On Monday, May 5, the Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA), along with Hadsell Stormer Renick & Dai LLP, the Law Office of Colleen Flynn, Attorney Ricci Sergienko, Kleiman/Rajaram, and the Law Offices of Thomas B. Harvey, will hold a press conference to announce the filing of a lawsuit against the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) for the use of excessive force against peaceful protesters at UCLA’s Palestine Solidarity Encampment last spring.
On May 1 and 2, 2024, hundreds of riot-clad law enforcement agents from CHP and LAPD engaged in a joint operation to forcibly break up the peaceful anti-genocide encampment. Officers tore down the encampment walls, pushed and struck protesters with batons, and indiscriminately fired over fifty rounds of rubber bullets directly at protesters without lawful justification. This excessively violent and militarized response caused severe injuries to students and community members, sending some to the hospital with serious wounds, including head injuries, blood loss, and broken bones, and resulted in at least one protester requiring surgery.
WHAT: Press Conference Announcing Lawsuit Against CHP and LAPD
WHEN: Monday, May 5, 11 a.m. PDT
WHERE: Bottom of Janss Steps, UCLA, Los Angeles
WHO:
- Amr Shabaik, Esq., CAIR-LA Legal Director
- Rebecca Brown, Esq., Hadsell Stormer Renick & Dai LLP
- Thomas Harvey, Esq., Law Office of Thomas B. Harvey
- Plaintiffs/victims of the law enforcement violence
LIVESTREAM: facebook.com/cairgla
Media will have an opportunity to interview speakers following their introductory remarks. Others will be available to speak by phone after the press conference.
CAIR-LA is Southern California’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-LA Digital Communications Manager Enjy El-Kadi, (714) 851-4851 or eelkadi@cair.com; CAIR-LA Senior Communications Coordinator Madi Hameed, mmorse-hameed@cair.com