Federal prosecutors announced the arrest of a man charged with conspiracy to commit civil disorders after he was allegedly caught on video passing out riot gear to protesters in Los Angeles.
Protests against deportation operations from Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents erupted into violence and vandalism that lasted several days, beginning Friday. One widely circulated video showed a man handing face shields from a carton in a truck to protesters.
‘We want to understand who these people are and where this organization’s coming from.’
Many suggested that the video was evidence that the violent protest had been orchestrated and funded by nefarious organizations.
On Thursday, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli announced the arrest of Alejandro Theodoro Orellana by the FBI during a sting operation at his home.
“We have made it a huge priority to try to identify, locate, and arrest those who are involved in organizing, supporting, funding, or facilitating these riots,” he said to Fox News.
“It appears they’re well-orchestrated, and coordinated and well-funded,” he added, “so we want to understand who these people are and where this organization’s coming from, and today was one of those first arrests, the key arrests that we did.”
Essayli posted video of the man passing out the masks from the back of a black pickup truck.
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A person who claimed to know Orellana told KTLA-TV that he was not known to be associated with criminal activity.
“No, nothing of the sort. Nothing at all,” said the resident. “No one in this block have I heard any, you know, bad news from or any gossip.”
The Trump administration responded to the rioting against federal operations by ordering National Guard troops as well as U.S. Marines to provide security for ICE officials.
Democrats have accused President Donald Trump of acting as a totalitarian and trying to militarize cities. An emergency request from California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to block the military orders was denied by a judge, but Newsom has pressed on to accuse the president of acting contrary to the U.S. Constitution.
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Face shield donor arrest, Guy hands out riot gear, Los angeles ice rioting, Alejandro orellana, Politics
