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Video Shows LA Sheriff’s Deputy Repeatedly Striking Protester With Riot Shield
Angel Navarrete is hugged by supporters after his release from jail Saturday. (Frank Stoltze/LAist)
Video posted to social media over the weekend shows an L.A. County Sheriff’s deputy repeatedly striking a protester with the edge of his riot shield.
The protester, Angel Navarrete, 24, was arrested for failure to disperse Friday night after demonstrating in West Hollywood against a Louisville grand jury's decision not to hold any police officers criminally liable for the death of Breonna Taylor.
Navarrete told us what happened:
“I was tackled down like I was some sort of animal to them,” he said. “Apparently a riot shield was being used on my ... ankle, which was the most excruciating pain that I felt that night.”
Fighting back tears, Navarrete added: “I’m sure it’s all on video somewhere ... again, always film the police ... but I don’t remember much because it was all over my body.”
1/3 I talked to the man seen in this video being repeatedly struck w a riot shield by an #LASD deputy during a #breonnataylor protest in #WeHo Friday night. He is Angel Navarrete, 24, who works as an accountant in LA @KPCC @LAist Fighting back tears...he described what happened.. https://t.co/QbtSdxgt22
— Frank Stoltze (@StoltzeFrankly) September 28, 2020
In a statement, the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department said “force was used” during the arrests and it is investigating.
The department said a total of six people were arrested for charges including “reckless driving, unsecured passengers in a truck bed, taking over the streets, battery on a peace officer, attempt to free a suspect from police custody, resisting/obstructing deputies, and failure to disperse.”
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