East Los Angeles, CA – On March 14, the family of David Ordaz Jr. held a protest and a vigil to commemorate the five-year anniversary since David was executed by four East LA Sheriff's deputies during a mental health crisis.

Gathered at Belvedere Lake Park, David’s family, Centro CSO, along with allies and other impacted families, rallied, then marched to the East LA Sheriff’s Station, before running to Belvedere Lake to hold a vigil for David with a table for candles and pictures to honor his life and demand justice.

On March 14, 2021, the family of David Ordaz, Jr. called 911 to get him help as he was under mental distress and talking about suicide. ELA Sheriff’s deputies – including Remin Pineda, Edwin Navarrete, Jaime Romero and Nathaniel Trujillo – arrived at the scene outside of the Ordaz family home in East Los Angeles.

The ELA sheriff’s station, the home of the Banditos sheriff gang, is known for its aggressive behavior and long history of killing Chicano men. Although they were aware of Ordaz Jr.’s mental state, the deputies gunned him down as his family watched in shock. While the department says that Ordaz Jr. charged at the deputies with a knife, footage recorded by a neighbor shows that he did not pose a threat.

Jazmine Moreno, mother of David Ordaz’s three children, stated, “When the sheriffs responded to the call they immediately drew their guns,” said Moreno, recalling what happened the day David was killed. “With no regard for his life or any of the rest of our family who are standing next to him, these cowardly deputies began shooting rubber bullets and within a second fired live rounds.”

In 2022, former Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon charged Pineda with two felonies: assault with a firearm and assault under color of authority. However, Pineda walked free without serving any prison time for Ordaz’s murder. It turned out Mark Arnold, a biased judge who was a former sheriff deputy himself, with a son currently in law enforcement, merely sentenced Pineda to two years’ probation. The judge claimed Pineda “didn’t go out with the intent to kill.” The facts are clear: David was shot already bleeding and lying on the ground. Pineda walked up and fired the final fatal bullet at close range. That was an execution. T

he Ordaz family presented demands throughout the event that included, “DA Hochman or Attorney General Rob Bonta: Reopen the investigation into Deputy Nathaniel Trujillo and Jamie Romero,” and “California Attorney General Rob Bonta: Conduct an investigation into the trial of Remin Pineda for bias. Judge Mark S. Arnold is a former LASD deputy and his son is currently with the Department.”

Stephanie Luna, aunt of 21-year-old Anthony Daniel Vargas who was killed by the East LA Sheriffs in 2018, shared words and condolences on behalf of the Check the Sheriff’s coalition. “We are not only gathered here in the memory of David Ordaz but for the pursuit of justice that his life demanded,” Luna said. Citing Judge Mark Arnold’s background, she continued, “Justice cannot exist when there is a conflict of interest, justice cannot exist where bias is ignored.”

At the kick-off rally, Luis Sifuentes of Centro CSO and Carlos Montes of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization spoke about how David’s killing is an example of the national oppression that Chicanos experience within the Southwest.

Ali Rubinfeld with the Loyola Anti-Racism Center and the Check the Sheriff’s coalition, said, “It is wrong that when the police kill, the criminal legal system seeks out reason to justify their behavior and allows them to act with impunity.” Rubinfield demanded, “We need impartial and independent review of police violence and misconduct that can yield real accountability and justice for impacted families.”

After the speeches, the crowd marched to the East LA Sheriff station chanting, “Jail killer cops,” “Justice for David Ordaz Jr!” “Sin justicia no hay paz!” In anticipation for the crowd, the station set up yellow police lines taped across the perimeter and three squad cars parked with six deputies. Confrontation ensued between the crowd and cops reminding them that justice is still wanting.

The crowd eventually regrouped at the rally point to start the vigil and hear from the families of Jeremy Flores (killed by LAPD in 2025) and David Sullivan (killed by Buena Park PD in 2019), who spoke in solidarity with the Ordaz family.

Five years since that tragic day, the family of David Ordaz Jr have not only fought for justice in his case but also became leading fighters in the struggle against LASD and LAPD terror. His family has led multiple protests outside of the ELA Sheriff’s station, attended with Centro CSO the Second National Conference of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, and helped organize the victory of Measure A to bring greater accountability to LASD.

#EastLosAngelesCA #LosAngelesCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #KillerCops #CentroCSO

East Los Angeles, CA – On Saturday, August 26, over 300 people, mostly Chicano, gathered at Salazar Park in East Los Angeles for the 53rd Chicano Moratorium. Led by Centro CSO and other allied organizations, speakers both commemorated the 53rd anniversary of the protest that took place at the same location on August 29, 1970 and highlighted the ongoing struggle for Chicano self-determination. Demands included legalization for all of the undocumented, community control of the sheriffs, no U.S./NATO wars, and protection of public education.

On August 29, 1970, 30,000 Chicanos from across the Southwest marched through the streets of East LA to protest the high levels of Chicano casualties during the Vietnam War. The East LA Sheriffs and other LA police forces attacked the protest once it arrived at Laguna Park, (now Salazar Park). On that day, police killed Lyn Ward, Angel Diaz, and Ruben Salazar, a leading Los Angeles Times journalist who covered the Chicano movement and was targeted for assassination by the sheriffs due to his reporting on police crimes.

Antonia Montes, co-chair of Centro CSO’s education committee, opened the Moratorium by remembering Dr. Roberto Cintli Rodriguez, who died on July 31. A victim of repression by the East LA sheriffs, Rodriguez became an author and professor who documented the killings of Chicanos and fought for Raza Studies in Arizona.

After the tribute to Dr. Rodriguez, Carlos Montes, a founder of the Brown Berets and today a leading member of Centro CSO and Freedom Road Socialist Organization, gave a kickoff speech that contextualized the Moratorium as a protest against U.S. imperialism and for Chicano self-determination. Estela Ayala of el Partido La Raza Unida then followed with a blessing and an acknowledgment of Salazar, Diaz, and Ward.

Luis Sifuentes, co-chair of Centro CSO’s Police Accountability Committee, spoke about how the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department has only grown more powerful since the killing of Salazar. The department’s budget has ballooned into the billions while deputy gangs, which officers join by provoking and even killing people as part of an initiation process, have spread throughout the county. He called on those in attendance to join Centro CSO’s struggle to expose the deputy gangs as part of a petition drive in East Los Angeles. Supporters can sign the petition at https://tinyurl.com/NoDeputyGangs.

Sifuentes, accompanied by the family of David Ordaz Jr., who was killed by LASD in 2021, said, “Centro CSO is campaigning for our right as working-class Chicanos to have power over these institutions. We need to have power over these institutions filled with criminals that run amok and unhinged. We need to have the power to jail killer cops when they murder innocent people.”

David Pulido of CSO Orange County explained how the Santa Ana Police Department has corrupted their city council, which allows the SAPD to continue “arresting, locking up and killing Chicanos.” Diana Terreros, a member of CSO OC as well as Freedom Road Socialist Organization, connected police crimes to the national oppression of Chicanos across Aztlán. Terreros said, “We need self-determination, the right to determine our own destinies. We can accomplish this by organizing, by taking power from the ruling class and putting it in the hands of the Chicano working class.”

Baba Akili, a leader in Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles, highlighted the solidarity between African Americans and Chicanos in the fight against police brutality in Los Angeles.

After a danzante performance from Xipe Totec and spoken word by Matt Sedillo and Cristal Haro, Sol Marquez, a member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization and Centro CSO, gave a speech about how she’s a member of FRSO because it takes up the question of what it means to be Chicano and how to fight for liberation. Marquez rallied the crowd by saying, “Make some noise if you think the only way to win Chicano liberation is through revolution!”

Ernesto Ayala of el Partido La Raza Unida, and Vanessa Bustamante gave empowering speeches urging all in attendance to get more involved in Chicano movements. Fernando Ledezma of Los Rucos, and retired Eastman Avenue Elementary teacher spoke about growing up Chicano and the continued struggle for Chicano rights.

Alex Orellana, a Teamster at UPS and a Marine veteran, spoke about the need for Chicanos to join unions and fight the boss at their workplaces rather than enlist in the U.S. military. Victor Rodriguez, another Teamster at UPS and a member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, explained how Teamsters in Los Angeles and across the U.S. won a massive contract campaign against UPS.

Next, Chicano Secret Service, a comedy troupe which uses humor to tackle political issues that Chicanos confront, performed a series of skits. One featured Vice President Kamala Harris visiting East LA while the other starred Elias Serna as Che Castro, a Chicano revolutionary who was “conceived at the Moratorium and born on Cinco de Mayo.”

After Chicano Secret Service’s performance, Antonieta Garcia of CSO’s education committee and Lucia Garcia of Eastside Padres Contra Privatizacion spoke about how charter corporations are proliferating on LA’s Eastside and destroying public education for Chicanos. Presenting her resolution to fight charter co-locations, Rocio Rivas, the Los Angeles Unified School District board member for District 2, said, “In LA. we’re fighting privatization because we have wonderful neighborhood public schools that have been here for generations.”

Other groups represented included the Brown Beret Organization and La Mesa Nacional de Los Brown Berets called for Chicano self-determination throughout Aztlán. LA MAS and the Peace and Freedom Party called for unity in the struggle against monopoly capitalism. Eden Enamorado spoke about experiencing first-hand police brutality from police in LA and his work defending street vendors.

Jordan Peña of CSO’s Immigration Rapid Response Team closed the rally by recognizing how more than 50 years after the original Moratorium, both veteranos and youth were united to fight for Chicano liberation. He led the crowd with the chant, “Chicano power, Chicana power, que viva Aztlan!”

#EastLosAngelesCA #ChicanoLatino #ChicanoMoratorium

East Los Angeles, CA – On May 27, East LA residents, impacted family members, and supporters united against the new formation of two separate deputy gangs in the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department as well as the vicious escalation in deputy-involved killings.

Centro CSO, an organization that fights against police crimes in Boyle Height and East LA, called the protest to pressure new head Sheriff Robert Luna, who has been in office for six months, to fulfill his election promise to eradicate the deputy gangs.

Opening the event, Avery Raimondo with Centro CSO’s Police Accountability Committee spoke about the need for community control of the LASD to defeat the deputy gangs. Raimondo said, “LASD operates outside of oversight and democratic control. The people of East Los Angeles and LA County must have power in order to transform the sheriff’s department and stop these killings.”

After Raimondo, Joseph Williams from Black Lives Matter-LA and Helen Jones of Dignity Power Now spoke about the need to hold LA Sheriff Robert Luna accountable.

Chanting, “If we don’t get no justice, then they don’t get no peace” and “LASD means we got to fight back,” Luis Sifuentes led the marchers from the intersection of Mednik Avenue and 3rd Street to the East LA Sheriff’s station. There, attendees heard from the families of Paul Rea, Frederick Holder and David Ordaz Jr.

“People like to think that in a state like California, where weed is allegedly legal, you’re safe to smoke it. But that’s what got Chicano Paul Rea killed,” said Sol Márquez of CSO and Freedom Road Socialist Organization. “Deputies from this station used it as an excuse to shoot him over four times and take his life!”

The event proceeded despite the sheriffs blocking the protesters from nearing the station with barricades and deputy vehicles. At one point, the family of Paul Rea reminded the deputies of the retaliatory attempt to silence a family member by arresting and removing them from the public eye. For hours their whereabouts were unknown, and the family has since filed a lawsuit against the station.

“We will not stop fighting for justice for Paul,” said Leah Garcia, mother of Paul Rea. “And so many others that had their lives stolen from them forever. We will be Paul’s voice.”

Next plans for CSO are to unite with impacted families like David Ordaz Jr.’s to create a petition that would inform East LA residents of the presence of sheriff’s deputy gangs as well as demand that the LA Board of Supervisors and LASD take action to eradicate them. Stay tuned for the petition.

If you’d like to join the CSO Police Accountability Committee, reach out to them at (323) 484-8630 centrocso@gmail.com or @CentroCSO on social media.

#EastLosAngelesCA #PoliceBrutality #CentroCSOCommunityServiceOrganization

East LA, CA — A small tortilla-making store, La Imperial Tortillería, hosted a public event inside of their shop titled “Coffee with a Deputy,” February 23. Inside of the shop were less than a dozen people surrounded by East LA sheriffs who were having coffee. This sad event was a public relations stunt by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department to counter the ever-growing sentiment against deputy gangs and the LASD.

Outside of the shop, two dozen people showed up to protest the event. Some of those in attendance were members of Centro CSO, Say Their Names LA, and the family of David Ordaz Jr., who was killed March 2021 by East LA sheriffs a block away from the event’s location.

Carlos Montes and Luis Sifuentes, both members of Centro CSO, led the protesters in chants like, “Who killed David? LASD!” and “Adios Villanueva!” Villanueva is Alex Villanueva, the sheriff of Los Angeles County. The angry protesters then took it inside and confronted the public meeting full of LA sheriffs. The owners of the shop and its employees became upset and yelled, “This is a private meeting, get out!” at the protesters, some of whom were carrying children in their arms. The owner approached one CSO member and said, “I am the owner and I am asking you to leave and take your protest outside.” The sheriffs attempted to move the protesters out but they stood firm chanting and disrupting the meeting.

The deputies who had been sharing a cup of coffee with the small group were forced to walk out of the shop. The protesters continued their chants and demanded answers from the deputies. At one point the captain of the East LA Sheriff’s Station, Richard Mejia, approached the family of David Ordaz Jr. and talked for a few minutes.

David’s daughter Emily Ordaz said to Mejia, “You never made the effort to talk to me or my family after your deputies killed my dad.” To which Mejia responded with, “We did but you guys hired a lawyer!”

A shouting match ensued and ended with LASD Sergeant Hoffman asking to speak with only the family of David Ordaz Jr. Hoffman was wearing the racist “a kick in the pants” pin, a logo that originated out of the East LA Sheriff’s Station.

The family of David Ordaz Jr. and Centro CSO are fighting to win justice for Ordaz, the jailing of the killer deputies, and the ouster of Sheriff Villanueva. This led them to unite with others like the Check the Sheriff Coalition. There are efforts to get a charter amendment on this year’s California ballot to gain more community control over LASD. To join their efforts contact CSO at 323-943-2030 Centro CSO @ Gmail, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

#EastLACA #EastLosAngelesCA #OppressedNationalities #PeoplesStruggles #ChicanoLatino #PoliceBrutality #CentroCSO #LosAngelesCountySheriffsDepartment

East Los Angeles, CA – Over a 100 students, teachers and parents from Garfield High School (GHS) held a protest in East Los Angeles on October 13, against a planned construction of a new charter high school.

East Los Angeles unincorporated area has become saturated with private charter schools, causing a crisis in Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) public schools. Mother Antonieta Garcia spoke about the damage another charter school will cause to public schools and the environment. GHS students led chants denouncing the charter school.

Garfield High School is being threatened with the construction of a new Ednovate Charter High School only a block away. Ednovate is a corporate charter school operator with wealthy investors in its board and plans to expand. Ednovate plans to construct a two-story building with 16 classrooms for a high school a block from GHS. Ednovate used a maneuver to avoid public scrutiny, using a land planning tactic to avoid the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) study. This new high school will devastate GHS with less students, leading to less funding.

Ricardo Rivas and Juan Garcia, two great teachers at GHS, thanked the community of parents and students for participating. They also talked about the vast history and tradition of excellence at GHS.

Lupe Torres with Centro CSO’s Education Committee and an East LA resident talked about getting involved by doing a community door-to-door walk to reach more residents. A Centro CSO forum is set for November 4, at 5 p.m. on charters and privatization attacks on public schools. Torres urged all to contact CSO to get involved.

Eastside Padres also joined and supported the protest.

LAUSD enrollment is already down, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and economic hardships. East LA already has Esteban Torres High School and Garfield High School and both have excellent instruction programs. Also nearby are Boyle Heights’ Roosevelt High School, Mendez High School and Bravo Magnet High School. There is no need for another high school in the Eastside area.

Garfield High School has a long history of academic and cultural excellence. Multiple generations of families have graduated from GHS. Jaime Escalante, a well-known math teacher, became famous at GHS. He is portrayed in the movie Stand and Deliver. The well-known rock group Los Lobos also attended GHS.

To get involved with Centro CSO’s Education Committee, be sure to contact CSO at 323-943-2030, CentroCSO@gmail.com, or @CentroCSO on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. The next Centro CSO public meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on October 20.

Centro CSO has also started a petition (https://www.change.org/p/supervisor-hilda-solis-protect-garfield-hs) to fight back against Esperanza and is fundraising for legal support at https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-centro-cso-donate-now.

Carlos Montes is a graduate of GHS, a long time advocate for public education, as one of founders of the Brown Berets in ELA he was a leader of the historic ELA HS Walkouts of March 1968 a key event in the urban Chicano Movement of the late 1960’s. HBO produced the movie Walkout about these events.

#EastLosAngelesCA #PeoplesStruggles #CentroCSO #GarfieldHighSchool #Ednovate

East Los Angeles, CA – The family of Anthony Daniel Vargas held a teach-in outside of the East LA Sheriff’s Station on August 14 to commemorate his three-year angelversary. The Vargas family not only honored Anthony, who was murdered by sheriff's deputies Nikolis Perez and Jonathan Rojas on August 12, 2018, but also used the event to educate about the history of deputy gangs like the Bandidos and the ongoing violence the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD) perpetuates in East LA. Around a dozen families and friends of loved ones killed by police from across Southern California as well as allied organizations like Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles and Centro CSO spoke in support.

Anthony’s mother, Lisa Vargas, and his aunts, Stephanie Luna and Valerie Vargas, facilitated the teach-in, explaining to the community the circumstances of his murder and the type of young man he was. Vargas was 21 years old, loved to fish, and led a bible study. The family also wanted to highlight the harassment that they experience, a form of political repression, since they’ve begun fighting back to win justice for their loved one. Other families of LASD victims, like Paul Rea’s, have similarly been harassed by deputies.

On August 12, 2018, sheriff’s deputies Nikolis Perez and Jonathan Rojas killed Anthony Vargas at the Maravilla Housing Projects in East Los Angeles. While responding to a call for a robbery at a nearby grocery store, Perez and Rojas encountered Vargas, who fled. A leaked autopsy revealed that the two deputies shot Vargas a total of 13 times in the back, back of the head, and back of his right arm. Former Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey refused to file charges just like in the hundreds of other cases.

The Vargas family emphasized that Perez and Rojas were prospects for the Banditos deputy gang. Described as “cliques” by the rogue Sheriff Alex Villanueva, these deputy gangs have spread throughout the different stations of LASD and the initiation of prospects require shootings in order for deputies to join. Thus, Vargas’ murder was a form of initiation for Perez and Rojas. Perez would go on to kill another young Chicano, Jorge Serrano, Jr., in 2019.

The friends and relatives of Vanessa Marquez, Marco Vazquez, Jr., Paul Rea, Ernie Serrano, Daniel Hernandez, John Horton, David Ordaz Jr., David Sullivan, Christopher Okamoto, and Cesar Rodriguez attended and spoke in solidarity. Christian Contreras, a lawyer from Justice X who represents the Vargas family, explained the history of sheriff violence including the assassination of Ruben Salazar at the August 29, 1970 Chicano Moratorium and the development of deputy gangs. Carlos Montes of Centro CSO talked about the history of Black and Chicano unity and solidarity and invited attendees to march and rally at the 51st Chicanx Moratorium on August 29. Baba Akili of Black Lives Matter-LA spoke about the impact of families’ testimonies and described the families’ growth since joining the struggle and ended his talk by saying we will see you all on August 29 at the Chicano Moratorium.

The East LA Sheriffs have a long history of brutality and killing of Chicano young men. This August 29, the families and marchers will be denouncing Sheriff Villanueva and the killer sheriff gangs for the 51st Chicanx Moratorium. The civil rights suit filed by the family of Vargas in 2019 will finally go to trial this September 23. The trial will be held in the U.S. Courthouse 350 West 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. The community is encouraged to attend and show solidarity with the family.

#EastLosAngelesCA #OppressedNationalities #PeoplesStruggles #ChicanoLatino #PoliceBrutality #CentroCSO #AnthonyVargas

East Los Angeles, CA – The family of Anthony Daniel Vargas held a teach-in outside of the East LA Sheriff’s Station on August 14 to commemorate his three-year angelversary. The Vargas family not only honored Anthony, who was murdered by sheriff's deputies Nikolis Perez and Jonathan Rojas on August 12, 2018, but also used the event to educate about the history of deputy gangs like the Bandidos and the ongoing violence the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD) perpetuates in East LA. Around a dozen families and friends of loved ones killed by police from across Southern California as well as allied organizations like Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles and Centro CSO spoke in support.

Anthony’s mother, Lisa Vargas, and his aunts, Stephanie Luna and Valerie Vargas, facilitated the teach-in, explaining to the community the circumstances of his murder and the type of young man he was. Vargas was 21 years old, loved to fish, and led a bible study. The family also wanted to highlight the harassment that they experience, a form of political repression, since they’ve begun fighting back to win justice for their loved one. Other families of LASD victims, like Paul Rea’s, have similarly been harassed by deputies.

On August 12, 2018, sheriff’s deputies Nikolis Perez and Jonathan Rojas killed Anthony Vargas at the Maravilla Housing Projects in East Los Angeles. While responding to a call for a robbery at a nearby grocery store, Perez and Rojas encountered Vargas, who fled. A leaked autopsy revealed that the two deputies shot Vargas a total of 13 times in the back, back of the head, and back of his right arm. Former Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey refused to file charges just like in the hundreds of other cases.

The Vargas family emphasized that Perez and Rojas were prospects for the Banditos deputy gang. Described as “cliques” by the rogue Sheriff Alex Villanueva, these deputy gangs have spread throughout the different stations of LASD and the initiation of prospects require shootings in order for deputies to join. Thus, Vargas’ murder was a form of initiation for Perez and Rojas. Perez would go on to kill another young Chicano, Jorge Serrano, Jr., in 2019.

The friends and relatives of Vanessa Marquez, Marco Vazquez, Jr., Paul Rea, Ernie Serrano, Daniel Hernandez, John Horton, David Ordaz Jr., David Sullivan, Christopher Okamoto, and Cesar Rodriguez attended and spoke in solidarity. Christian Contreras, a lawyer from Justice X who represents the Vargas family, explained the history of sheriff violence including the assassination of Ruben Salazar at the August 29, 1970 Chicano Moratorium and the development of deputy gangs. Carlos Montes of Centro CSO talked about the history of Black and Chicano unity and solidarity and invited attendees to march and rally at the 51st Chicanx Moratorium on August 29. Baba Akili of Black Lives Matter-LA spoke about the impact of families’ testimonies and described the families’ growth since joining the struggle and ended his talk by saying we will see you all on August 29 at the Chicano Moratorium.

The East LA Sheriffs have a long history of brutality and killing of Chicano young men. This August 29, the families and marchers will be denouncing Sheriff Villanueva and the killer sheriff gangs for the 51st Chicanx Moratorium. The civil rights suit filed by the family of Vargas in 2019 will finally go to trial this September 23. The trial will be held in the U.S. Courthouse 350 West 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. The community is encouraged to attend and show solidarity with the family.

#EastLosAngelesCA #OppressedNationalities #PeoplesStruggles #ChicanoLatino #PoliceBrutality #CentroCSO #AnthonyVargas

East Los Angeles, CA – June 27 marked the two-year anniversary of the killing of 18-year-old Chicano Paul Rea in East Los Angeles, during a traffic stop. Rea was killed by Deputy Sheriff Hector Saavedra, a known member of the Banditos deputy gang. Since Rea’s death, his family has been subjected to harassment and intimidation in a deputy attempt to silence them from seeking justice. This is a common occurrence for families who are vocal and fight back against police crimes.

On the evening of his death, Rea and a friend were driving close to his home when two Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department deputies pulled them over for allegedly running a stop sign. The sheriffs accused Rea’s friend, driver of the car, of being high on marijuana. When they attempted to detain him, the deputies allege Rea broke free and ran. Deputy Hector Saavedra fired a number of shots, striking Rea on both forearms, right thigh, and neck.

Families who have lost their sons to killings by the ELA Sheriffs rallied for justice, a stop to police brutality, and the jailing of killer cops at Belvedere Lake – where the station is located.

Paul Rea’s mother Leah Garcia and his grandmother Julie Martinez spoke at the rally, united with other mothers, aunts and siblings whose loved ones have been victims of police killings, including Anthony Vargas, Marco Vazquez, David Ordaz Jr., David Sullivan and Eric Rivera. The Chicano families were joined by Centro CSO, BLM-LA Greg Akili, American Indian Movement-SoCal, the National Lawyers Guild, and local supporters.

After the rally the protesters marched to the ELA Sheriff's Station for a protest in front of the station. The protesters were met with barricades and a lineup of deputies, who were taunting grieving families. The ELA Sheriffs have a long history of killing young Chicano men. In these cases, no deputies have been held accountable and they are still patrolling our neighborhoods.

After the protest and rally, Paul Rea’s family held a memorial at the site where he was murdered. There they did a balloon release and provided free food to all attendees.

#EastLosAngelesCA #OppressedNationalities #PeoplesStruggles #ChicanoLatino #PoliceBrutality #CentroCSO #PaulRea

East Los Angeles, CA – On the afternoon of March 14, East LA Sheriffs shot and killed David Ordaz Jr., 34, when the family called for mental health support. Ordaz, father of three children, graduated from the local Garfield High School where he played football. As a young man he was an altar boy and lector at the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic church. His large working-class family is devastated from witnessing the brutal killing of David in front of their home.

Deputies said they found Ordaz with a kitchen knife inside of his car parked in front of the home. They called for a mental evaluation team, but it never arrived. Ordaz exited the car and was shot with a bean bag and then shot immediately with live ammunition. Ordaz fell to the ground. As he lay wounded a Sheriff's deputy walked up close to him and gave one final deadly shot to his upper body, killing him instantly.

Paramedics rendered aid to Ordaz before transporting him to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

The LA County Sheriffs have been involved in several killings when families call emergency for help regarding mental health situations. In a very similar officer-involved killing, East LA Sheriffs tased and beat to death Chicano Eric Briceno inside of his home in Maywood. Briceno was asleep in his own bedroom when he was killed on March 16, 2020. Briceno's parents had called the Sheriffs during a mental health emergency. Instead of helping him, the Sheriffs killed Briceno.

Recent scandal has fallen on East LA Sheriffs with an FBI investigation of one of their gangs within their ranks – The Banditos. LA Sheriff Alex Villanueva, who is of Puerto Rican descent, is said to be a member. Centro CSO, along with a coalition named Check the Sheriffs, have been busy building momentum to “Boot the Bandito – Alex Villanueva.”

Centro CSO and families have raised calls for the prosecution of these killer cops. An upcoming town hall on March 27 at 12 noon Pacific Time will have families speak out to denounce the killing of their loved ones. Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda Solis will attend the town hall. If you wish to attend, contact Centro CSO at 323-943-2030 or @CentroCSO on Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.

#EastLosAngelesCA #PeoplesStruggles #ChicanoLatino #PoliceBrutality #EastLASheriffsDepartment #DavidOrdazJr

East Los Angeles, CA – Thousands took to the streets in East Los Angeles on August 29 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium. The 1970 Chicano Moratorium was against the Vietnam War and racist conditions Chicanos lived with. From a caravan which started early in the morning to a double rally and march, Chicanos from all over the country once again attended the historic events on what is now recognized as National Chicano Liberation Day. Banners and posters called for the jailing of killer cops, community control of police, an end to racism, sexism, U.S. wars, and denounced Trump.

A large coalition called the 50th Chicano Moratorium Organizing Committee organized for nearly two years to put on events. Centro Community Service Organization (CSO) was one of the organizations within the coalition. After the killing of George Floyd – an unarmed Black man who died by being choked to death by a white cop – and mass uprisings against police brutality, many Chicanos showed solidarity by taking to the streets. In that determination many called for a march and rally for August 29, not just a car caravan. Centro CSO with the Brown Berets, La Raza Unida Party and other groups united and led the hard work to organize a march and rally for this historic day.

Aztec dancers opened the rally at Atlantic Park with a ceremony, followed by a lively performance by Zada Musica. The rally emcees Sol Marqez of Freedom Road Socialist Organization and Lupe Torres of UTLA/Centro CSO kept the rally spirited. The rally welcome and brief history of the Chicano Moratorium was given by long-time Chicano revolutionary Carlos Montes. To chants of “Chicana power”, he also called for self-determination for the Chicano nation of Aztlan, solidarity with oppressed nations of the world like Venezuela, Mexico and Colombia, as well as denouncing U.S. imperialism.

Some of first rally’s speakers included: Centro CSO Youth; Black Lives Matter – LA; Centro CSO; Lisa Vargas, mother of Anthony Vargas (killed by East LA sheriff’s deputies in 2018); the family of Cesar Rodriguez (killed by Long Beach PD in 2017); the family of Alex Flores (killed by LAPD in 2020); Freedom Road Socialist Organization; LA Mesa Nacional Brown Berets; La Raza Unida Party/818 Resolve; and United Brown Coalition. Each spoke about being proud Chicanos, family of Chicanos, in solidarity with the Chicano struggle, and of the relevance of the demands of the 1970 Chicano Moratorium to the 50-year anniversary. In particular, the family of Cesar Rodriguez was mourning the three-year anniversary of his killing at the hands of Long Beach PD on August 29, 2017.

Ending the beginning rally was the first ever woman Chicana/Black President of the United Teachers of Los Angeles LAUSD teachers union – Cecily Myart-Cruz. She said, “I am honored to be in this space! Our youth are leading this movement, and it is our duty to stand up and fight back with them.” She then demanded justice for Black victims of police brutality like Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and survivor Jacob Blake. Myart-Cruz then named Chicano victims like Jesse Romero, Anthony Daniel Vargas, Daniel Hernandez, Alex Flores, and Salvadoran-American Andres Guardado.

Shortly after speeches, La Mesa Nacional Brown Berets, at the direction of co-directors Connie Gonzalez and Rafael Avitia, helped coordinate one of the most well-planned and secure marches of recent times in Los Angeles.

Thousands took off from Atlantic Park along Whittier, while security stations of Brown Berets along the way provided water, snacks, medical aid and blocked traffic to allow the marchers to peacefully pass through the extremely busy Whittier Boulevard. For two-and-a-half miles the march continued until ending at Ruben Salazar Park. Once there, the marchers cooled off under the shade and sat on the grass. Stations at the park provided free snacks and water, and the second rally continued.

Immediately kicking off the second rally was Boyle Heights poet Sammy Quetzalli who before performing talked about how white supremacists are never brave enough to come to working-class Chicano neighborhoods like Boyle Heights and East LA. Zada Music performed two additional and proud Chicano songs. Once again, the rally highlighted police crimes against Chicanos, as the crowd heard from the family of Daniel Hernandez (killed by LAPD in 2020), a friend of Vanessa Marquez (killed by South Pasadena PD in 2018), and DeAnna Sullivan, the mother of David Sullivan (killed by Buena Park PD in 2019).

Other speakers at the second rally included Kareem Youseff of the U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN); the family of Enrique Roman-Martinez (murdered on-duty in the army in 2020 while on a camping trip with other soldiers); Los Angeles Indigenous Peoples Alliance (LAIPA) Tino Torres; the daughters of Jose Tapete, an immigrant held in the Adelanto Detention Center for over two years; Alex Orellana of Centro CSO; Cholo Scarr and Heron Carrillo of United Brown Coalition.

Chicano attorney Humberto Guizar and his newly formed Justicia Team X spoke of the need to have Chicano representation during lawsuits against killer shops. Revolutionary poet Matt Sedillo wrote a poem specific to the 50th, and Brown Beret Aztek Speak who traveled from Atlanta, Georgia – performed two songs. At one point, even LA City Councilman Gil Cedillo hopped onto the speaker’s truck to greet the protesters. Cedillo spoke about being a proud Chicano and in solidarity of the rally and its attendees.

Aztlan flags held by various marchers and provided by the La Raza Unida Party (LRUP), waved in front of the speaker’s truck. One of the final speakers, Ernesto Ayala of LRUP, spoke about the need to continue demanding self-determination for the Chicano Nation of Aztlan. Ayala spoke of his father Xenaro Ayala, who not only helped create the Chicano flag but also marched the streets on August 29, 2020 as a proud revolutionary socialist.

For pictures and videos of all the speakers and participants during the 50th march, visit: facebook.com/CentroCSO.

#EastLosAngelesCA #InJusticeSystem #PoliceBrutality #PeoplesStruggles #ChicanoLatino #ChicanoMoratorium

Los Angeles, CA – The powerful slogan “Chicano power” was heard here as marchers headed down Whittier Boulevard in the heart of East Los Angeles, Aug. 28. The 40th Chicano Moratorium against war had participants from as far away as El Paso, Texas and Arizona. Large numbers of high school and college students joined with the many veteran activists of the late 1960s. The march message was clear, “No to war” and “Legalization now.” Many onlookers smiled and waved to the marchers.

This year’s protest was organized by several groups including the August 29th Chicano Moratorium Organizing Committee, the National Moratorium Committee and the new Brown Berets. The rally speakers talked about the need to continue the struggle against war and the fight for Chicano self-determination.

August 29 marked the 40th anniversary of the historic Chicano Moratorium protest against the Vietnam War. On Aug. 29, 1970 over 30,000 Chicanos marched down Whittier Boulevard in the heart of East Los Angeles protesting the Vietnam War, the high casualty rate of Chicano soldiers and racist conditions in the barrios.

The 1970 rally held at Laguna Park by the Chicano Moratorium was brutally attacked by the combined forces of the Los Angeles city police and the Los Angeles county sheriffs. Whole families were beaten and tear gassed. Youth responded by defending the rally with their bare hands. A rebellion followed for the entire day, where later Ruben Salazar, a Los Angeles Times journalist and Spanish TV news director, was killed by a sheriff at the Silver Dollar. He was shot in the head with a tear gas missile projectile normally used for barricaded situations. It is important to commemorate the Chicano Moratorium because it is part of our history of resistance that is not always taught in history classes. This event is also part of the long struggle of Chicanos for self-determination and liberation.

Today it is important to continue the fight against the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and to protest the military recruitment targeting Chicanos and especially immigrant youth.

#EastLosAngelesCA #ChicanoLatino #ChicanoMoratorium #RubenSalazar

August 29, 2010, marks the 40th anniversary of the historic Chicano Moratorium protest against the Vietnam War. On Aug. 29, 1970 over 30,000 Chicanos marched down Whittier Boulevard in the heart of East Los Angeles protesting the Vietnam War, the high casualty rate of Chicano soldiers and racist conditions in the barrios. The participants included youth and families of a mainly working class community with delegations from throughout the Southwest. The marchers chanted “¡Raza Si, Guerra No!” inspired by the call for Chicano self-determination and opposition to the imperialist U.S. war in Vietnam. Many Chicano youth had been drafted into the military after being pushed out of high school. The Chicano Movement was on the rise after several years of mass actions like the East Los Angeles high-school walkouts of 1968, land struggles in New Mexico, strikes by the United Farm Workers union, and the growth of new Chicano groups like the Brown Berets and MEChA (Movemiento Estudiantil Chicano de Atzlan, a Chicano Student Movement of the Southwest).

The mass rally held at Laguna Park by the Chicano Moratorium was brutally attacked by the combined forces of the Los Angeles city police and the Los Angeles county sheriffs. Whole families were beaten and tear gassed. Youth responded by defending the rally with their bare hands against the police. A rebellion followed for the entire day, where later Ruben Salazar, a Los Angeles Times journalist and Spanish TV news director, was killed by a sheriff at the Silver Dollar. He was shot in the head with a tear gas missile projectile normally used for barricaded situations.

It is important to commemorate the Chicano Moratorium because it is part of our history of resistance that is not always taught in history classes. This event is also part of the long struggle of Chicanos for self-determination and liberation. Today it is important to continue the fight against the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and to protest the military recruitment targeting Chicanos and especially immigrant youth.

Jose Gutierrez was the first U.S. Marine killed in Iraq. He came from Guatemala to Los Angeles and then joined the Marines at age 17 even though he had no papers. Gutierrez is an example of how U.S. intervention and support for Central American militaries trained at the School of the Americas that massacred over 200,000 Guatemalans has driven people to the United States. U.S.-sponsored counter-insurgency and counter-revolutions in El Salvador and Nicaragua are other examples. The U.S. supports U.S. business interests and brutal military regimes that attack popular movements and democratic or socialist governments. This causes war, poverty, displacement and mass migration to the United States.

NAFTA is an example of how U.S. policy has caused mass unemployment and poverty in Mexico, forcing millions to come to work in the U.S. and live in horrible conditions. Today these immigrants are facing growing numbers of deportations, expanded use of local police to track down the undocumented and racist laws such as Arizona’s SB1070. The mass migration of Mexicans and Central Americans to the U.S. has led to the strengthening of the Chicano/Mexican communities and to the growth of a strong mass movement for immigrant rights. Our fight for legalization and is part of our historical struggle for equality and self-determination and liberation of Chicanos/Mexicans.

This is why we continue our struggle today against U.S. wars and interventions like in Colombia, and Plan Merida in Mexico. Also we must support movements and governments that are independent and oppose U.S. power, like those in Bolivia and Venezuela.

We make a call for principled unity to the community and all the organizations organizing for the Chicano Moratorium, to continue the struggle for Chicano self-determination. In addition to the the 1970 slogan of “¡Raza si, guerra no!” we now add “¡Raza si, Migra no!” and “¡Aquí estamos, y no nos vamos!”

This year’s march and rally is organized by several groups and will take place on Saturday, Aug. 28. The march will start at 10:00 am at Belvedere Park (1st Street and Mednick) and go to Salazar Park (3864 Whittier Boulevard) for a rally. For more information call 213-712-0370.

#EastLosAngelesCA #LosAngelesCA #ChicanoLatino #ChicanoMoratorium #Vietnam

East Los Angeles, CA – The streets here were filled with Chicanas and Chicanos of all ages on Aug. 26 to commemorate the Chicana/o people's struggle for liberation and self-determination. Aug. 29 marked the 30th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium.

Aug. 29 is a day to commemorate the 500-plus years of Chicana/o people's struggle. It has been a constant battle of resistance. It reminds the world that we have always been at war, from the invasion and attempted conquest by the Spaniards, followed by the Manifest Destiny plan of the United States, through the Mexican-American War that took away our lands.

We became wage slaves for capitalism.

Our ancestor's families became the wage slaves and suffered brutal exploitation – picking crops they couldn't afford to buy with what they got paid. On top of labor exploitation, these same families suffered a thousand abuses, including tuberculosis and other poverty-caused diseases – just like native peoples who were exterminated by illnesses brought by the western societies.

During the U.S. war in Vietnam, huge numbers of Chicanos were drafted. We went from the fields or unemployment lines, straight to the front lines as infantry. Mexicanos were recruited by offering them citizenship. They were killed in the so-called “War for Democracy” in Vietnam. It was a false citizenship. Chicanos and Mexicanos came back home to suffer wage exploitation or no jobs at all. Chicana's labor was demeaned, after they had been worked to death to maintain the country's war supplies.

In recent years, the type of work Chicana/os, Blacks, Filipinos and Native Americans are forced to do has changed, because of the new industries, but the exploitation has not changed.

What was fought for in the 60's and 70's was quickly lost with the coming of Reagan. No health care, along with welfare cuts, continues to plague communities of color. The current political system has brought new oppressive conditions for Chicana/os and Mexicana/os. We are facing attacks against every member of our families.

With Proposition 187, poverty diseases have returned, as its aim was no health care for the “undocumented”. It goes on, with Proposition 184, “Three Strikes You're Out”, for the adult Chicana/os; Proposition 209 for the dismantling of Affirmative Action to keep us out of education; Proposition 227 abolishing Bilingual Education to get rid of our language and culture, aimed at our children; and Proposition 21, “Baby-Three Strikes You're Out”, aimed to incarcerate our Chicana/o youth. Now youth are brutalized by police as we were by the marines during war times. The police represent the state at home as the army represents the state in the wars abroad.

The use of the propositions maintains these conditions by creating the idea that people of color are not deserving of basic services, without looking at how we sustain the country with our blood and sweat. The Chicanas of the last generation worked traditionally male jobs, contributing labor to the economy. Now as Chicana/os are going to be the majority of the nation, Chicanas are also the targeted to be among the poorest of women because of Welfare Reform.

The political system is a disguised war tactic. Today we are still under the repressive state. Manifest Destiny still exists, as the U.S. has its eye on the other half of Mexico. It has never stopped trying to take the rest of the land. They have continued to exploit and oppress the nation of Mexico through North American Free Trade Agreement – depriving the nation of its self-determination. The U.S. government supports the Mexican government in its attempt to suppress the indigenous nations like Chiapas.

The Chicana/o Moratorium reminds us that not much has changed as we continue at war. It took us 20 years to make some gains, and, in just a little over a decade – half the time it took to fight for them – the gains were gone.

Our second generation hasn't even gotten a taste of the hard struggle of the first generation. The journalist Ruben Salazar was to publish the realities of the Chicana/o peoples thirty years ago and was killed so that he wouldn't expose these realities. He was silenced. Many others have been too.

On Aug. 26, 2000 we marched again to show that our history is alive in the struggle of today. Even though our nation is brutally exploited and oppressed, we have been able to survive and fight.

Uphold the right to self-determination and liberation for the Chicana/o Mexicana/o people.

#EastLosAngelesCA #AntiwarMovement #Analysis #ChicanoLatino #Proposition21 #ChicanoMoratorium #proposition187

East Los Angeles, CA – The campaign to defeat Proposition 21, the war on youth ballot initiative, climaxed with a statewide week of rage, and protests led by young people. Thousands of L.A. youth protested by walking out of school, and marching through the middle of East Los Angeles, chanting, “Schools not Jails!”

The New Raza Left organized a spirited, disciplined, multinational protest march to the L.A. County Central Jail on February 26. The purpose was to educate and mobilize against Proposition 21 and other police attacks. To the beat of drums, chanting, “Educate Don't Incarcerate!” protestors held a rally right in front of the central jail.

Various youth speakers denounced the racist attacks against African American and Chicano/Latino youth. They called for continuing the effort to build a grassroots poor people's movement for justice and real freedom. Others spoke out against the poor conditions students and teachers suffer in the L.A. City schools, and the large amount of money spent to build more prisons and not schools. The march ended in downtown L.A. by blocking traffic.

Activists Sum-up Struggle

Proposition 21 passed due to the turnout of more conservative voters who came to vote for proposition 22 (anti-same-sex marriage) and for Proposition 21. Governor Davis, a moderate Democrat, gave his support to Proposition 21. The Chicano upper class was weak in its opposition to the measure, and some gave their outright backing – like Henry Cisneros, CEO of Univison, who did Public Service Announcements supporting 21.

In summing up this campaign, we saw that we cannot rely on liberal electoral politics and tactics. These were prioritized by groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and Southern Californians for Youth.

The New Raza Left and Youth Organizing Communities (YOC) relied on independent grassroots organizing, community outreach, and mass actions such as rallies and marches with a left perspective, critical of capitalist conditions.

We linked Proposition 21 to the other oppressive conditions people of color face the U.S. We know we must build our own militant movement uniting the community, youth and working-class poor people. We have no illusions of change within the current system. We are fighting for a fundamental change of this society, where the riches produced will be for the benefit of all people, not just the elite few rich who run this country and plunder the world's peoples and resources.

Road Ahead

In our summation of this campaign, we discussed taking up a campaign for educational justice, to fight for better resources for teachers and students, better conditions and wages, and the reinstatement of bi-lingual education. We also discussed fighting to expose the racist, brutal LAPD Ramparts Division, and its attacks against the Central American community in the Pico Union area.

We also want to continue to build honest, concrete relationships with organizations and people who work and struggle for justice, freedom, self-determination and revolutionary change.

Call (323) 266-1408 for more information.

Carlos Montes is a member of New Raza Left.

#EastLosAngelesCA #Commentary #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #Proposition21 #NewRazaLeft #YouthOrganizingCommunities