Santa Ana, CA – All eyes are on Santa Ana and the police brutality against 28-year-old Chicano Florentino Lopez, which was captured on video by his family.
On October 1, police pinned Florentino’s hands behind his back and pressed him against their vehicle. Without warning, one officer violently wrestled him to the ground, punching and kneeing him in the face while the other officer also struck and pinned him to the ground. The first officer turned out to be killer cop Luis Casillas. In December 2024, Casillas killed two Chicanos in one month’s time: Noe Rodriguez and Henry Gonzalez Junior, and he allegedly beat 15-year-old Mario Diaz last June.
The video went viral, so Santa Ana residents and multiple news stations packed the city council chamber. The council delayed public comment for two hours, forcing many working-class residents to leave without speaking, but some refused to be turned away.
Mayor Valerie Amezcua, who receives huge campaign contributions from the Police Officers Association and is facing re-election, made a big show about the council deciding to have an independent investigation into the beating, but she was interrupted by audience boos. They saw the police brutality for what it was, and wanted the officers to be held accountable immediately.
Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) member David Pulido said, “We are here to demand justice for Florentino Lopez. We demand that Police Chief Robert Rodriguez and City Manager Alvaro Nunez immediately fire the officers responsible.”
Pulido continued, “We warned you that if these police harmed anyone again, the blood would be on your hands. The blood is on your hands! Your cowardice and corruption meant that someone was harmed again!”
Next to speak was Maribel, who said, “My son, Jayden, was murdered by two cops June 14 of this year. Today I’m here to please ask for your help to release all of the uncut body camera video. I am also requesting justice for my son. He was suffering from mental health for almost two years. I was trying to get him all the help I could. I had proof that it was not the first time that Santa Ana police had come to my home.”
Despite knowing Jaden Michaca’s history of mental illness and psychiatric interventions, SAPD sent officers Steven Gonzalez and Charles Ruelas to his home, and, within 30 seconds of breaking down his door, they shot him to death. At the hearing, Michaca wore a shirt with pictures of her son throughout his childhood. As she spoke and wept, many in the audience cried with her.
Michaca said, “I close my eyes and I see my son on the floor, and there’s nothing I could’ve done to save him. Even though I was screaming for help. In my mind, I never called 911 for them to come and kill my son.”
As the evening continued, CSO OC’s immigration committee member Rain Mendoza took the stand to talk about the harassment the residents of the Coach Royal Mobile Home Park are receiving from the multi-million Kingsley Corporation and its management team. Residents of Coach Royal mobile home park have endured years of abuse, threats and eviction by Kingsley and park managers.
Mendoza stated, “Some updates for you all on the illegal actions by Kingsley Corporation, forcing the working-class immigrant residents to tear down their fences, which is extremely costly and stress-inducing. They’re at the beginning stages of resizing their property without resident consent, which is illegal under federal law. If these residents try to push back or do not comply, they are met with harsh retaliation, including the most egregious crime of them all, which is the eviction of immigrant families and then stealing their homes!”
Mendoza then singled out Mayor Valerie Amezcua, stating, “You have a whole trailer park full of immigrant families that are being exploited by an out-of-state multi-million dollar corporation! They’re breaking state and federal laws, mayor? This city council can’t do a thing? They’re breaking California law, they’re breaking HUD codes, and breaking federal law.”
Karla Alvarado, a former resident who knows firsthand about the oppression residents are facing and who had her home stolen, addressed the council, “Families are living in fear of losing everything they have. How many more families have to suffer before you guys actually do something? Make some calls. Do something. It’s something that is happening to thousands of people.”
Angered by the delay of the city meeting, Alvarado continued, “I took four hours away from my children, and they’re hungry. They’re having headaches, and I’m here to make sure that you guys do something to represent the very people that you go and knock on doors to promise them that you’re going to be changers in the state, in the assembly, everywhere that you guys want to go, you guys want votes. But when we ask you guys to meet with residents, you guys failed to even send an email back and sit down and act like you guys care for us. It’s disgusting.”
Griselda Ruiz, a lifelong resident of Santa Ana and CSO OC member, talked about one of the many shocking management edicts, “One of these insidious demands is the removal of air conditioning from their homes. We’ve been experiencing an extreme heat wave over 100 degrees, and Coach Royal residents are receiving notices demanding they remove their air conditioning.”
“Kingsley Corporation and management are targeting and embedding fear in their residents. Most of these residents are immigrants who break their backs to feed their families. But the manager at the mobile home park uses their immigration status against them by threatening to call ICE on them if they complain, if they go to a lawyer, if they stand up and fight back. Shame. And shame on you for allowing this to continue,” Ruiz added.
CSO OC Immigration committee member Diana Tererros spoke on the connection between the abuse these residents have been experiencing and their immigration status, “Sometimes they ask the residents to sign papers that they can’t understand because of a language barrier. They don’t provide translation or anything, and that’s very exploitative towards the residents.”
Tererros went on to say, “When they attended a hearing with the city regarding the issues at the park, there was an immigration vehicle outside the building. These are all Immigration issues. They should not have to live with the fear of immigration enforcement for simply trying to improve the place where they live.”
Terreros continued, “We are helping the residents fight back despite their immigration status, and they’re being very brave and speaking up against this corporation. We’re helping them with getting petition signatures from other residents to stop these actions from management and Kingsley. We want to meet with the park manager, Olivia Garcia, to talk to her about the demands of the residents.”
Despite lengthy delays, Santa Ana residents stood united against police brutality and predatory landlords. With the upcoming elections forcing a choice, residents have made it clear that accountability is non-negotiable.
If you are interested in joining CSO OC in this campaign, you can contact them at orangecountycso@gmail.com or on Instagram at @CSO.OC.
#SantaAnaCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #KillerCops #PeoplesStruggles #Housing #CSOOC
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