Protesters in Boyle Heights demand accountability for LAPD killing of Jeremy Flores

Los Angeles, CA – On August 2, Centro CSO and the family of Jeremy Flores gathered at Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights to demand justice for the 26-year-old Chicano man, who was killed by officers from the LAPD Hollenbeck Division on July 14.

The protest began with a march to the Hollenbeck police station and ended with a rally at Mariachi Plaza and a fundraiser to support the family.

The protesters included the Flores family and their loved ones, Centro CSO organizers, and dozens of residents who turned out in unity and solidarity. Carrying signs that read “Justice for Jeremy Flores” and “Jail killer cops,” the marchers moved down 1st Street chanting and demanding accountability for Jeremy’s death. Family and supporters chanted “Release the names!” and “Release the footage,” highlighting their demand for justice and accountability.

In front of the Hollenbeck station, an LAPD supporter emerged and assaulted protesters and grieving family members using a fire extinguisher. Despite the attack, the protest continued with fierce determination. Protesters continued the demonstration and then marched back to Mariachi Plaza where a lineup of speakers addressed the crowd. Speakers included the family and friends of Jeremy Flores and representatives from About Face: Veterans Against the War, LA Mesa Brown Berets, Centro CSO, a member of the Teamsters Union, and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO).

“Jeremy didn’t get a second chance at life, the LAPD stole that from him and from us, they took away our future plans and dreams,” said Paola Mendez, Flores’s girlfriend, addressing the rally. “We were supposed to get married, we were building a life together! But because of you and your courage, advocacy, and solidarity, Jeremy’s name is not forgotten. His history is being told, his humanity is being honored and that means everything.”

“We denounce the brutal murder of Jeremy Flores,” said Lelani Gonzalez who spoke on behalf of CSO’s Police Accountability Committee. “We demand an independent and thorough investigation; we demand to jail the killer cops and want them to release the names and the disciplinary records of the cops who killed Jeremy Flores.”

Alejandro Orellana, a member of Centro CSO and Freedom Road Socialist Organization who faced FBI charges this summer due to his immigrant rights activism stated, “These incidents are interconnected. This is a matter of national oppression. Because Jeremy is a Chicano and I’m a Chicano. They think they can do whatever and arrest us without due process.”

Speakers reminded the crowd that Flores’s case is not isolated: It’s one of many, and it is part of why the movement for justice and community control of the police continues to grow. They emphasized the need to dismantle the system that continues to criminalize, brutalize and kill working-class Chicanos and Black people with no accountability. Speakers connected Jeremy Flores’ murder to a broader pattern of police violence in Boyle Heights and across East Los Angeles, citing the long history of racist policing and state repression in nationally oppressed communities.

The rally ended with chants: “Justice for Jeremy Flores!” and “Release the names!” The demand is clear: Those responsible must be named, exposed and held accountable!

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