By Ricardo Roura
Students and employees of an art school were handcuffed by Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers after being mistaken for suspected gang members.
Community members demanded answers after the arrest of at least nine students and two employees of the Boyle Heights Conservatory, who were handcuffed on March 26 while walking to a nearby coffee business.
“The first thing is fear, not knowing what is happening. When I arrived, they already had them in the corner, all handcuffed“said the director of the conservatory, Carmelita Ramírez Sánchez, in an interview with the Univision network.
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According to the testimony of several witnesses, the presence of police officers increased rapidly in the area, which caused alarm among residents and merchants.
“First there were five or seven police officers, but later more arrived, up to 15, there was even a helicopter flying overhead. People thought it was something dangerous“said the owner of the cafe where the students were going, Juan Carlos Espinosa.
The detained students are part of a program focused on providing support to formerly incarcerated youthto instill in them training in arts and media as part of their reintegration into society.
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According to the director of the Boyle Heights Conservatory, Some members of the community intervened to help the students until they were released..
“The cafe workers came out and said, ‘These are our guys.’ But the police didn’t listen. They didn’t leave until everyone was freed“said Ramírez.
After the incident, Ysabel Jurado, member of the Los Angeles City Councilwent to the place where the students had been detained.
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“Graduation should be a moment of pride, not fear. We are here to seek answers and strengthen the relationship between police and the community“said Jurado.
According to the director of the conservatory, the students involved in the incident remain focused on their respective goals, while the graduation ceremony was rescheduled for the end of April.
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