Denver Students for a Democratic Society Solidarity Statement with Alejandro Orellana

You can find this statement linked here on Instagram.

On June 12th in East Los Angeles,  immigrant rights activist Alejandro Orellana was arrested and raided by the FBI. Alejandro has long been fighting back and organizing against ICE’s attacks in Los Angeles, as a leader of LA’s Centro Community Service Organisation. The FBI targeted him specifically because of his commitment to protecting his community. He has been given a false charge of conspiracy to commit civil disorder and is facing up to 5 years in prison. The charge comes from the U.S. attorney's claim that he drove a pickup truck containing protective equipment, including face shields to protect protestors' eyes from rubber bullets.

Denver Students for a Democratic Society wholeheartedly stands in solidarity with Alejandro Orellana and condemns the FBI’s blatant and unjust political repression. LAPD, ICE, and the National Guard are all notorious for their use of violence and unjustified force. The need for protective equipment for protestors to be able to safely exercise their constitutional rights shows how violently the government is trampling on the fundamental rights that both citizens and non-citizens hold. It does not in the least constitute a crime. It could not be more clear that Alejandro's arrest is an act of open political repression, to silence dissent and attempt to crush resistance against the injustice happening across the country. Resistance will not be crushed. Not in LA, Denver, or any of the other numerous cities across the U.S. that are fighting back. We demand that the charges against Alejandro be dropped immediately, and we will not stop fighting until he and all political prisoners being attacked for their activism are released.

This repression is not something that only affects those who have been raided. Raids like this one have much broader implications for everyone's ability to exercise our rights to speak out and organise against injustice and oppression. It is vital that everyone working towards a better and more just future pushes back and demands that the charges be dropped. To stand in solidarity with Alejandro, call U.S. Attorney Bilal Essayli at 213-894-2400 and demand that charges be dropped now!