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LA County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman has released new charges against people in the immigration attack protests in Los Angeles, including a man accused of assaulting a law enforcement horse and a teenager accused of attempted murder.
Hochman said his office had indicted more than 40 people in connection with protest-related violence and vandalism, and the attorneys continued to review the evidence, so he intended to file more charges.
Additionally, 23 people face separate federal charges in connection with the L.A. protests, allegedly including attacks involving attacks on cinder blocks and Molotov cocktails and conspiracy to impose arrests.
Among the new charges released by the DA’s office on Tuesday were those who faced each attempted murder, attacked peace officers and vandalism, and faced two misdemeanor riot counts against the 17-year-old.
Elmonte and Dana Whitson, 66, of Oro Valley, Arizona, were charged with separate assaults on a horse by the LA County Sheriff’s Office during the day of the protest in downtown LA, prosecutors said.
Castro is accused of pulling one horse’s reins and grabbing another horse’s reins as he moved towards the crowd of protesters on June 14 to force a dispersal order to the crowd of protesters.
According to court records, she faces prison for up to 10 years and four months if convicted of being charged.
On June 13th, Whitson allegedly pushed one of the sheriff’s horses several times, hitting the animal’s muzzle and pulling the reins. He is charged with one felony count each of whom assaulted a peace officer, resisted arrest and animal cruelty, and pleaded not guilty, according to court records. If convicted of being charged, Whitson will face up to six years and four months in prison.
In addition to injuries sustained by the Sheriff’s Department horses, at least five Los Angeles Police Department horses were injured in the protest, officials said.
Law enforcement agencies that use horses to control crowds have been criticized for the physical dangers posed to protesters.
Filmed on June 8 by independent journalist Tina Desiree Berg, the video shows the protesters falling as a line of officers in horseback advances to the crowd. Mounted units continue to march forward, trampling on protesters lying on the ground.
Other protesters recently charged in the DA’s office include Patrick Monos, 37, of Whittier. He is accused of injuring a police officer on a flagpole on June 11 after ordering officers to spray protesters outside the Whittier Hotel, where federal immigrants are rumoured to be staying.
Monos pleaded not guilty to each felony count, each attacking peace officer and resisting counting misdemeanors of arrest and rioting.
Robert McGrath, 21, is charged with one of the felony of vandalism that allegedly blows away explosives on the side of federal veteran affairs in downtown Los Angeles. He pleaded not guilty, court records show.
“The massive protests may have ended for now, but our work wasn’t,” Hochman said in a statement. “I would like to thank the team of investigators and prosecutors for their tireless efforts to ensure that those who committed criminal acts are held liable under the guise of protest.”
Hundreds of people were arrested by various law enforcement agencies as they spent more than a week in downtown Los Angeles from June 6 to June 10, the day the local curfew was imposed. At least 575 people have been arrested by the Los Angeles police alone.
On June 11, DA’s office announced the first charges against more than 12 protesters due to suspected crimes including throwing fireworks at police officers, driving motorcycles to police officers and destroying the Hall of Fame. Another round of charges were announced on June 17th, with allegations such as setting up a California Highway Patrol vehicle and looting an Apple store.
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