[ad_1]
A union employee was injured and taken into custody Friday while documenting an immigration raid in downtown Los Angeles.
A union spokesperson said 58-year-old Fuerta was treated at a hospital and was transported to the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown L.A., where she remained in custody as of 5:30pm. Protesters spray painted the center with messages such as “F-ice,” “burning prison,” and “impregnation.”
“What happened to me isn’t about me. It’s about something much bigger,” he said in a statement from the hospital. “This is about how we stand together as a community and resist the injustice that is happening. Hardworking people and our families and members of our community are treated like criminals. We all have to oppose this insanity.
The union said in a statement that it was “detained while exercising his initial right to amend and document his law enforcement activities.”
However, federal authorities said that Fuerta intentionally blocked federal agents’ access to workplaces where they were running warrants by blocking the vehicle.
Agents executed four search warrants on Friday, according to Yasmeen Pitts O’Keefe, a spokesman for the Homeland Security Investigation, a U.S. immigration and customs enforcement branch.
“Let’s be clear. I don’t care who you are. If you block a federal agent, you’ll be arrested and charged,” our Ati. Bill Essayli wrote in X’s statement. “No one has the right to assault, obstruct or obstruct federal authorities performing their duties,” he wrote.
An elected official representing Los Angeles at city, county, state and federal levels has issued a surge in statements denounced Fuerta’s arrest, criticising the attack and denounced the escalation of the Trump administration’s deportation.
“Say California President David Fuerta was injured by a federal agent and was mistakenly taken into custody,” said Janice Hahn, LA County superintendent. “I’m asking for his immediate release. This is a democracy. People have the right to protest peacefully, observe law enforcement activities, and oppose fraud.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom calls Huerta a respected leader, patriot and advocate for workers.
“No one should be harmed to witness the actions of the government,” he wrote to X.
The essay said that Fuerta was arrested on suspicion of interfering with a federal officer and would be arrested Monday.
“We have no initial amendment rights to physically interfere with the enforcement of a legally issued warrant,” said U.S. Civil Rights Attorney General Hermet Dillon.
Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) called for the immediate release of Huerta, saying he was “threw violently to the ground” by ICE agents.
“We’re better than this and all Americans should be wary,” McGuire said in a statement.
Apart from Fuerta, 44 people were administratively arrested during the immigration lawsuit on Friday, O’Keefe said.
Hundreds of people gathered outside of Los Angeles federal buildings to condemn the crackdown and demands.
By 6:30pm, more than 100 people had gathered outside the Immigration Bureau building and the downtown detention center.
Mandy Bell, a 65-year-old Koreatown resident, said she wanted to take part in the video early in the day after seeing the protest.
“Immigration is not the enemy,” she said. “I didn’t think the attack would come here. It’s so wrong, I’m off here. I’ll have to find out when there will be another protest.”
Los Angeles police declared an illegal assembly and ordered crowds to disperse around 7pm
At 7:30pm, a group of about 50 police officers from around eight police vehicles and riot equipment were closed by a group of protesters on North Alameda Street, with a secondary group of protesters screaming “shameful” to the officers.
“We’re here because people are terrified right now,” one protester cried out to the officer. “You know who you are.”
[ad_2]Source link
