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

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

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

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

Brooklyn, NY – Dozens of community members gathered for a picket at the NYPD’s 71st Precinct in Brooklyn on March 31. In December 2021, 26-year-old Haitian American Eudes Pierre dialed 911 while experiencing a mental health crisis. Instead of assistance or care, officers Peter Lan and Conrado Abreu-Gerez from the 71st Precinct followed him in and out of a train station and to his home before shooting him ten times.

The murder of Eudes Pierre demonstrates how the NYPD continues to kill and brutalize the people of New York with near-impunity. Their violence falls disproportionately on Black, brown, immigrant and unhoused New Yorkers, as well as those experiencing mental health crises.

Abreu-Gerez continues to work at the 71st Precinct. The New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NYAARPR), along with Eudes Pierre’s family, organized the picket to confront Abreu-Gerez along with his associates and demand that he be immediately fired and prosecuted.

Daniel Koh of the New York Alliance described Abreu-Gerez’s history of violence before and after the murder of Eudes Pierre. Around eight months earlier, he was part of a mob of police officers who brutalized Isiah Day, fracturing his spine. Since the murder of Eudes Pierre, the NYPD awarded Abreu-Gerez five times for “excellent police duty” and once for “meritorious police duty.” Over the same period, he has had five additional complaints ranging from police brutality to abuse of authority.

The Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) ruled that Lan and Abreu-Gerez had acted “within NYPD guidelines.” Attorney General Letitia James declined to pursue charges against them. James is running this year for reelection to a third term. Her website calls her “the People’s Lawyer” and the “guardian of the legal rights of the people of New York.”

In their speech, NYAARPR Chair Shivani Ishwar addressed James directly, “You cannot be the People’s Lawyer if you don’t truly represent the people! You cannot win our vote while ignoring our demands!”

Attendees carried signs with a picture of Eudes Pierre on one side and a wanted poster of Conrado Abreu-Gerez on the other. Officers from the 71st Precinct watched the picket from the other side of their barricade, showing visible discomfort at the signs, speeches and chants which included “Fire killer cops!” and “How do you spell murderer? NYPD!”

To maintain and build pressure on the NYPD, the New York Alliance will continue to picket the 71st Precinct on the last Thursday of each month. The next picket will be at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 30. Along with Eudes Pierre’s family, the New York Alliance continues to fight for justice for Eudes Pierre and for community control of the police.

#NewYorkNY #NY #BrooklynNY #NYAARPR #EudesPierre #OppressedNationalities #InjusticeSystem #KillerCop

Anaheim, CA – On March 24, the family of Albert Arzola along with Community Service Organization (CSO OC) confronted the Anaheim City Council to show their anger with Anaheim Police Department.

Albert Arzola was murdered by the Anaheim Police Department on December 6, 2025. Since then, Anaheim PD has been harassing the Arzola family.

Pearl Arzola stated, “Since then we have been getting harassed daily by Anaheim PD. On February 24 during the city council, you guys lit up my house with headlights from police squad cars. On the 16th you guys lit up my cousin with a flashlight while he was taking out the trash. I want you guys to let us grieve in peace. Our neighbors can’t even throw a baptism without you guys harassing and keep flashing lights on them.”

Arzola’s anger and frustration grew as she said “It’s a fucking baptism, what are they gonna do? We're not out here having guns at baby showers. Anaheim police are fucking cowards. We can’t throw our own trash away?”

The anger that Arzola vocalized continued throughout the entire city council meeting. Christine Lopez had this to say, “After 21 emails to the mayor and no response. The family of Albert Arzola no longer wanted to meet with you. I validate the families frustration. Is the mayor really that busy? Perhaps you are, however the mayor works for us, the residents of Anaheim.”

Ariana Avalos continued, “My cousin was killed over graffiti he wasn’t even doing. You can see him standing on the other side of the street in the video. It’s nine dollars and 98 cents for graffiti removal at Lowe’s. My cousin’s life was not worth nine dollars and 98 cents. 25 dollars for a paint bucket at Home Depot. My cousin’s life was not worth 25 dollars.”

Most of the city council members were not even paying attention to the comments of the Arzola family. Despite this lack of attention, the residents of Anaheim showed immense support. Many of the Anaheim hills residents, who came on their own volition, called for “Justice for Albert” and raised the demands of the family including releasing the names of the officers who killed him.

Jocelyn Pacheco, a member of CSO OC’s police accountability committee told the council, “The gang unit officers said they were on suppression patrol, yet even they admit they don’t know why they tried to make contact with Albert and his friends. Nine days later the department said the reason for the encounter was still being determined. Three months later the names of the officers and body cam footage has still not been released despite the family and community members advocating for those details to be released.”

David Pulido, a member of CSO OC, pointed out the racist comments of Anaheim’s Police Chief Manuel Cid, stating, “He openly said African Americans commit more crimes than whites. The truth is that African Americans, Chicanos, indigenous peoples are over policed, and over sentenced. Killed more often than whites. The mayor said nothing to correct him that day; I remember. You just stood there.” Pulido’s comments were backed up with shouts of “shame!” from the crowd.

The council meeting ended with many questions left unanswered. The lies, lack of communication, and the family's demands remain. However, this hasn’t discouraged community members nor the family of Albert Arzola. They commented that they will keep coming back and keep fighting for justice, and will not be intimated by Anaheim PD.

#AnaheimCA #CA #OrangeCounty #CSO #AlbertArzola #InjusticeSystem #KillerCop

Colorado Springs, CO – On February 25, the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) gathered with the family of Alex Martinez-Sarmiento in front of the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s office to demand justice for Alex, and that DA Michael Allen move to indict his killer, officer Connor Jacob Wallick. Over 20 people gathered, including several of Alex’s siblings, nieces and nephews, friends, his mother, and his young daughter who is now growing up without her dad.

On July 5, 2025, CSPD’s Downtown Area Response Team responded to a call about a conflict outside of busy nightclubs at around 1 a.m. Based on surveillance footage from the Real Time Crime Lab, responding officers believed Alex Martinez Sarmiento was armed. When officer Connor Wallick approached with his gun drawn, yelling “Get your fucking hands up,” Alex, who did not have a gun in his hand, ran in fear and Wallick opened fire, shooting Martinez Sarmiento in the back several times and ultimately killing him.

This was the second instance of the Downtown Area Response Team fatally shooting someone in the back in the span of a few months – Nathaniel “Johnny” Altman, a disabled Black man experiencing homelessness was also shot in the back and killed by DART officer Carlos Pittman on March 31, 2025.

The group held banners calling for Connor Wallick’s indictment and Justice for Alex, one with a painted portrait of Alex, as well as picket signs with messages like “Justice for Alex Martinez! Indict Officer Wallick now!” “Blue lives murder!” “Justice for victims of police violence,” and “wanted” signs with Connor Wallick’s photo and a description of his violent and racist patterns of behavior.

The group chanted “Alex Martinez deserves to be alive! Connor Jacob Wallick deserves to rot in jail,” “No justice, no peace! No racist police,” “Connor Wallick we see you – racist, coward, killer too! DA Allen we see you – on the Brady List too,” and “When killer cops are on patrol, what do we need? Community Control!” to the beat of a drum.

Alex’s sister, Saray Rocha told the crowd, “My brother was always tough. Even as a little boy, he was never afraid of anything. That’s why it hurts so much knowing he ran because he was scared to go back to jail. He didn’t run because he wanted to hurt anyone, or because he wanted to die, he ran out of fear. I demand justice for my brother and I won’t stop until justice is served!” The group responded to her speech and tears with a resounding chant of “We love you, we we love you!”

COSAARPR chair Brandon Rincon highlighted Wallick’s pattern of racist policing, noting that “Connor Jacob Wallick had history of harassing Latinos and Chicanos, he’s famously known for arresting Club Q hero, Rich Fierro, put him in the back of a police car while he put the actual killer, Lee Anderson Aldrich, in an ambulance with victims.”

Rincon also spoke on the need for community control of the police, asserting that “We should have a mechanism for the people, by the people, that allows us to hold officers accountable when they wrong their communities. We deserve a say in how our communities are policed, and we deserve a say in who polices our communities, and we know damn well we don’t want Connor Jacob Wallick policing us anymore!”

#ColoradoSpringsCO #CO #InjusticeSystem #KillerCop #COSAARPR

Colorado Springs, CO – On February 23, the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) gathered at Colorado Springs Police Department headquarters to demand justice for Michael Foster, a 35-year old Black man who was shot by CSPD officers Daniel Mork and Steven Mibert on February 2.

Joined by Foster’s family, a crowd of about two dozen protesters gathered chanting “Justice for Michael” and “Cut the pork and fire Mork.”

On February 2, the Colorado Springs Police Department executed a warrant for a suspect who was already in custody. During this operation, they identified 35-year old Black male Michael Foster as a “suspicious person” but confirmed he was not the person they were looking for. Foster was approached and chased by CSPD officer Daniel Mork, who Foster had previously sued for excessive use of force in 2023.

Michael Foster allegedly fired one round before being shot. After Foster was initially shot, he got up and tried to walk away from the threat. A second officer, Steven Mibert, began a physical altercation with Foster, pressing his pistol into Michael’s back multiple times. Foster, trying to remove the threat posed by the firearm, swatted at Mibert’s hand and was subsequently shot again – five more times while lying on the ground. Foster has luckily survived but is being held on a $1 million cash bond for defending himself against Daniel Mork, who previously cracked Michael’s skull open.

This has outraged the family, who spoke out at the rally on February 23. Loretta Foster, Michael Fosters’s mother, called for public officials, “Mayor Mobalade, take off your sheet and take off your mask, and represent your people.” She followed with “The attorney general of Colorado, you need to reach out to me! That’s my son, no one has reached out to me.”

The Colorado Springs Alliance states that they stand in solidarity with Michael Foster and his family and demand his immediate release from police custody.

#ColoradoSpringsCO #CO #PoliceCrimes #InjusticeSystem #KillerCop #MichaelFoster #COSAARPR