Updated: 7:21 p.m. Feb. 20, 2025
Los Angeles Police Department officers in helmets and batons swarmed Mariachi Plaza on Thursday afternoon as student protesters held a peaceful demonstration against President Donald Trump’s deportation efforts.
A helicopter circled the area above after several police vehicles arrived at about 1 p.m. The officers formed a line on Vicente Fernandez and 1st streets with adult allies in yellow vests forming their own line as a way to shield the youth from law enforcement.
A man was seen lying on the ground near the protest zone as police and adult organizers stood in line facing each other. An adult organizer from Boyle Heights, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Beat that the man on the ground was an adult ally who had been pushed by a police officer.
The Boyle Heights organizer said he saw two officers approach two adult male organizers who were there in support of the students.
As they began talking, one of the organizers stood in between the other organizer and the officers. Soon after, an officer reached over and, with both hands, pushed the man to the ground. He fell backward, he said, adding that the officer wielded his baton as other adults took note of what was happening.
“It’s unfortunate that it was a peaceful demonstration being led by student organizers and it essentially took law enforcement to escalate and create a scenario,” he said.
LAPD Sgt. Covarrubias, who declined to give his first name on the scene, said a couple of officers arrived to meet with event organizers when an adult individual “didn’t understand what our intent was and started getting in the officer’s face.”
“He started interfering with the officer’s path,” Covarrubias said.
After that, Covarrubias said officers put a request for more units “just to make sure there would be no further incidents.” According to Officer Miller with LAPD, a protester was taken to a nearby hospital.
Officers began leaving the scene just before 2 p.m. after their patrols blocked a stretch of 1st Street for about 45 minutes. No further altercations occurred.
mark! Lopez, with East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, was one of the adults working to de-escalate the police presence.
“As far as the youth are concerned they have nothing to do with what happened,” Lopez told police on scene, adding that the amount of police felt threatening.
Police arrived as student protesters danced to cumbia at Mariachi Plaza.
Students stopped dancing and told each other to remain calm and to stay away from the police. As law enforcement continued to block the street, students chanted “Chicano power!” and “Immigrants are welcome here!” while waving their Mexican, Central American, and United States flags. Youth also shouted, “Who needs to protect us? LAUSD!”
Youth at the demonstration included students from various high schools – Woodrow Wilson, Benjamin Franklin, Garfield, and Miguel Contreras – who walked out to demand Dream Centers for all Los Angeles Unified School District schools. They also called for “Know Your Rights” workshops at schools and for more mental health services.
Andrea, a 17-year-old student from Benjamin Franklin High School, said she got chills when she saw police arriving. “It was a bit scary,” she said.
Regardless, she felt they got their message across.
“We want to give the message that we are united and we are all together no matter what,” she said. “We show up for our people. We are very proud to be who we are and we are not ashamed of our culture and our community.”
Students continued with their demonstration after officers began leaving.
Chelsea Rosales with InnerCity Struggle was among the adult allies that shielded students from the police officers.
“We were just standing together to make sure that no one got hurt, and protecting the youth and the students,” Rosales said. “We did not want the kids to get involved … so we were making sure the kids were still at the corner chanting.”
Rosales said the amount of officers that arrived on scene was “very unnecessary.”
“I think they’re just here to intimidate, to scare, and cause fear, and that’s not what we need right now,” Rosales said.
