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Free Joaquin Cienfuegos!
Submitted by onion on Wed, 07/02/2008 - 21:54
Joaquin Cienfuegos, a community activist and organizer with Revolutionary Autonomous Communities, Copwatch Los Angeles and Anarchist People of Color, is under attack and needs your support. Joaquin recently spoke at LAVA on Copwatch LA.
Last week, Cienfuegos was stopped by police and charged with carrying a concealed weapon, a serious crime that carries prison time in California.
From a friend's eyewitness account:
At around 11pm we were driving down Lexington AVE, where we passed by the two pigs, who was looking at us as we drove by them. Before we got to the end of the block (Lexington and Cahuenga) they hit the
lights on us.
Joaquin said "they're pulling us over". We turning down my block (La Mirada AVE). I told Joaquin not to stop until we
got in front of my house, because if they were going to kill us or beat our asses it was going to happen on my block and in front of my
house where people could see.
As he slows down in front of my house the pigs come to each side of the car and one ask "What took you so long to pull over?" and I said "Because I told him not to stop until we got in front of my house, where we know we're safe." and the Pig said "You are safe." I told them "that we were in front of my house" and what my address was. At this point they ask Joaquin for his drivers license. He didn't have it (because just 3 or so weeks ago he was robbed and they took his wallet, cell phone, and they tried to take his keys and car). They told him to "Exit the car", where they put cuffs on him right away and asked me if I was on parole or probation and I told them "No".
I also told them that Joaquin needed to get my wheelchair out of his trunk so I can get out of his car. The pig came to the drivers side of the car and popped the trunk, went to the back and put the wheelchair together. At that point the pig saw a Machete in the trunk and asked Joaquin "what was he doing with a machete?" Joaquin said that "he does gardening work from time to time and it shouldn't be "illegal" to have a machete in his trunk."
As I exit the car. they tell me I can go home. So I cross the street and observe them from in front of my home. From a far I here the pig ask J "what's in this case?" He lifts the case out of the trunk and goes to the back of the squad car. I hear "CLICK, CLICK,CLICK". I go into my house to make some calls and then come straight back out.
I see one of the pigs searching the car and ask "are you going to tow his car" the pigs said "that he has a suspended license" and yes he was.
He then ask me "did I know that he had an illegal gun in the trunk?" I told the pig that "that's not my business and how was the gun illegal when I went with him to Turners to buy the gun?" he then said that "It was loaded".
A couple of members of CW-LA guerrillas showed up with cameras and they took Joaquin off to the Hollywood div.
Keep your eyes peeled for local fundraisers!
