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

Los Ángeles, CA – El 12 de marzo, después de casi un mes de lucha por parte de la Organización de Servicio Comunitario del Centro (CSO Centro) los cargos falsos contra Sergio Flores fueron retirados. Después de la reunión general de CSO el 18 de febrero, Flores fue arrestado violentamente por la división Hollenbeck del LAPD, junto con dos otros miembros de CSO.

Sergio Flores es el hermano mayor de Jeremy Anthony Flores, quien fue asesinado por agentes de la división Hollenbeck de LAPD el 14 de julio de 2025. Jeremy estaba desarmado cuando fue abatido de disparos por LAPD. Su cuerpo fue dejado al sol caliente del verano durante horas, antes de que médicos legistas lo retiraran. Mas tarde, mintiendo sobre los hechos, LAPD ha justificado el asesinato sin sentido. La familia Flores y CSO Centro han exigido justicia para Jeremy Flores, organizando protestas y manifestaciones ante la estación de LAPD Hollenbeck.

La noche del 18 de febrero, LAPD identificó y golpeó a la familia de Jeremey Anthony Flores y múltiples miembros de CSO. Respondiendo con armas desenfundadas a una crisis de salud mental fuera del lugar de la reunión, LAPD no permitió a los miembros de CSO salir. Mientras los miembros preguntaban si podían ir en sus autos y volver a casa, LAPD los golpeó y apuñaló con bastones, dejando moretones muy grandes.

“El arresto de Sergio Flores el 18 de febrero fue absolutamente innecesario,” dijo Jocelyn Ortega, la esposa de Sergio Flores. “Las tácticas de agresión e intimidación que condujeron a violencia física y el arresto de Sergio fueron injustos y un abuso de poder.”

El arresto y los cargos presentados contra Sergio Flores fueron tácticas de intimidación utilizadas por el LAPD para aterrorizar a CSO e impedir que usaran sus voces para luchar por la justicia.

CSO se movilizó para liberar a los CSO 3. Protestaron muchas veces ante la estación de LAPD Hollenbeck para exigir la liberación de sus miembros y que se retiraran los cargos. Organizaron campañas de llamadas al fiscal del distrito y al fiscal municipal demandando que se retiraran los cargos. Cuando no fueron liberados, CSO dirigió el apoyo judicial a sus miembros. Sin dar marcha atrás ante la represión política, resistieron de manera pública y en voz alta.

El 12 de marzo, Sergio Flores tenía una cita programada en el tribunal. CSO pronto se enteró de que ni el fiscal del distrito ni el fiscal municipal iban a hacerse cargo del caso contra Sergio Flores, lo que significaba que el intento de LAPD de silenciar a CSO fracasó y que no tenían justificación para acusar a Flores. Los dos otros miembros de CSO tampoco tenían cargos y también están libres.

Jocelyn Ortega, la esposa de Flores que asistió a la audiencia, dijo, “El arresto y los cargos presentados contra Sergio Flores fueron una táctica de intimidación utilizada por LAPD para aterrorizar a los manifestantes pacíficos de CSO. Trataron de impedirnos usar nuestras voces y luchar por la justicia. Los cargos presentados contra Sergio fueron retirados debido a la exageración de la verdad, que mostró de manera clara que él no hizo nada malo.

Es importante notar que, aunque los CSO 3 están libres y sin cargo, las autoridades todavía podrían imponerles cargos en cualquier momento. Para unirse a CSO, envíales un mensaje en línea o asiste a sus reuniones públicas mensuales. Las reuniones generales son cada tercer miércoles del mes, a las 6 de la tarde, en el Ayuntamiento de Boyle Heights (la entrada de atrás).

¡Lucha y Resiste! entrevistó a Sergio Flores y esto es lo que tenía que decir.

¡Lucha y Resiste!: ¿Qué te enfurece más de lo que ocurrió el 18 de febrero?

Sergio Flores: Algo que me enfurece del 18 fue la manera en que fuimos atacados y asaltados por LAPD, desde los niños hasta los adultos.

¡Lucha y Resiste!: ¿Cómo ha sido pasar por esta injusticia?

Flores: Soportar esta batalla es estresante, porque sabemos que el sistema siempre va apoyar a sus departamentos corrompidos. ¡Pero cuando luchamos, ganamos!

¡Lucha y Resiste!: ¿Cómo fue estar encarcelado por LAPD Hollenbeck?

Flores: Estar encarcelado por LAPD para mí no fue el fin del mundo porque siempre me enseñaron a defender a las personas que son atacadas como lo hicieron con nuestra gente, pero al mismo tiempo tienes que estar alerta todo el tiempo porque no sabes lo que están pensando, ponerte la mano encima o lo que sea.

¡Lucha y Resiste!: ¿Por qué piensas que no te presentaron cargos?

Flores: Pienso que no me presentaron cargos porque fueron cargos falsos desde el principio. ¡Saben que fueron ellos quienes empezaron con la violencia! Y mientras ellos usaron bastones, nosotros usamos nuestras palabras y voces.

¡Lucha y Resiste!: ¿Qué consejo les darías a otros en situaciones parecidas e injustas, como la tuya?

Flores: Mi consejo para los demás es no tener miedo de los puercos. Defiendan lo que creen. Abran los ojos al nivel de corrupción que hay en los departamentos de policía de Los Ángeles e involúcrense con una organización, porque estas son nuestras calles y vemos lo que pasa– ellos no nos protegen. Nosotros nos protegemos.

#LosAngelesCA #CA #CSO #CentroCSO #SergioFlores #InjusticeSystem #OppressedNationalities

Santa Ana, CA – El 26 de febrero, 20 miembros de la comunidad marcharon a lo largo de Civic Center Drive para confrontar al Departamento de Policía de Santa Ana (SAPD). Cantos como “¡Cárcel para los policías asesinos!” y ”¡La migra, la policía: la misma porquería!” resonaron por todo el vecindario, mientras los residentes hacían sonar sus bocinas en señal de solidaridad. Los asistentes portaban pancartas que exigían justicia para Noe Rodríguez, así como otras en referencia a víctimas recientes de la violencia policial.

Noe Rodríguez fue asesinado mientras se encontraba desarmado y en medio de una crisis de salud mental en diciembre de 2024. Las solicitudes de registros públicos realizadas por la Organización de Servicio Comunitario Condado de Orange (CSO OC) revelaron que los agentes de SAPD responsables de su muerte—Luis Casillas e Isaac Ibarra—continúan trabajando para SAPD y fueron movidos discretamente a otras unidades.

Jocelyn Pacheco, del Comité de Rendición de Cuentas Policial (PAC) de CSO, presentó los hechos del caso de Noe, afirmando: “Luis Casillas e Isaac Ibarra, los agentes responsables de su asesinato, continúan prestando servicio en el cuerpo policial, incluso después de haberle disparado 29 veces. ¿Cómo puede justificarse eso como defensa propia?”

Erika Armenta, viuda de Noe, alzó la voz contra los concejales que se oponen a la rendición de cuentas, afirmando: “Algunos representantes nos dicen que no podemos despedir a los agentes mientras se encuentran bajo investigación por un incidente, pero ¿quién puede garantizar que nuestras comunidades estén a salvo de la violencia repetida?”

Ambos agentes se han visto involucrados en otros casos de mala conducta y muertes desde que mataron a Noe Rodríguez, quien se encontraba desarmado. Casillas mató a tiros a Henry González Jr. el 1 de enero de 2025, quien también sufría de una enfermedad mental, incluido un comportamiento suicida.

Ibarra estuvo involucrado en el brutal arresto y la muerte bajo custodia de Freddy DeAngelo Washington el 16 de enero de 2025. Después, participó en la golpiza a Mario Díaz, un joven de 15 años, quien tuvo que ser trasladado a un hospital debido a sus heridas a pesar de haberse entregado a la policía; este hecho quedó documentado en un video fechado el 9 de junio de 2025.

Menos de dos semanas antes de la protesta, miembros de CSO OC—incluidas las dos hijas pequeñas de Noe Rodríguez—fueron abordados por el oficial Isaac Ibarra mientras ofrecían una conferencia de prensa frente al departamento.

Matthew Compton, de CSO, comentó: “Cuando empezamos a filmar a Ibarra y lo confrontamos con sus crímenes, mintió y dijo que lo habíamos amenazado y agredido. La verdad es que intentó repetidamente provocarnos para que peleáramos con él.”

David Pulido, miembro de la Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad (OSCL), habló en español sobre cómo el largo patrón de asesinatos policiales de chicanos constituye un rasgo de la opresión nacional, y afirmó: “Necesitamos una revolución para establecer el poder político de la clase trabajadora y liberar a naciones oprimidas como Aztlán. ¡Esa es la solución a estos asesinatos policiales racistas!”

La marcha fue encabezada por la familia de Noe Rodríguez y CSO OC, y contó con el apoyo de Chicanxs Unidxs (CU) y los Socialistas Democráticos de América (DSA). También acudieron observadores legales del Peace and Justice Law Center (PJLC) en solidaridad con la comunidad.

CSO OC lucha por la autodeterminación chicana, el control comunitario de la policía y la legalización para todos los inmigrantes indocumentados. Tienen reuniones generales cada tercer jueves en Santa Ana, y se les puede contactar en Instagram @cso.oc y en Facebook, Orange County CSO.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #CSO #CSOOC #OC #OrangeCounty #InjusticeSystem #OppressedNationalities

Santa Ana, CA – On Saturday, March 21, Coach Royal Mobile Home residents protested at the entrance of the mobile home park. The protest was in response to yearslong abuse at the hands of the park managers, eviction, and theft of mobile homes by Kingsley Corporation. There was also a recent suicide of resident Maria Pedraza due to the abuse. The Coach Royal residents are majority working-class immigrants.

The protest started strong with residents and supporters from Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) protesting in front of the Coach Royal entrance. The protesters were chanting and holding signs, making themselves visible to the residents entering and exiting the park.

“Kingsley kills!” “Hands off our homes!” and “Justice for Maria Pedraza!” shouted the protesters.

Luis Pedraza, son of the late Maria Pedraza, spoke first, “My mom committed suicide on February 20, 2026, because of the abuse that she was sustaining from Coach Royal mobile home park that is owned and managed by Kingsley corporation. She worked her whole life to own that home. That was her pride and joy. She bought that home with all of our work.”

The protesters and passersby leaned in as Pedraza recounted stories of his late mother, “We lived in all kinds of states: in a single room, in a tiny garage. I didn’t have Christmas or New Years with my mom because she was working. I wish I had that. But we do have that house and Kingsley is trying to steal that from us.” The protesters chanted in unison, “Shame!”

“It is not fair for them to be doing this here or anywhere in the country. This is happening everywhere in the country but this needs to stop and needs to change. That’s how things happen in this county. We move, operate, get together, we become one movement and then things change,” ended Pedraza.

Victor Fuentes is another Coach Royal resident who is facing eviction. He took off his sun hat before speaking to reveal a large scar with stitches running all across his scalp. “We are all here to put an end to retaliation, repression and harassment. My family and I have been evicted. We all do things we regret and to de-stress myself I began to drink. I had a great fall and don’t recommend using it to drown out your thoughts and worries. I am the provider of my family and now I can’t keep a roof over my family's head.”

Fuentes continued, “I came to give this testimony because enough is enough. Enough of stomping their foot over our necks. They are trying to silence us. This must stop. What else do we have to lose? For everyone here, it costs them so much to own their homes. They are shamelessly stealing our homes. It is unjust. We are demanding justice. We need to fight because if even one of us refuses to fight they will keep trampling over us!”

The protesters erupted in chants, “Stop the evictions! Stop the harassment! Stop the threats!”.

The last speaker was Karla García, who was evicted from her home for helping other Coach Royal residents fight for their home titles. “I tried helping out other residents and I was punished for it. The corporation once again came to my home and told me that if I did help out others I would end up homeless. They started harassing, bullying and threatening me. I was attacked every single day until they took everything from me.”

The protest ended with Guadalupe Barragan on a megaphone marching through the Coach Royal neighborhoods urging the residents to stand up and fight back. A meeting was held later in the evening for residents and CSO members to strategize on what the next steps will be in the fight for justice for the Coach Royal residents.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #OrangeCounty #PeoplesStruggles #CSO #Featured

Oakland, CA – On September 6, CSO Oakland and outraged community members took to the streets of East Oakland on 73rd and Bancroft Avenues, mobilizing just blocks from where ICE agents staged a brutal raid that tore six people from their home.

On August 12, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) forcibly detained six people in their home in East Oakland on 79th Avenue near Hillside Street. Of the six people detained, one is a minor and another is a disabled person.

The agency’s cruelty was on full display as they separated the detainees and shipped them across the country. The minor was taken to a detention center in New York, isolating them from any community support, while the other five were transported to a facility in Tacoma, Washington – a clear attempt to sever community ties and access to legal resources.

The rally served as direct opposition to the deportation force. The community chanted, “ICE out of Oakland!” “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here!” and “When immigrant rights are under attack what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” Passing cars honked in solidarity and drivers raised their fists—visible proof of the growing anti-ICE sentiment that is sweeping the country in response to the Trump administration’s intensified attacks on immigrants.

The message from the community was unequivocal. Immigrants are here to stay and will not be intimidated into silence. If ICE comes into working-class neighborhoods, there will be resistance. The community is watching, is organized and determined to fight back.

This mobilization signals a renewed commitment to defend every member of our community and makes it clear: Oakland will remain a fortress against the administration's attacks.

CSO Oakland is holding a virtual welcome meeting for new members on Friday, September 12. Attendees can register at bit.ly/cso912. The agenda will include how to get involved in the fight against Trump’s mass deportations, the campaign demanding justice for Guillermo – a beloved San Jose immigrant activist, civil rights organizer and tattoo artist – and an upcoming teach-in series on the history of the CSO and the Chicano Movement organized with fellow members from the Legalization For All Network and Freedom Road Socialist Organization-Oakland.

Follow @cso.oakland on Instagram or CSO Oakland on Facebook for updates.

#OaklandCA #CA #ImmigrantRights #ICE #CSO

Denver, CO – On the evening of August 29, over 100 people rallied in front of the Colorado State Capitol building for the 55th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium.

Chants like “When Chicanos are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” and “¡Se ve, se siente! ¡El pueblo esta presente!” could be heard as the crowd marched downtown to the federal immigration court building.

In 1970, tens of thousands of Chicano’s flooded the streets of Los Angeles to call for an end to the Vietnam War due to the disproportionate number of deaths among Chicanos compared to other soldier demographics. They were met with brutal repression, hundreds of arrests and three murders by the police.

Now, in 2025, Coloradans remember and honor Chicanos, Latinos and the Chicano Moratorium by taking to the streets to demand an end to deportations and private prison contracts with ICE.

“We will continue to fight for our liberation to this very day because we still face many of the same issues that we did back then,” said Brandon Gehrke, a member of Aurora Unidos CSO.

Protesters carried Palestinian flags alongside Mexican and United Farmworkers flags as several speakers from other organizations connected struggles within the United States and across the globe, highlighting the importance of fighting together for collective liberation.

“It goes to show that the strength of our movements together – labor, the fight against the police and the FBI, the Chicano struggle, the students fighting for free speech and expression of opinions, the immigrant rights struggle, and the anti-war struggle – just like in the original Moratorium – are all connected,“ Kyle Burroughs, of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, stated, “When we come together at actions like this, we can win all that we demand!”

#DenverCO #CO #OppressedNationalities #ImmigrantRights #CSO

San José, CA – On August 31, CSO San José, the Brown Berets and others held the annual Chicano Moratorium commemoration, a historic event when over 30,000 Chicanos marched in 1970 against the war in Vietnam to demand justice for their communities. This significant moment in Chicano history highlighted the disproportionate deaths of Chicano soldiers abroad, as well as the struggle for equality and self-determination at home.

Activists honored this legacy with a march and rally in San Jose, starting at Mexican Heritage Plaza and a march to Amigos de Guadalupe Center. During the rally, speakers touched on the Chicano national identity and movement.

Jessica Aviles, of CSO San José, spoke on what it means to be Chicano. Aviles noted, “Chicanos are a people stuck between two cultures that don’t fit in either place, because a new culture has been created.” As part of the program, Aviles listed the main demands as legalization for all, an end to the deportations, no ICE in San José and freeing Ulises Peña López from Golden State Annex detention center.

“We have our roots in the Chicano Liberation movement,” stated Lyla Salinas of the San José District of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization. “Our predecessor, the August 29th movement, a Chicano Marxist-Leninist organization, came out of the Chicano Moratorium.”

Samantha Rojas, of Latinas Contra Cancer stated, “In San José, we have always carried that spirit. From the days of the Chicano student walkouts at Roosevelt and San José High, to the farmworker strikes, to the struggles led by our elders in Mayfair and East San José-our city has been a heartbeat of Chicano organizing.” Rojas continued, “it is our responsibility to carry that flame forward.”

Long time Chicano activist Carlos Padilla, of Black Berets for Justice, connected the acts of police brutality that protesters faced in the Chicano Moratorium with to ongoing police brutality in San José, “We have never been able to rely on SJPD, the reason I'm a Black Beret is because SJPD has harassed me and my community.”

At the Center, Carlos Montes, veteran Chicano activist and co-founder of the Brown Berets did a presentation on the Chicano Moratorium, speaking to the importance of international solidarity against imperialism and calling for Chicano self-determination.

#SanJoseCA #CA #OppressedNationalities #ImmigrantRights #CSO #BrownBerets #BBJ

Denver, CO – On Monday, September 1, over 1000 protesters assembled at the Colorado State Capitol for a Labor Day march. The march was part of nationwide mobilization entitled “Workers over Billionaires!” and was organized by a broad coalition of organizations including the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Denver Anti-War Action, Colorado Education Association, and Colorado 50501.

The program began with speeches from several labor organizers on the power of organizing.

“In 2023, we launched the biggest contract campaign in decades,” said Katherine Draken, a rank-and-file UPS Teamster and member of Teamsters for a Democratic Union, “And we won! We were ready to go on strike and UPS knew it. We got rid of the two-tier system, and we got the biggest wage increase ever!”

After the speeches, the 1000-plus crowd took to the streets and marched to the Denver Federal Immigration Court, where ICE has been kidnapping immigrants who show up for court check-ins. Along the march, the crowd chanted “What’s disgusting? Union busting!” and “When immigrant rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” Then, the crowd marched back to the capitol building and heard speeches from more organizers.

The crowd then took the streets for a second march, this time to the mansion of Colorado Governor Jared Polis. Polis, a Democrat, has faced criticism for not standing up against the Trump administration. In one example, he even had Colorado law enforcement agencies collaborate with ICE, in violation of a state law against such collaboration.

“Governor Polis's administration betrayed its commitment to the immigrant community by pressuring officials to unlawfully share private data with ICE. This action undermines state privacy laws and erodes trust in public institutions meant to serve and protect all residents. We can't allow our community to be attacked by those in power, the community must fight back and take back power!” said Brandon Gehrke of Aurora Unidos CSO.

#DenverCO #CO #Labor #ImmigrantRights #Trump #NoKings #LaborDay #DAWC #CEA #50501 #CSO

Los Angeles, CA – On Saturday, August 30, hundreds of Chicano activists and community members gathered in East Los Angeles to commemorate the 55th Chicano Moratorium. Organized by Centro CSO along with a coalition of activist organizations, the day’s march and rally centered the fight for Chicano self-determination, an end to Trump’s ICE attacks, and solidarity with Palestine.

The Chicano Moratorium is known as the Chicano Liberation Day, honoring August 29, 1970 when 30,000 Chicanos marched in East LA to protest the Vietnam War, the high casualty rate of Chicanos in that war, and racist conditions. The rally was attacked by the Los Angeles Police Department and LA Sheriff’s Department whose officers swung batons and teargassed the entire community. Hundreds were arrested and three killed, including Ruben Salazar, a well-known journalist who had become critical of police and immigration abuses. Many believe he was targeted for assassination.

The police attack caused the community to rebel and fight back against the police and many police went down. This historic day is part of the longtime struggle of Chicanos for self-determination. Since the Mexican-American War, Chicanos in the Southwest have faced fierce oppression, but have always resisted. That march and rally brought in a new generation of fighters for Chicano Liberation.

55 years later, the demands of Chicano activists are similar. For this 55th annual Chicano Moratorium, organizers hung a banner on the lead truck of the march. The banner listed the current demands: Self-determination for the Chicano Nation, solidarity with Palestine, ICE out of LA, community control over the police, defend public education, and no to U.S. wars!

The day’s activities started with a rally at the Sound of Music, formerly the Silver Dollar Bar where Salazar was murdered. Carlos Montes, member of the Central Committee of Freedom Road Socialist Organization and a long-time veteran of the Chicano Movement, kicked off the rally with a speech about how the struggle of the Vietnamese people against the U.S. military radicalized a generation of Chicanos to oppose U.S. imperialism. Other speakers at the first rally included Beña Martinez, representing About Face: Veterans Against the War, who talked about resisting wars, military recruitment, and the presence of troops in U.S. cities, and Ernesto Ayala, chair of el Partido La Raza Unida, who noted the long history of Chicano resistance.

Derek Mejia, a leader of CSO’s Police Accountability Committee, introduced a block of speakers against police crimes. Stating, “Much like the IDF, LAPD and LASD are instrumental in the United States’ attacks and continued suppression of the right toward self-determination of the oppressed Chicano people of Aztlan.”

Mejia’s speech also focused on how Centro CSO has taken up a campaign to win justice for Jeremy Flores who was killed by LAPD’s Hollenbeck Division in June. Cindy Nuñez, a member of United Families for Justice and the sister of Francisco Nuñez, shared about the fight to expose LASD brutality while Arienne Duncan demanded justice for Jimmy Lopez, who was beaten to death by the Hemet Police Department.

Angelica Reyes, a member of Union del Barrio and a LAUSD teacher, gave a speech about fighting for her students and families against the brutal ICE raids. Liza Peña from La Mesa Brown Berets closed the rally with a speech about how the Brown Berets continue the fight for Chicano power.

After the kickoff rally, over 500 people began marching down the historic Whittier Boulevard with energetic chants like “Chicano power!” “Fuera la Migra!” “Viva, viva Palestina!” and “Aqui estamos y no nos vamos.” The public responded with yells, raising fists and honking horns. 90-plus degree weather did not stop the loud, energetic political chanting, denouncing Trump’s racist attacks.

As the marchers arrived at Salazar Park, they were met with cheers as they joined the crowd. The main rally began with a speech by Sol Marquez of FRSO LA, who said, “We named our nation Aztlan in 1969, and we will continue to organize with the multi-national working class to overthrow Trump!”

Then Art and Terry Navarrete followed by sharing about Centro CSO’s immigration work, which includes barrio walks and the victory of having the charges dropped on Alejandro Orellana. Sabrina Medina talked about getting raided by the ICE and FBI, which included having the Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Dr. Phil in her home. “They have been terrorizing my family! Don’t let the FBI and ICE agents harass your family or our neighborhood,” said Medina. Her mother Lisa Medina, a street vendor activist, was arrested and deported.

Dr. Rocio Rivas, LAUSD board member, spoke about the importance of education and defending students and families, stating, “Solo el pueblo salva al pueblo, adelante mi gente!” Longtime UFW/SEIU organizer Eliseo Medina said, “When people stand up and fight, they will always win!”

Sergio Flores, brother of Jeremy Flores, stated, “They get to go home and continue on with their everyday activities, while we get to never see my brother again, love him again, laugh with him again. And that’s not right!” Sergio gave his speech with his mother and sisters standing beside him. Black Lives Matter-LA Grassroots leader Baba Akili gave an energetic speech about uniting Black and Chicano people to fight Trump’s attacks.

United Teachers Los Angeles Vice President Gloria Martinez spoke about the struggle to defend public education. Juan Parrino of Los Rucos talked about the original Chicano Moratorium issues and how we are fighting similar struggles today. Lupe Carrasco Cardona of the Association of Raza Educators talked about promoting and defending ethnic studies and how the association is part of the community defense against ICE raids.

Sammy Carrera, a member of Centro CSO and a Teamster Local 396, stated, “ICE agents are kidnapping and terrorizing the working class while the monopoly capitalists are getting rich off the prison industrial complex.” He also said Chicanos know how to fight back and will do so against ICE attacks.

The 55th Chicano Moratorium reinforced the fight for self-determination for the Chicano nation, solidarity with Palestine and the ongoing fight against ICE attacks. It also stressed the importance of fighting against police killing with the demand of community control of police and the key fights to defend and promote public education against privatization.

Vera Topete, a Centro CSO member and emcee concluded the rally by encouraging people to join Centro CSO.

#LosAngelesCA #CA #ChicanoMoratorium #OppressedNationalities #ImmigrantRights #CSO

Santa Ana, CA – About 25 people gathered on the afternoon of May 3, at Community Service Organization Orange County’s (CSO OC) May Day teach-in in downtown Santa Ana. Steph Dorantes introduced the event: “We are excited to have you here together for International Workers Day so we can strengthen our understanding of how we are impacted by police in our communities and how we are impacted by immigration status and what we can do to fight back against repression.”

The attendees then broke into two groups, one covering topics on immigration and the other covering topics on police accountability.

Police Accountability workshop

The Police Accountability workshop kicked off with a history of the working class and police. CSO member Michelle Omar spoke on the Haymarket incident that occurred during the working-class fight for an eight-hour workday. Omar stated, “This event is still relevant today because it has become a symbol of resistance for workers around the world to fight for better working conditions, and the right to organize.”

David Pulido then talked about the history of Chicano oppression, stating, ”The United States seized Mexican lands, prohibited their independent mining, segregated their children in schools, and suppressed their language, forcing them and millions of other immigrants from Mexico to work as laborers in mines, fields, and factories.”

Pulido followed by discussing notable examples of police oppression of Chicanos such as the El Paso Salt Wars, the lynching of Francisco Torres, the Bloody Christmas attacks, and the repression of the Chicano Moratorium.

Perla Gonzalez Pioquinto then gave a detailed account of Chicanos murdered by Orange County police dating back to 2017 and concluded by saying, “zero officers were proven guilty in the eyes of the court.”

The workshop ended with a strong call to action by Erika Armenta, partner of Noe Rodriguez, who was killed by the Santa Ana Police Department on December 1, 2024. She urged people to support her demands for justice along with CSO’s fight for community control of the police.

Armenta stated, “Even though my daughters won’t grow up with their father, I am seeking justice for them and their future and for these officers to be held accountable for their actions. Officers should be more like medics; they should do their best to preserve life instead of trying to end them constantly.” Armenta has still not received a full police report or video from Santa Ana PD even though they are required to release that within 45 days.

Immigration workshop

Diana Terreros of CSO OC’s immigration committee started off the workshop with a brief history of immigration rights in the U.S.

Terreros talked about the Alien and Sedition Acts, stating, “This act criminalized criticizing the government, and the Alien Enemies Act is being used by Trump currently to deport people to a Salvadoran prison notorious for human-rights abuses.” She also covered local immigration policies including a 1996 Anaheim City Council decision that allowed authorities to screen the immigration status of detainees held in city jail, the first program of its kind in California.

Terreros noted immigration policy has changed depending on the needs of the bosses. Immigrants are allowed to flow in when companies need cheap labor and immigrants are repressed, deported and scapegoated when there are economic downturns.

Dorantes and Terreros then presented on the current situation under Trump, including the status of Santa Ana as a sanctuary city, deportations happening in retaliation to activism such as Mahmoud Khalil and Jeanette Vizguerra, and raids that have happened around the U.S. Terreros pointed to a slide of protests that have occurred across the country in response, stating “although things seem bleak, it's important to know that we are not letting this administration get away with this. In every place that deportations and raids are happening, the people are standing up and fighting back!”

The immigration committee concluded the workshop with a know-your-rights skit, showing attendees how to watch ICE and how to respond if ICE comes to their door.

The Police Accountability Committee of CSO is building a campaign to fight for an immediate release of officer names and video when police killings happen. The CSO Immigration Committee continues to do community surveying and barrio walks to hand out “Know Your Rights” information. Contact CSO OC to get involved. IG @ cso.oc Email: orangecountycso@gmail.com Phone: 714-367-6350.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #ImmigrantRights #CSO #CPAC

Colorado Springs, CO – On Tuesday, April 29, a crowd of about 100 community members gathered in front of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office to demand local law enforcement stop cooperating with federal immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump’s administration.

The demonstration, organized by the Colorado Springs People’s Coalition, came in response to a Sunday raid in which more than 300 officers from local and federal agencies – including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Colorado Springs Police Department, and El Paso County Sheriff’s Office – surrounded a nightclub with weapons drawn. Authorities ordered occupants to exit with their hands up, detaining and transferring 114 people to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Protesters gathered near the sheriff’s office entrance, holding signs reading “We say no to deportations,” “Free political prisoners” and “End El Paso County Sheriff’s Office cooperation with ICE.” Chants of “¡El pueblo unido, jamás será vencido!” “The people united will never be defeated!” and “Say it once, say it twice, we will not put up with ICE!” echoed as a coalition of groups, including Aurora Unidos CSO, the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, the Colorado Rapid Response Network and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, joined the rally.

Nayda Benitez of the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition stated, “The community, especially immigrants in this community, already don’t feel like they can call local law enforcement to report crimes.”

Khalid Hamu of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization connected the immigration crackdown to economic issues, stating, “Trump is dehumanizing immigrants to distract us from this broken system designed by billionaires for billionaires.”

Yoselin Corrales of Aurora Unidos recalled false narratives about “violent gangs taking over Aurora” in 2024. CSPC founder Brandon Rincon called the raids “terror attacks targeting Black and brown people.” Rincon called for community control of the police as a solution to make the community safer, stating, “These are police crimes, and how do we stop police crimes? Well, we stop police crimes with community control — an all-elected, all-civilian board that has the power to write policy, hire and fire police officers, investigate misconduct and harassment, and get these officers off the force.”

As sheriff's office employees watched from windows, the crowd continued chanting for over an hour, at one point joining in a chorus as Rincon sang a Black Panthers’ resistance song Power to the People, Free Our People.

#ColoradoSprings #CO #ImmigrantsRights #Trump #InJusticeSystem #ICE #CSPC #CSO #CIRC #CRRN

Aurora CO – On March 17, at 11 p.m., a growing crowd of around 40 community members gathered outside the GEO Group ICE Processing Center in Aurora for a vigil to protest the unjust detention of Jeanette Vizguerra. Among those present are activists, a news crew, indigenous people burning sacred herbs, and the family members of Vizguerra.

Vizguerra is an undocumented community organizer and has long been a champion of people’s freedom. Her consistent support of people’s struggles has led a variety of supporters to come to her aid, and protest ICE and its attempts to tear her away from her family.

Alfredo Carbajal, an organizer with Aurora Unidos CSO described the vigil, saying, “It was very somber, obviously the family was having a rough go of it, not knowing whether she’s doing okay. It seemed very sad, but they were grateful to have folks show up in support.”

Vizguerra was abducted by ICE from her place of work without warning. ICE appears to be ready to deport her, even though the agency does not have a valid deportation order. Though her attorneys have raised these violations of law, ICE ripped her from her family and the community.

Vizguerra was taken to the GEO Group ICE Processing Center, an ICE prison located in Aurora, Colorado at 3130 Oakland Street. The GEO Group facility has been the subject of multiple large protests over the last few months, with families of those being held there reporting that their loved ones are being “treated like animals,” and subjected to solitary confinement.

One participant in the vigil was Daranee Teng, an educator by trade and an organizer with Shoes Off Collective, an Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander community organization. Tang stated, “I’ve worked for many years on the North Side of Denver with undocumented students, and I remember in 2013 when ICE came after Jeanette, and I remember in 2017 when she took sanctuary in churches.” Tang continued, “I know there are folks that don’t like that she speaks out, but I think that’s what we need more of.”

Those gathered in front of the GEO Group building kept watch over the possible exits where Vizguerra could be taken, wary that she might be transported in the dead of night and disappeared to another facility or deported. Organizing into shifts to watch the gates through the night and into the next day, the community is preparing to stand firm.

ICE and the Aurora Police Department have worked together in open violation of Colorado law. According to the Colorado ACLU, “State law additionally prohibits depriving a person of their liberty on the basis of a suspected civil immigration violation in the absence of a warrant signed by a judge.”

Vizguerra is an outspoken supporter of the Palestinian struggle for liberation and does not hesitate to oppose the U.S. war machine. It is clear that the illegal detention of Jeanette Vizguerra is politically motivated, as she has long been a resident of Colorado, living and working here but also participating in the people’s struggle for freedom from oppression.

Vizguerra’s family and community are concerned for her safety inside the GEO Detention Center. They are demanding that ICE reestablish communication between Vizguerra and her family, so that they can know she’s safe.

#AuroraCO #CO #ImmigrantsRights #CSO #ShoesOffCollective #Feature

Napa, CA – The month of March began with a powerful display of solidarity in Wine Country, as community members rallied and marched in support of their immigrant neighbors.

On March 1, a sunny Saturday afternoon, the streets of downtown Napa buzzed with tourists sampling wine and fine dining. But cutting through the soft background of jazz music, the chants of “From Napa Valley to LA, immigrants are here to stay!” rang out, demanding attention.

Marching alongside other local organizations, including North Bay CSO, demonstrators made their way down Napa’s busy restaurant-lined streets. Workers stepped out to high-five marchers, offering gestures of support. The procession continued past the Napa Police Department and City Hall before culminating at Memorial Park, overlooking the Napa River.

A CSO member and Napa resident originally from Michoacán, Mexico, reflected on the significance of the march, stating, “Napa is an interesting place with a lot of Trump supporters. Their hate is ridiculous, especially in a land that doesn’t belong to them, it can feel intimidating, but at the same time, it motivates me to be loud and let it be known that immigrants are here to stay.”

She added, “The fact that so many people are marching today makes me feel hopeful. This is why I show up.”

Another CSO member, Xulio Soriano, reminded the crowd of the land’s deeper history, stating, “The Wappo are the original people of this land. They cared for the river and the soil – the same land that makes ‘Wine Country’ so fertile today. I am an immigrant, and I am here to stay!”

Napa Valley is often seen as a playground for the wealthy, a destination for indulgence. But on this day, the community sent a clear message: Wine Country runs on immigrant worker power, and they will not be ignored.

#NapaCA #CA #ImmigrantRights #CSO #NBCSO #Feature

Aurora, CO – On February 8, around 50 community members gathered outside Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora, Colorado, to protest the base’s collaboration with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the detention of immigrants.

Organized by Aurora Unidos CSO and Denver Anti-War Action, the protest was part of a larger national week of action by the Legalization for All Network.

Protesters voiced their opposition to the role the base would play in the Trump administration's plans for mass deportations. Yoselin Corrales, an organizer with Aurora Unidos CSO, said, “Today, we are here to fight against recent discussions to potentially detain and imprison our neighbors on the Buckley Space Force Base.”

The protest comes in the wake of a controversial announcement in late January, wherein the U.S. Military’s Northern Command revealed plans to make facilities at Buckley Space Force Base available to ICE to set up processing and staging areas for detained immigrants at the request of the Department of Homeland Security.

Speakers at the rally emphasized the strength of the community coming together to fight, with Brandon Gehrke, another organizer with Aurora Unidos CSO, addressing the crowd, “We keep us safe – not ICE, not the military, not those who seek to use fear to control us. When we stand together, we are stronger than any force that tries to break us. Together, we will demand legalization for all. and put an end to these harmful and inhumane operations.”

Jason Crow, congressman for Colorado’s 6th District, recently reported that the base has agreed to only use the base for staging and logistics for now, but this is likely only temporary. The scale of deportation being discussed by the Trump administration’s “Operation Aurora” requires expansions of ICE’s detention capacity. Currently, Aurora has a processing center that holds around 1500 people, operated by GEO Group, a private for-profit prison corporation.

Aurora Unidos CSO pledges to stand opposed to the expansion of ICE’s capacity to detain people and calls on all people to actively hinder the ability of the Trump administration to carry out their racist and reactionary agenda.

As the protest ended, many of those who attended expressed their commitment to continuing the fight for immigrant rights. The rally at Buckley Space Force Base is proof to lawmakers and the military that the community will not stand by while the government targets immigrants, and that efforts for legalization and justice will continue.

#AuroraCO #CO #ImmigrantRights #SpaceForce #CSO #CSOAU #DAWA

Anaheim, CA – On June 22, over 50 community members and activists gathered at Twila Reid Park for a vigil honoring Palestinian martyrs who have been killed during the ongoing genocide. The vigil was organized by the Palestinian American Women’s Association.

The vigil was one of Orange County’s many actions highlighting Israel’s genocide campaign in Gaza that has killed at least 40,000 people. The vigil started with an all-Palestinian children’s choir that sang Mawtini, the Iraq national anthem. This was followed up with the chants, “We want justice, you say how? End the siege on Gaza now!” and “Genocide Joe, what do you say? How many kids did you kill today?”

A member of PAWA SoCal spoke to the displacement and suffering of Palestinians at the hands of Israel, “For decades Palestinian families have faced unimaginable hardships, forced from their homes time and again now at an exponentially higher scale. Death and starvation loom at every corner in Gaza. Israel has pushed 80% of Gaza’s inhabitants into the cruel limbo of displacement, forcing them to become refugees again.”

The vigil continued with speakers demanding an end to U.S. aid to Israel. “We must continue to pressure the U.S. government who provides the bombs, munitions, intelligence and precision technologies that subjugate our people and attempt to quell the resistance. Elected officials continue signing off on billions of dollars in weapons reaching the Zionist entity.” said a speaker from Students for Justice in Palestine at UC Irvine.

A Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) member drew the connection between the Israeli Defense Forces and U.S. police department, stating, “We are aware that the anti-defamation league or ADL has trained many law enforcement agencies within southern California including the Los Angeles Police Department, Orange County Sheriff's Department, and Santa Ana Police Department. At CSO OC we are currently working on police accountability and community control of the police in Santa Ana.”

The vigil ended with a closing performance by the Mawtini choir and writing notes on a candlelit altar commemorating the lives of brave Palestinian martyrs. The vigil included members of Students for Justice in Palestine, Black Lives Matter, CSO OC, SAWA SoCal, Memorial for Freedom and Democracy in Palestine, Palestinian Youth Movement, U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), Al-Awada, Palestine Foundation, Arab American Civil Council, and others.

#AnaheimCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #International #MiddleEast #Palestine #PAWA #CSO #SJP #USPCN

Orange County, CA – On Friday, October 27, over 30 students and community members gathered across two events to listen to Gia Davila of the Tampa 5 on her stop of the Justice for the Tampa 5 speaking tour. The Tampa 5 are a group of students, workers, and community activists who were violently arrested while protesting Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ racist attacks on education at the University of South Florida. They are facing up to ten years in prison and are on a speaking tour to call for these unjust charges to be dropped.

Gia Davila, a member of Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), gave context to the current political climate in Florida. She spoke on legislation being proposed that attacks LGBTQ, reproductive, immigrant, union and education rights. She described the bill that Tampa Bay SDS were protesting on the day of the arrests, HB 999, “which effectively banned diversity, equity and inclusion programs from universities. It also had nasty rhetoric about tenure for professors, it attacked Black history, it attacked ethnic studies and multicultural groups.”

Davila continued, “Not only are we innocent, we were doing something good. More students should be protesting on campus to retain these programs and expand these programs of diversity on our campuses.”

The prosecution is threatening them with consequences if they talk to the press, but Davila confidently said, “Of course we are not going to listen to them, that is why I am here.”

The events were put on by CSO Orange County and were co-sponsored by the MEChA de UCI chapter and the Chicana and Chicano Studies Department of CSUF.

Sol Márquez, a member of Centro CSO in Boyle Heights, stated, “The Tampa 5 is much more than specifically people in Tampa, it transcends to all of us who are fighting for what is right.”

Michelle Sanchez, co-chair of MEChA at UCI, highlighted the political repression experienced by students at UCI by saying if they had collaborated with the university to put on this panel, they “would have had to strike some things off of the conversation,” otherwise it would not be approved. She encouraged attendees to get organized in order to fight this repression.

Dr. Marlén Ríos-Hernández, a Chicana studies professor, urged people to take action in this time of heightened political repression, stating, “There will be a time where you have to make up your mind about what you want for the liberation of others, for the liberation of your own people, and decide what it will take for you to be unafraid.”

#OrangeCountyCA #PoliticalRepression #Tampa5 #DeSantis #StudentMovement #SDS #CSO #MECHA

Los Angeles, CA – Facing intense pressure from the community, the Police Commission and Chief Beck fled a June 21 ‘community’ meeting.’ They could not take the heat and left out the back doors.

Chief of LAPD Charlie Beck, Police Commission members Kathleen Kim, Robert Saltzman, Sandra Figueroa-Villa, Steve Soboroff and Matt Johnson, along with over 25 police officers, gathered at Hollenbeck Middle School. The neighborhood of Boyle Heights, home to Hollenbeck Middle School, was the site for the first community meeting of the LAPD Police Commission to hear from the residents.

Black Lives Matter, the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition, and Centro CSO met the LAPD meeting with much resistance. Bringing three families of LAPD police killings and shootings, and one victim family of LA Sheriff killings, Centro CSO was able to directly confront Chief Beck and the other LAPD officers present.

The family of a 16-year- old Chicano, Jose “Peruzzi” Mendez, killed Feb. 6 by LAPD; the family of Arturo Y Torrez killed by LAPD April 10; the family of Edwin Rodriguez killed by ELA Sheriffs Feb. 14, and Maria Banda, whose son was shot by LAPD in Boyle Heights and left for dead, only to be currently imprisoned, were all present and spoke out.

In Spanish, Juan Mendez, Peruzzi Mendez’s father, shouted into the mic, “I ask you now, who will bring me back my son? Which of you will bring my family the justice we deserve? Shooting my son in the back until he died, where is his justice? He was only 16 years old!”

“I should not be expected to believe the men who killed my son, Arturo Y Torrez,” shouted Blanca Duran.

At one point an LAPD officer pulled out a hand-held camcorder to record the public to which Mendez’s mother shouted, “Yeah go ahead and record us now, but refuse to record yourselves killing my son!”

Estela Rodriguez took to the mic to express her anger and fervor for justice, “While the LA Sheriffs were the ones responsible for killing my son I ask all of you today, when will we be able to close this file? I want justice! We will not stop until we obtain justice for Edwin Rodriguez!”

Three of the four families were Spanish-speaking only. LAPD speakers exceeded the two-minute comment limit, but whenever a Spanish-speaker would take the mic along with a translator, the buzzer would go off and the cops would insist on the speakers leaving the mic. The public immediately protested, shouting “Four minutes now!” until finally Spanish-speakers were given four minutes, a fairer amount of time to comment.

“One day I will have children while living Boyle Heights,” shouted Sol Marquez of Centro CSO. “I promise you now, Chief Beck and all you LAPD officers present that I will teach my children not to fear you; they will be taught to fight back. We are Boyle Heights, we are Chicanos, and we are fighting back against your crimes against us.”

Black Lives Matter rose in solidarity with the families and held a moment of silence to commemorate the lives taken by LAPD in Boyle Heights, and the greater Los Angeles area. At one point, they projected a video captured earlier that same morning of LAPD using excessive force against a senior citizen Black man who had exceeded his two minutes of public comments.

Longtime Chicano rights activist and member of Centro CSO Carlos Montes shouted, “We unite with Black Lives Matter’s demand to fire Chief Beck. We bring you these families to show you that Boyle Heights will not remain silent at the face of injustice. Justice for Jose Mendez, Justice for Edwin Rodriguez, justice for Arturo Y Torrez, and justice for all victims of police crimes.”

After the meeting, Marquez stated, “Killings of Chicanos is only one form of national oppression against us. Many of us will never be able to afford the luxuries of traveling outside of our neighborhoods, and much less to lobby politicians. We locally can organize ourselves and fight for our own justice, our own liberation, our own equality.”

Centro CSO is gearing up for more local actions and invites you to participate in monthly, meetings the third Wednesday of every month – 6:00 p.m. at Benjamin Franklin Library, 2200 E 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90033. One may contact them directly at centrocso@gmail.com, http://facebook.com/CentroCSO, http://twitter.com/CentroCSO, http://centrocso.wordpress.com

#LosAngelesCA #ImmigrantRights #PoliceBrutality #PeoplesStruggles #NYPD #Antifascism #California #LA #CSO