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Immigrant detainees at the Adelanto Detention Center in San Bernardino say they were pepper sprayed earlier this month by officers in riot gear for peacefully protesting inside the facility.
Elly Yu reports that on June 12, the men were told they were going into lockdown because of a protest happening outside the facility’s walls, with which the detainees had no involvement. Confused and unhappy – lockdown can mean being kept in a cell for 23.5 hours per day – some of the men simply sat down, or declined to return to their cells.
"We were not a threat,” Alexis Gonzalez, who has since been released from the facility, told Yu.
Nevertheless, officers allegedly came out in force, outfitted in SWAT-like gear and deploying pepper spray.
"I went into my room and started throwing up, and my eyes were burning," Edgar Guillen, who is being held at the facility, told Yu. "That night was crazy. I couldn't see. My whole body was burning. I had to get up a few times and throw water on my body. We coughed the whole night."
It’s not clear what the next steps are for those affected.
Keep reading for more on what’s happening in L.A. today.
Coming Up Today, June 23
Carla Javier has the latest as the LAUSD board considers three resolutions related to school police.
High school seniors tell Marina Peña about their experiences in 2020, as they deal with the coronavirus and international civic unrest at the same time as graduation, final exams and once-in-a-lifetime rites of passage. Photos by Chava Sanchez.
Libby Denkmann reviews and explains the numerous motions introduced by L.A.’s leaders in recent days, all aimed at curbing police violence.
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The Past 24 Hours In LA
L.A. Stories: Meet seven L.A.-based activists, religious leaders, musicians, journalists and others who illustrate the deep connections and unique influence that L.A.’s immigrant communities have around the world. LACMA received a $6.7 million PPP loan that helped prevent layoffs, furloughs or salary reductions.
Coronavirus Updates: L.A. County officials reported 2,571 new confirmed cases of coronavirus Monday, bringing the total to at least 85,942 cases countywide.
Policing The Police: Detainees at ICE's Adelanto immigrant detention facility say officers in riot gear used pepper spray and pepper balls against them during a peaceful protest. Police may not be following their own policies when it comes to projectiles with names such as “foam,” “sponge” and “bean bag.” LAUSD Supt. Austin Beutner said that everyone, on all sides of whether to dismantle the L.A. School Police, has to provide “reasoned answer[s].”
Photo Essays: LAist photo contributor Bumdog Torres shot portraits of the unhoused residents of Fairfax Boulevard and its alleyways. Hundreds of people spent their Father's Day marching from the auto body shop where Andres Guardado was fatally shot to the Compton Sheriff's station where the deputy who killed him is based.
This Week’s Events: Drop in virtually for a 24-hour Global Queer Read-In, attend a bicycle repair workshop, take a road trip to a drive-in for a double feature and more in this week’s best online and IRL events.
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Photo Of The Day
Michelle, an Angeleno who doesn’t have a home, was photographed by LAist contributor Bumdog Torres as part of his series, “Alley Dogs.”
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