A judge in San Bernardino County made the decision on Monday to incarcerate Edin Alex Enamorado, a well-known champion of street vendors and other underserved communities, without a chance for bail. This ruling also applies to seven other individuals who are confronting several charges.
Enamorado documents attacks on street vendors in his hometown of Upland, California, through platforms like TikTok and Instagram. With hundreds of thousands of followers, his video uploads have exposed discriminatory comments by elected officials and disseminated information about police detentions.
The detentions transpired subsequent to an investigation, during which the Victor Police Division stated that the incidents began in September.Following an alleged assault during a protest, an official statement mentioned that it had developed into a “multi-agency investigation,” involving law enforcement agencies in the area upon uncovering that the suspects were also allegedly responsible for other attacks.
Enamorado had built a large following by advocating for street vendors
On both TikTok and Instagram, there are public accounts claiming to be “Back Up Accounts” of Enamorado’s original page. The original page is no longer accessible on either social media platform.
The videos often capture incidents of people harassing street vendors. In June, one of his TikTok videos led to the firing of a SoFi Stadium employee who allegedly overturned food carts outside the stadium.
A 12-year-old girl was overseeing one of the carts while her mother was absent. The video shows the aftermath with numerous hot dogs, buns, and other food items scattered on the ground. It is no longer available on his original account, but there are still duets showing the video.
He has also condemned Instagram for suspending his account along with other advocacy pages.
During a media briefing, Sheriff Shannon Dicus of San Bernardino County mentioned that the suspects allegedly modified the videos. Dicus stated, “This group is not focused on addressing the concerns of humanity,” He further stated, “but rather on creating sensational content for financial gain.”
The Eight-Person Group Has Pled Not Guilty to the Accusations
In addition to Enamorado, law enforcement also detained Wendy Lujan, David Chavez, Stephanie Amesquita, Gullit Eder Acevedo, Edwin Pena, Fernando Lopez, and Vanessa Carrasco. They were arrested on Thursday morning on various charges. Enamorado is accused of false imprisonment, abduction, battery, unauthorized use of tear gas, destruction of property, and other violations, as outlined in court documents examined by the L.A. Times.
Law enforcement was investigating a demonstration that the group reportedly participated in with a PepperBall gun and pepper spray in September. According to court records, they obstructed an individual from leaving the area. There was also an alleged assault in Victorville at a protest that occurred in the same month, which prompted the investigation.
Enamorado’s lawyer Christian Contreras spoke to the press on Monday, acknowledging that they were targeting the accused for protesting against police brutality. Their attorney argued that these arrests violate their right to express themselves as stated in the Bill of Rights.
“They are criminalizing protests. They are turning criticizing elected officials into a crime, and they are labeling dissenters as criminals,” Contreras expressed.
Image Source: Stock Studio 4477 @ShutterStock
