California vice-mayor under fire after urging gangs to ‘organize’ over ICE
theguardian.com
The vice-mayor of a tiny southern California city is under fire after appearing to call on street gangs to organize in the face of immigration sweeps by federal agents in Los Angeles.
In a video post on social media that’s since been deleted, Cynthia Gonzalez, vice-mayor of Cudahy, said she wanted to know where all of the gang members were “at in Los Angeles”.
“You guys are always tagging everything up, claiming hood, and now that your hood’s being invaded by the biggest gang there is, there ain’t a peep out of you,” Gonzalez said, using a disparaging term often aimed at Mexican men who are members of street gangs.
She further referenced “18th Street” and “Florence”, two infamous street gangs, and questioned why gang members were not protesting or speaking up about the immigration raids.
“We’re out there fighting our turf, protecting our turf, protecting our people and, like, where you at?” she said.
The video seemed to suggest Gonzalez was calling on gang leaders to “help out and organize” as US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal agencies participate in the Trump administration’s intensifying crackdown on immigrants.
Tom |
