoke about her experience with 4th District cops a few blocks away, near Walmart. She said she was pulled over for using her phone while driving, and the police yanked her and her 15-year-old daughter out of the car. The cops then proceeded to beat her and her daughter so badly they had to go to the emergency room.

Gerima stated, “The same officers that neglected Isaac, the same ones who are covering up his death, are the same ones running up and down these streets brutalizing Black people,” while pointing at the police station behind them and yelling “shame.”

MPD officers, including killer cop Jason Bagshaw, watched from behind the glass windows of the building. Protesters chanted, “Indict, convict, send these killer cops to jail. The whole damn system is guilty as hell!”

An organizer from MMDC then spoke, “For nearly a year, we have seen MPD willingly collaborate with federal agents to kidnap our neighbors across the District. They have racially profiled and torn our families apart, so when a young Latino child is found hanging lifelessly from a tree next to a police station, of course we will ask questions and, of course, we will demand answers.”

They continued, “We are here to honor him, to remind each of us that we must lean onto each other, that we all have a responsibility to love and protect each other for a better world.” As the event ended, community members lit candles and left offerings at the tree in honor of Isaac.

Shortly after, organizers packed up their cars and, while driving past the front of the station, noticed that the vigil items were gone. Just a few blocks down the road, they saw a gang of police officers and federal agents pulling over a Black man for tinted windows. The organizers turned around and got out of their cars to begin filming and demanded the release of the young man.

Several other community members came out of their homes to confront the police over the wrongful arrest. Despite the community pressure and the young man asserting his rights, police cuffed him and took him away to another precinct. The organizers followed the police van to the station to continue offering support to the young man. He was released the next day with a citation. The organizers plan to attend his upcoming court date and reaffirmed their commitment to the struggle for community control of the police to get justice for the motorist, for Isaac Aguirre, and countless others who have been wronged by police in DC.

Follow @dcaarpr and @_movimientodc on Instagram for up-to-date information on Isaac’s case and the fight for community control.

#WashingtonDC #InJusticeSystem

Oakland, CA – On April 25, around 20 community members attended a cookout and rally at Arroyo Viejo Park in East Oakland. The gathering was organized by the Oakland Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression to raise funds for the second independent autopsy of Jalani Lovett, who died in custody at Los Angeles Men’s Central Jail in 2021.

Community members bonded at Arroyo Viejo Park over food, music and an educational program about police violence and deputy gangs in Los Angeles. Jalani Lovett and his mother lived in East Oakland for years before Jalani moved to LA to start his music career.

Lovett died under suspicious circumstances after being held in solitary confinement. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner labeled Lovett’s death as a drug overdose, despite his body showing severe signs of physical trauma that were omitted from the autopsy report.

Terry Lovett, Jalani’s mother, who has been fighting for a proper investigation into her son’s death for four years, stated, “Nobody should go to jail and lose their life. Jail is not a death sentence.” Terry believes a second autopsy could help her get the case reopened after it was dismissed for lack of evidence of foul play.

Xa’miel Thompson, treasurer of the Oakland Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, emphasized the cases of brutality in the jail, saying, “LA Men’s Central Jail is known for numerous white supremacist Sheriff Deputy gangs who engage in ritualistic torture and murder of Black and brown inmates.”

Jules Damey from Oakland Jericho, an organization fighting to free political prisoners, said, “This same system kills our comrades on the inside. They face countless human rights violations from brutality from guards, indefinite solitary confinement holds, having medical treatment withheld, and not being provided adequate nutrition.”

“We have to understand that the only way we are going to justice for our people in the jails and our streets is to build the struggle for community control of the police, a historic demand of the Black Liberation movement, of the Black Panther Party, and other oppressed people's movements. We want LA Men's Central Jail shut down until there is real accountability for the inhumane conditions, torture and deaths,” said Romaine Charite of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

#OaklandCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #KillerCops #NAARPR #OAARPR

Anaheim, CA – Rosie Camacho approached the Anaheim City Council podium, April 21, clutching a woven doll to her chest. Camacho was Albert Arzola’s mother, and the doll symbolized the spirit of her son.

Camacho said, “December 6 will never be the same. The people that were supposed to take care of him murdered him! They murdered my son, right in front of my eyes! And you want me to trust them?”

Camacho continued, “I need to know who shot my son! I bet you he’s still on the police force doing his job, trying to kill the next person.”

Twelve members of Albert’s family, along with members of Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC), demanded justice at Anaheim City Council. In a victory for the family, and after months of public pressure, by the end of the council meeting Mayor Ashleigh Aitken announced that the killer cop’s name was released to the Arzola family’s attorneys. Aitken also asked City Attorney Robert Fabela for progress on the release of the autopsy report. The struggle for other demands continues, including the public release of the killer cop’s name, his firing from the Department, and more.

Grace Arzola, aunt of Albert Arzola, said, “Albert was killed at 9:32 p.m. As a lifetime resident of Anaheim, on Sunday, I was here and the Disney fireworks were going off. It dawned on me that my nephew sat on the ground, losing his life, and less than a mile away, you guys had fireworks. The comparison that less than a mile makes in the way we get treated.”

Adlai Carrillo said that the night Albert was killed by Anaheim PD, no one called for police. The officers who killed Albert were on a so-called “gang suppression patrol.” Carrillo said, “We all know what these patrols have become: a tool used to target, discriminate against, and harass people in underserved communities under the label of ‘proactive policing’. And because of that, officers ‘made contact’ with Albert without any legitimate reason.” Carrillo said, “Why did your officer jump out of his car with his gun already drawn? Finger already on the trigger, ready to fire before assessing anything?”

Grace Arzola explained how the second officer who ambushed Albert that night never activated his body camera. She said, “If he’s still on the force and working, why hasn’t he been fired? That is something so crucial. That’s why you guys gave them those cameras: to show the transparency of the whole incident. But in the most important moment, when you take someone’s life away, his camera was off? And now you guys wanna put us under surveillance? This is a joke!”

Arzola was referring to a city council decision to approve automatic license plate reader equipment. This technology is marketed as a way to reduce crime, but in reality it is used to surveil the public and in cities across the country, data has been shared with federal agencies like ICE. Later that night, Anaheim City Council unanimously voted to approve the equipment at the cost of $736,344, despite public outcry.

Marie Flores Cofinco connected past to present when she spoke on the 2016 Anaheim PD killing of Fermin Vincent Valenzuela. “I am here to remind the city of Anaheim, to remind the councilmembers and the mayor of the murder of my nephew: Fermin Vincent Valenzuela. On July 2, 2016, officer Daniel Wolfe strangled my nephew to death with the help of officer Woojin Jun, under the supervision of Sergeant Daniel Gonzalez.” Cofinco said, “Sergeant Gonzalez supervised and gave instructions to Daniel Wolfe telling him to ‘Hold that choke. Hold that choke. Hold that choke.’”

According to Cofinco, during the trial, about 40 to 50 uniformed Anaheim police officers entered the courtroom in an attempt to intimidate Valenzuela’s family. But in the end the city was forced to pay $13.2 million to Valenzuela’s children.

CSO member David Pulido said, “You are hiding the identity of Albert’s killer. You are hiding the fact that Anaheim PD is filled with killers. The officer who killed Marcel Ceja in 2011 is still on the force. His name is David Garcia. The officers who killed Fermin Vincent Valenzuela are still on the force. Their names are Woojin Jun and Daniel Wolfe. The officer who killed Joel Acevedo in 2012 and Caesar Cruz in 2009 is still on the force. His name is Kelly Phillips. I know this because CSO recently secured the updated rosters for Anaheim PD.”

Pearl Arzola, Albert’s sister, brought up the fact that the city tried to hide the officer’s name by claiming unproven threats to the killer cop’s life. She said, “How are we threatening you guys? All we are demanding is justice. Justice for my brother is not a threat! You guys have guns. We don’t have guns!”

Pulido concluded his comment saying, “For decades Anaheim and its police have stood in the way of justice for families. That is why CSO fights for community control of the police. We have to build our own power to hold police accountable. Your Police Review Board was a start but it didn’t go far enough. We need a democratically elected commission with the power to discipline and fire killer cops. Justice for Albert Arzola! Justice for Fermin Vincent Valenzuela! Justice for Joey Acevedo!”

#AnaheimCA #CA #OrangeCounty #CSOOC #AlbertArzola #InjusticeSystem #KillerCop

Detroit, MI – On Saturday, April 18, the Detroit Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression held a rally at the corner of Clark Avenue and West Fisher Service Drive to demand that the Detroit City Council pass the People’s Bodycam Ordinance, a progressive city ordinance that would force the police to release body-worn camera footage from incidents of police violence. Banners were held by the road and over the highway overpass, with the slogans. “Stop protecting killer cops! Pass the People’s Bodycam Ordinance!” Protesters at the rally chanted, “When killer cops are on patrol, what’s the answer? Community control!”

Ten minutes into the rally, protesters were confronted by the Detroit Police Department, who insisted that the holding of a banner over the highway overpass was unlawful, and that several protesters would be issued citations for taking part in setting up the banner.

When pressed, none of the police officers were able to find the specific language stating that the display of a banner in such a fashion was illegal. Nevertheless, they stayed at the scene for 45 minutes, eventually confiscating the banner held on the overpass and informing protesters that they would be issued citations in the mail. During this time, the crowd continued chanting, this time directly at the police: “Biggest threat to the block? The chief and his racist cops!”

After an hour of chanting, Marcel Ulacia of DAARPR spoke about the People’s Bodycam Ordinance and its place in the larger struggle against police violence, stating, “This is year two of our struggle, and we’re in it for the long run. And it doesn’t end at our bodycam ordinance; our end goal is to fully establish community control of DPD and finally put them on the leash they’ve been needing since the founding of their institution.”

Kassandra Rodriguez from El Comité de Acción Comunitaria de Detroit told the crowd, “We will not stand aside while our city government surrenders our communities to ICE and police violence. Our city needs to serve us, and we, the people, should be the ones deciding how our communities get policed.”

Last to speak was Jacob Smith of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, who stated, “We need the People's Bodycam Ordinance so that the public can make their own judgement calls on police conduct, and we need to establish community control of the police so we can properly discipline these rabid dogs when they step out of line!”

After the speeches, protesters continued chanting for an additional half hour in defiance of the repression enacted by the Detroit Police Department.

#DetroitMI #MI #InjusticeSystem #PoliceAccountability #Bodycam #DAARPR

Toledo has been wrongly charged with misdemeanor assault, battery and false imprisonment. Another charge, “conspiracy” to commit a crime, is still being weighed by the district attorney. It’s clear that administrators see this as an opportunity to try to take down an effective organizer who has been a thorn in their side for the last three years and as revenge for the 2024 Siemens Hall occupation since they failed to successfully charge the students who were involved at the time.

After entering the courtroom, Toledo pleaded not guilty. A trial date has been set for July 13.

About 25 supporters of Toledo gathered with protest signs for a rally outside the courthouse around 12:30 p.m. in preparation for the 1:30 hearing. Supporters marched in beside Toledo with their protest signs and joined him in the waiting room. Before the hearing began, court officials announced new restrictions, including a ban on protest signs and cell phone use. Supporters say court staff also attempted to limit how many people could enter the courtroom. When that proved difficult, Toledo’s case was called first.

Toledo was represented by attorney Matthew Kellegrew of the Civil Liberties Defense Center. When he approached the judge he quickly entered a plea of not guilty. Three bailiffs were stationed inside the small courtroom during the proceedings, an unusual show of force. Supporters also reported that a university administrator was present to observe who attended the hearing and left after the case was called.

“Cal Poly Humboldt has been trying to silence student organizers for years,” said Toledo. “These charges are an attempt to criminalize protest and scare people into backing down. It won’t work.”

Supporters say the court’s response shows the impact of organized pressure and the power of the people.

“The fact that they suddenly changed the rules and packed the courtroom with bailiffs shows they’re nervous,” said supporter Kyle Berryman at the courthouse. “They see that people are paying attention, and they know we’re not going away.”

Another attendee, Pat Kanzler stated, “Students stood up for Palestine and now they’re being targeted. This is what happens when you challenge institutions that support war and oppression.”

Toledo, who has organized at Cal Poly Humboldt with Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) for three years, says the fight is bigger than one case.

“This is about defending the right to protest,” Toledo said. “It’s about standing against repression and standing with Palestine. We’re going to keep organizing until these charges are dropped.”

During the hearing, hundreds of people from all over the country called the court in support of Toledo demanding that the charges be dropped immediately. Supporters say they will continue mobilizing ahead of the July 13 trial and are calling on people across the country to continue to speak out against these repressive politically motivated charges and fight back until the charges are dropped!

#EurekaCA #CA #Humboldt #StudentMovement #RickToledo #InjusticeSystem #SDS #CalPolyHumboldt #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #Featured

Los Angeles, CA – On the morning of April 20, the movement against police crimes in Los Angeles won a major victory as a judge ruled that Joseph Perez’s civil case against the City of Los Angeles would proceed. Dozens – mainly Chicanos, African Americans and even Koreans who have experienced police violence and are on the ground in Los Angeles fighting back – packed the Stanley Mosk Courthouse to demand justice for Joseph Perez.

In 2020, Joseph Perez was brutally beaten by sheriff deputy gang members using the name “Indians” and who operated out of the City of Industry Sheriff's Station. A deputy gang is made up of police officers who participate in beatings, planting of evidence, and even extrajudicial executions. The deputy gangsters identify each other with a deputy gang tattoo, which they earn by committing crimes in the furtherance of their gang. Some deputy gangs like the “Banditos” out of the East Los Angeles sheriff’s substation and the “Executioners” out of Compton substation are known nationally and even internationally for their crimes. The Industry Indians are well known to those who they terrorize but are one of the newer deputy gangs.

LA County wanted this civil case to be dismissed but Vanessa Perez, the mother of Joseph Perez, and their supporters struck a blow to the county. The judge ruled that the case will move on to trial in September of 2027, a big win and what Vanessa Perez wanted.

Fight Back! interviewed Vanessa Perez on the courthouse steps immediately after the ruling.

Fight Back!: We’re outside the courthouse with Vanessa Perez, can you let us know what happened today?

Vanessa Perez: The judge went ahead and agreed that we will move forward to the next step and we’re coming back to court for Joseph. The next step we’re going to end up getting is the discovery and we will find out what they did to Joseph.

Fight Back!: What you want is that that Los Angeles County and the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department be put on trial for what they did to Joseph?

Perez: Yes, pretty much. We want the truth.

Fight Back!: What does justice look like to you?

Perez: What we asked the judge today is to allow the case to move forward so that we can understand better what happened to Joseph. Joseph is a person of brown skin with development issues and mental health issues. He is the exact kind of person who is statistically more likely to experience police violence in his lifetime. The justice system should be flexible with people like Joseph so these cases can be heard and the police can be held accountable for abusing vulnerable people like my son. Today we are fighting for Joseph so something might go differently for others like him, so that the next mother who calls 911 seeking help for their child in crisis doesn't have to be afraid that something terrible will happen like what they did to Joseph. We will continue to fight in and out of this courtroom until we see that world become a reality.

Fight Back!: Is there anything else you would want to add?

Perez: We have been trying our best to get justice for Joseph Perez but the system is not built for people like him. Instead of getting physical and mental healthcare that he needed, he spent two years incarcerated for the beating that was done to him while these deputy gang members are beating other kids out here.

Deputy Shawn Merrick and Deputy Adam Nelson are both confirmed Industry Indians deputy gang members. Together with their trainees Jake Adamo and Sabastian Pombal, they beat Joseph Perez. They also beat young teens outside of a Montclair bowling alley where the deputies were arrested and Merrick and Nelson admitted to being part of a deputy gang. These four deputies were later fired. Vincent Rodriguez, Paul Saldana and Abraham Rivera are other deputies who beat Joseph Perez and are still on duty.

Centro CSO – a community organization that fights back against police crimes in Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles – has supported Vanessa Perez in her fight for justice. In December of 2025, they made history together by having the first protest outside of the Industry Sheriff’s Station. To stay updated with this fight for justice, follow @JusticeforJosephPerez and @CentroCSO.

#LosAngelesCA #CA #JosephPerez #InjusticeSystem #OppressedNationalities #KillerCop #LASD #CentroCSO #CSO

Fight Back News Service and the Committee to Stop FBI Repression are circulating the following call to action from Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network.

On May 27, 2025, three organizers, including two Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network members, were unjustly arrested by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) after being targeted during a city council meeting. Conor Cauley was violently attacked by JSO officers, and is facing up to 10 years in prison for felony charges of resisting arrest with violence and battery of a law enforcement officer. Activists Leah Grady and Dragon Belloit were also arrested.

Videos of the arrest clearly show that the only violence came from JSO officers. These are trumped-up, bogus charges. Sheriff T.K. Waters publicly stated he wants to make an example out of these activists in order to silence people who use their right to protest Jacksonville’s involvement in the genocide of Palestinians.

With one week to go before Conor’s trial, we need to be louder than ever to demand that these charges get dropped. Every single call helps!

Please call and email the office of State Attorney Melissa Nelson and Prosecutor Kelli Lynn Shobe at (904) 255-2500 – press 0 to reach the front desk and ask to leave a message for Nelson or Shobe.

You can email them at SAO4th@coj.net and kshobe@coj.net

Here is a sample script for calls or emails:

Hello, my name is [FIRST NAME, LAST NAME], and I am a resident of [CITY, STATE]. On May 27, 2025, three community members, Conor Cauley, Leah Grady, and Dragon Belloit, were arrested and brutalized during a city council meeting simply for speaking up against the genocide of Gaza. Thousands witnessed the viral video in which one member of the Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network, Conor, was violently grabbed by the neck and flipped over a row of benches. Yet, the State Attorney’s Office has persisted in launching a campaign of clear political repression by targeting Conor with two felony charges. No jury of our peers would convict someone who JSO threw over a row of chairs and the State Attorney’s Ofice is wasting taxpayer time and money by refusing to drop these charges. I am calling to demand that sheriff T.K. Waters fire both the arresting officers, Maykel Aliaga-Ruiz and Donovan Davis, and that State Attorney Melissa Nelson drop all charges against Conor Cauley, Leah Grady, and Dragon Belloit immediately.

#JacksonvilleFL #FL #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #CSFR #Featured

Los Ángeles, CA – Durante las primeras horas de la mañana del 1 de abril, oficiales del Departamento del Sheriff del Este de Los Ángeles le dispararon y mataron a Erik Torres, de 29 años, mientras él atravesaba una crisis de salud mental. Aunque Torres no estaba armado y necesitaba ayuda, los oficiales lo asesinaron.

Los medios de comunicación locales reportaron incorrectamente que hubo un intercambio de disparos entre Torres y los oficiales, lo que provocó un enfrentamiento de varias horas. Sin embargo, este informe inicial de que Torres estaba armado y de que hubo un intercambio de disparos con los oficiales ha resultado ser falso.

El caso ahora está siendo investigado por el Departamento de Justicia de California y el Fiscal General Rob Bonta, conforme a la Ley 1506 de la Asamblea de California (AB 1506), la cual exige que el departamento investigue “todos los incidentes de disparos en el estado que involucren a un oficial y que resulten en la muerte de un civil desarmado”, según el sitio web de la Oficina del Fiscal General.

Incluso los oficiales del Departamento del Sheriff de Los Ángeles han tenido que admitir esto: Erik Torres no tenía un arma cuando le dispararon y lo mataron, y no hubo ningún “intercambio de disparos”. El Departamento del Sheriff de Los Ángeles asesinó a sangre fría a Erick Torres.

Después del fatal tiroteo, miembros de Centro CSO se pusieron en contacto con la familia, quienes de inmediato rechazaron la narrativa que impulsaban los medios y el departamento. El hermano de Torres dejó claro que los oficiales del Departamento del Sheriff habían respondido regularmente a llamadas en la residencia de los Torres y estaban al tanto de los problemas de salud mental de su hermano. La noche del incidente, la familia les informó a los oficiales que Torres no estaba armado, pero los oficiales ignoraron esta información y lo mataron a pesar de eso.

Chicanos en el Este de la ciudad saben muy bien que la Estación del Sheriff del Este de Los Ángeles – hogar de la pandilla Banditos – es famosa por el comportamiento agresivo y violento de sus oficiales y por su larga historia de matar a jóvenes chicanos. Oficiales de la Estación del Este de Los Ángeles han matado en el pasado a personas sufriendo crisis de salud mental, en lugar de brindarles la ayuda que merecen.

#LosAngelesCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #OppressedNationalities #ChicanoLatino #CentroCSO

New York, NY – Organizers from the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Oppression held a speakout outside New York City Hall on Friday, April 18, to protest the dramatic rise in police violence against Black men across the city since the beginning of April.

New York Alliance Chair Shivani Ishwar noted that, in April alone, the NYPD has shot three Black men – Lucien Colon, Carlos Santiago and Anthony Griffin – and maimed another, Timothy Brown, in a racist attack in downtown Brooklyn.

The speakout began on the corner of Center and Chamber Streets, where members of the New York Alliance handed out flyers, gave fiery speeches, and connected New Yorkers to their campaign for community control of the police.

Organizers staged their protest near a busy subway station, where they were able to take advantage of rush-hour traffic to educate the community about police violence and the struggle for community control.

“We are here today because we demand justice for Lucien Colon, Carlos Santiago and Anthony Griffin,” NYAARPR organizer Quinn Hughes. “We are here to say that we refuse these conditions. Our demands are clear. We call on Mayor Zohran Mamdani to fire and arrest these officers, justice for all victims of police violence, and community control now.”

In her speech, NYAARPR organizer Ruby Doswell said there are “no excuses for the police to kill a man.”

“Police should not feel comfortable enough to kill a person in any circumstance,” Doswell said. “It’s no coincidence that Black and brown men are consistently met with violence and force instead of de-escalation, care, or support.”

Organizers likewise observed this isn't a new phenomenon. They noted that the case of Eudes Pierre, another Black man shot and killed by the police in December of 2021, follows the exact same pattern of racist violence. As organizers wrapped up the action, they affirmed their commitment to continue the struggle for community control of the police, a fight which takes on renewed urgency under the recent wave of NYPD violence.

#NewYorkNY #NY #NYC #NYAARPR #NAARPR #InJusticeSystem #OppressedNationalities #KillerCop #EudesPierre

Washington, DC – On Monday, April 13, a man was found hanging from a tree behind the 4th District Police Station in Washington, DC. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers unceremoniously cut him down from the tree and carted him away.

Despite the alarming and suspicious nature of the case, no news station reported on it, and the police made no public statement. The only sources of information were videos posted to social media by community members showing the man's body hanging from a tree as officers scrambled to stop people from filming or taking pictures.

As alarm grew in the Black community in response to the videos of a possible lynching victim, concerned individuals began visiting and calling the police station looking for answers, including a journalist from the Washington Informer, the Neighborhood Commissioner, and the Councilwoman of Ward 4, Janeese Lewis George. The police refused to provide answers, saying only that they deemed it a suicide, without explaining why.

For three days, the police ignored the community and remained silent. On Thursday, April 16, the DC Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (DCAARPR) was notified about what appeared to be a police lynching of a Black man, though details were limited due to MPD stonewalling.

Within a few hours, DCAARPR took to social media and announced an emergency rally outside of 4th Disctict Police Station to demand answers. The post immediately went viral, given the horrific nature of the case and people's desire to fight back. Within an hour of the social media post, MPD finally was forced to make a public statement.

In their statement, they went out of their way to point out that the victim was a 19-year-old Latino man, not a Black man, in hopes of dulling people's anger and undercutting DCAARPR's planned rally. Despite their attempt to divide the community, a massive crowd of Black, brown and white people showed up at the police station the next day to give them hell.

During the rally, Kristen Bonner of DCAARPR spoke, stating, “MPD is telling us this is a suicide. We have reason not to believe them. We have reason not to trust them. They have not done anything for our communities that says they are protecting us – that says they are keeping us safe. If anything, they are the purveyors of violence and terror and racism in our communities, and to that we say shame!”

Tamira Benitez, 4B-05 Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner also spoke, “Three days have passed and we have no information. No email, no text, no phone call [from MPD]. When you go in person to get information, it’s like a burden to them.”

Benitez continued, “So we don’t need people like these, getting a shit ton of money out of our $22-plus billion budget to treat us like we’re nothing. As an ANC Commissioner, I don’t need to be friends with MPD to get the information I need to get.”

Merawi Gerima of DCAARPR stated, “If they say it's a suicide, we say show us the evidence. If their policies prohibit that, we say their policies are not good enough and that's why we're out here, because their policies allow them to kill us with impunity. Our policy is community control of the police so that we can hold them accountable in situations like this.”

When protesters realized that the Fourth District was also the precinct home of officer Jason Bagshaw, a known killer cop, they confronted him, chanting “It is right to rebel, Jason Bagshaw burn in hell!”

The demonstrators eventually took Georgia Avenue, one of the busiest streets in DC, in the middle of the city's notorious rush hour and marched for nearly a mile, attracting Black and brown people from the neighborhood to join them in chanting “Indict, convict, send these killer cops to jail, the whole damn system is guilty as hell!” and demanding community control of the police.

At the close of the rally, community members committed themselves to the struggle for community control of the police – on the journey towards transforming DC into a city where everyone can get their needs met.

#WashingtonDC #DC #InJusticeSystem #DCAARPR #NAARPR

Milwaukee, WI – On the evening of April 16, the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (MAARPR) won the first part of their 18-month campaign to implement a restrictive police vehicle pursuit policy.

After many months of deliberation and hearing demands from the community and allies of the campaign such as Black Leaders Organizing for Change (BLOC), the FPC unanimously passed a recommendation to Milwaukee Police Chief Norman to severely restrict car chases and include footage of car chases in the police department’s footage release policy for critical incidents. This victory was long fought for and hard won.

In the past, the FPC held power to pass, modify, or eliminate policy for the MPD. This was changed back in 2023, by the Wisconsin state GOP and other parties that oppose transparency and accountability via Act 12.

Act 12 was rapidly passed in reaction to MAARPR’s victory in the FPC with Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) 575 which standardized the release of body-worn cameras in critical incidents from the MPD. Ultimately, this clipped the policy-making power of the FPC. Now, only the police chief and common council can modify and write policies for the police. Despite these changes, the FPC is still a body that can investigate and recommend changes directly to the common council and police chief.

SOP 660 is the policy for when the MPD can initiate a high speed vehicle chase. As the policy currently stands, it is ambiguous and the police can initiate deadly chases for “crimes” as small as out-of-date registration. Former Police Chief Flynn put an end to vehicle pursuits, but over the last few years the MPD has begun using police chases again. This resulted in grave consequences.

In 2025 alone, there were ten deaths from or related to causes from the police chases. Out of the ten fatalities, six were innocent bystanders. Not only were they deadly, but settlements related to these chases cost the city hundreds of thousands of dollars. That money could have been used for traffic calming measures that stop reckless driving without killing people. MAARPR saw this as an opportunity to pick another fight for accountability and transparency from the MPD.

Now, Chief Norman will review the recommendation from the FPC and can accept or reject it. Organizers with MAARPR say they are not optimistic that Norman will accept the changes, but they are committed to seeing this campaign through. Over the next few months, they will canvass neighborhoods and gather community support to build pressure on elected officials to make change.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #InJusticeSystem #MAARPR

The New Orleans Alliance stands with Pro-Palestine student activist Rick Toledo. We demand no charges be filed against him for standing up for Palestine. On February 27, 2026, students held a sit-in at Cal Poly Tech Humboldt to demand the university divest from Israel. They bravely occupied a university building for 14 hours. We believe standing up against genocide and demanding divestment is the right thing to do.

For his participation in this action, the University is attempting to charge Rick with four bogus felonies: false imprisonment, conspiracy, battery, and assault. All for standing in a building. Together, these charges would carry 15 years of prison time. This is an outrageous attack against student free speech on campus, and a plot to scare activists into silence.

College protest is a long-standing tradition. The progressive demands of the student movement have played an important role in raising political consciousness across the country, especially the Palestine encampment movement of 2024. The encampment at Cal Poly Humboldt inspired young people across the world when it stood up against police repression. The attacks on Toledo, we believe, are also tied to this bold moment of resistance.

Since his arrest, the university has fired Rick from his teaching job. He spent time in jail without any charges and was eventually released on a 25K bond. University Police seized his electronics and tried to force him to give up passcodes, which he did not. He did the right thing, and activists can learn from his example of not telling the police a single thing.

We demand the witch hunt against Rick Toledo end immediately and no charges be filed. We uplift the public defense campaign by the Committee to Stop FBI Repression and urge organizations to:

1. Sign onto the letter by the Committee to Stop FBI repression: tinyurl.com/ricktoledosds

2. Write a statement in solidarity and submit it to stopFBI@gmail.com

3. Donate to Rick’s legal fund: tinyurl.com/toledoLDF

4. Plug in for a call-to-action on April 20 (Rick’s first hearing) by following @csfrstopfbi and @sds_humboldt

#NewOrleansLA #LA #InJusticeSystem #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #PoliticalRepression

Jacksonville, FL – On April 14, dozens of community members gathered on the steps of Jacksonville City Hall to demand the establishment of a permanent professional mental health team to respond to mental health crises, instead of police.

In 2025 the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office was responsible for more than five killings while responding to mental health crises. Concerned community members and mothers of the victims of this police violence led by the Jacksonville Community Action Committee made their voices heard.

Protesters demanded the creation of permanent mental health emergency response team professionals, for officers on mental health calls to radio-confirm deescalation and non-lethal force only, and consequences for cops that use excessive force.

“Mental health episode should not be a death sentence,” said Amelia Moss in her speech representing the Jacksonville Community Action Committee.

After the rally, the group headed into the city council chambers to reiterate their demands in the meeting's public comment section.

During the comment section of the meeting, the Jacksonville Community Action Committee showed solidarity with sister organization Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network by demanding the trumped-up politically motivated charges on fellow organizers be dropped.

Despite attempts at intimidation by city council members and the police, the people made their voices heard.

#JacksonvilleFL #FL #JCAC #PoliceAccountability #InjusticeSystem #OppressedNationalities

Santa Ana, CA – La tensión fue palpable el martes 17 de marzo, cuando residentes de Santa Ana, junto con la Organización de Servicios Comunitarios del Condado de Orange (CSO OC), asistieron a la sesión del Concejo Municipal. Exigieron que los policías asesinos Luis Casillas e Isaac Ibarra fueran despedidos del Departamento de Policía de Santa Ana (SAPD).

El 1 de diciembre de 2024, Noe Rodríguez fue asesinado por la Policía de Santa Ana. Jocelyn Pacheco, de CSO OC, declaró: “Noe Rodríguez estaba desarmado y atravesando una crisis de salud mental. Fue entonces cuando los agentes del SAPD, Luis Casillas e Isaac Ibarra, le dispararon 29 veces. Las imágenes de las cámaras corporales muestran que abrieron fuego apenas 30 segundos después de la llegada de los agentes”.

Hacia el final de la intervención de Pacheco, le cortaron el micrófono, a pesar de que solo se había pasado por 17 segundos del tiempo asignado. Los asistentes a la reunión gritaron: “¡Déjenla hablar!” y “¡Qué vergüenza!”.

Matthew Compton relató un incidente ocurrido con el agente Ibarra el 18 de febrero, afirmando: “Miembros de CSO, junto con la familia de Noe Rodríguez, se encontraban fuera del Departamento de Policía de Santa Ana grabando videos. Isaac Ibarra salió deliberadamente del departamento, justo hacia donde estábamos parados, en un intento de intimidarnos”.

Compton continuó: “Isaac nos dio un codazo tanto a mí como a otro miembro de CSO; más tarde me golpeó con el hombro y lanzó un golpe falso a otro miembro de CSO. Isaac es una persona sumamente inestable mentalmente y no se le debería permitir formar parte de la fuerza policial, y mucho menos portar armas letales”.

En respuesta a otros comentarios que expresaban inquietudes sobre el comportamiento del agente Ibarra, la alcaldesa Valerie Amezcua—quien recibe fondos de campaña de la Asociación de Agentes de Policía de Santa Ana—declaró lo siguiente: “Le pedí a mi esposo que viera ese video con el agente Ibarra, y sentí mucha pena por él”. Y continuó: “Creo que se comportó de una manera que me hizo exclamar: ‘¡Vaya!’. Es una situación difícil; él simplemente iba caminando hacia su auto”.

Familiares de víctimas de la violencia policial estuvieron presentes en la sesión, incluyendo a la familia de Noe Rodríguez y a la familia de Albert Arzola. Tenía solo 19 años cuando fue asesinado por agentes de la policía de Anaheim el 6 de diciembre de 2025.

Grace Arzola reprendió al concejo, declarando: “Valerie y Phil, el lenguaje corporal es todo. Ustedes están más preocupados por una carta constitutiva y por postes de luz que no reparan que por personas que están perdiendo la vida.” Arzola señaló que el alcalde no estaba prestando atención y permanecía encorvado durante los comentarios del público.

David Pulido, miembro de CSO OC, mencionó: “Luis Casillas mató a dos personas en el lapso de un mes. A Noe Rodríguez el 1 de diciembre de 2024 y a Henry González Jr. el 1 de enero de 2025. Casillas también estuvo involucrado en una brutal paliza a un menor de 15 años, Mario Díaz. A pesar de todos sus crímenes, SAPD no ha despedido a Luis Casillas; en su lugar, lo trasladaron de la patrulla a la división de crímenes contra las personas.”

Pulido concluyó: “¡Exigimos que Luis Casillas e Isaac Ibarra sean despedidos antes de que puedan volver a matar! Si no hacen nada, la sangre estará en sus manos. La sangre está en las manos del jefe de policía Robert Rodríguez. La sangre estará en sus manos, administrador de la ciudad Álvaro Núñez. La sangre estará en las manos de cualquier concejal que se oponga a la rendición de cuentas. ¡Ese será su legado, y nunca permitiremos que nadie lo olvide!” El público aplaudió y gritó porras.

Al finalizar la sesión, algunos concejales—como Jonathan Hernández—mostraron su apoyo al despido de Luis Casillas e Isaac Ibarra. Otros mostraron su desdén hacia los residentes de Santa Ana.

La familia de Noe Rodríguez, junto con CSO OC y residentes de Santa Ana, llevan más de un año luchando para obtener justicia para Noe Rodríguez. Los miembros de CSO declararon que no se detendrán hasta que Luis Casillas e Isaac Ibarra sean despedidos y encarcelados por sus crímenes.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #CSOOC

Oak Lawn, IL – On Wednesday, March 30, the Arab American Action Network (AAAN) led a disruption of the Oak Lawn Fire & Police Commission meeting to demand justice for Murod Kurdi, a young Arab man struck and killed outside his home in June 2023 by white drunk driver Leanne Cusack.

Cusack was released by Oak Lawn Police Department (OLPD) officers without a breathalyzer or blood test despite telling officers that she was driving drunk, leaving only with a traffic ticket that she nevertheless contested in court. After three years of monthly protests by Kurdi’s family, AAAN and other organizations and community members, the Oak Lawn Fire & Police Commissioners still refuse to hold Cusack truly accountable for killing Kurdi, or the OLPD officers for neglecting their duty.

As with past meetings, OLPD officers surrounded meeting attendees, ready to contain and remove anyone challenging the commission. The commissioners did not mention Kurdi or acknowledge those present and began to move the unusually short meeting to a close – despite the entirety of the non-commissioner participants were there to call for justice and police accountability.

In response, several meeting attendees stood up to reveal their shirts, each with the name of a commissioner, and put on pig masks. The protesters called out the racist practices and history of Oak Lawn towards the Arab community and other oppressed nationality residents until OLPD officers removed them from the building. One of the protesters repeatedly mocked one of the commissioners, saying, “My name is Jim Baker and I am a racist! I don’t care about what happens to the Arab residents in Oak Lawn.”

Another incident of racist violence involved three OLPD officers ganging up on 17-year-old teenager Hadi Abuatelah in 2022, breaking several of his ribs and putting him in a coma for weeks. Only in 2025, after consistent mobilization to commission meetings, did the Abuatelah family finally secure a partial victory in their struggle in the form of a settlement from Oak Lawn.

The family’s demand to charge the three officers with aggravated battery and official misconduct was denied when Cook County Prosecutor Eileen Burke dropped the charges a single day into taking office, signaling her intention to operate in political alignment with Oak Lawn in tolerating or encouraging police crimes directed at its nationally oppressed residents.

Burke has since become more infamous for her refusal to criminally charge Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, especially after their brutal attacks on immigrants in the Chicagoland area, such as the vicious murder of beloved community member Silverio Villegas Gonzales, and revenge shooting of Marimar Martinez for speaking out against ICE.

After the meeting, AAAN organizer Rania Salem called on attendees to continue showing up at the Oak Lawn Fire & Police Commission meetings on the first Wednesday of every month at 9446 Raymond Avenue, Oak Lawn, 60453, with the next one on Wednesday, May 6 at 5 p.m.

Salem said, “We will keep coming, month after month, to every Fire & Police Commission meeting until we get the justice Murod’s beloved family and our community deserves. So next month, it’ll hopefully be warm out again, bring your family and your friends, and we will see you soon again!”

In addition to organizing monthly protests, AAAN is gathering organizational and individual signatures calling on Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul to launch an investigation into the racist practices of Oak Lawn. Please sign on to the letter and its demands here.

#OakLawnIL #IL #AAAN #MurodKurdi #OppressedNationalities #InjusticeSystem