Anaheim demands justice for 19-year-old Albert Arzola

Anaheim, CA – On Wednesday, December 10, chants of “Justice for Albert Arzola!” filled the streets in Anaheim. Members of Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) protested with friends of Albert Arzola to demand justice after he was killed by and Anaheim Police Department (APD) gang unit.

The group of 30 protesters marched to the intersection of Anaheim Boulevard and South Street, chanting “Jail killer cops!” Residents passing through the area stopped to learn about the killing and even joined the protest.

19-year-old Albert Arzola was shot and killed by APD officers just four days earlier on December 6. During the same incident, APD shot an unarmed man in the neck with a “less lethal” bean bag round, despite him having his hands up and his back turned to them. The department and city have evaded discussing the details of the killing, but the community responded with justified outrage. APD set up a community meeting with residents from the affected neighborhoods for December 10, but postponed and relocated the meeting less than one hour before it was scheduled to start.

Abe Quintana of CSO OC stated “We see these cowards watching us with their drones! They were too scared of the community showing up for justice, and they instead moved their meeting away from the impacted community to City Hall where they feel safe!”

Protesters carried signs targeting APD that read “Who protects us from you? Stop killing innocent people!” and “Prosecute killer cops!”

CSO OC member David Pulido spoke, saying, “Something that we see in all these cases is Chicanos being killed by police departments and getting gunned down in the streets. We know that the city and police are not going to give us justice, so we have to take it by coming together and organizing for change.”

Protesters also held signs demanding justice for other victims of APD over the years, revealing a clear pattern of racist killings. They included Abigail Lopez, a 20-year-old veteran who was shot in 2023 and 34-year-old Brandon Lopez, who was murdered in 2021. Other cases as far back as 2012 include the execution of Joey Acevedo while he was detained, and Manuel Diaz, a man shot in the back with no warning from the officers who chased him down.

The event ended with a march to the incident location to pay respects to Albert Arzola, where an altar was set up to commemorate his life. Friends and family spelled Arzola’s name using candles and had gathered for a rosary prayer circle earlier that evening.

Anaheim PD was forced to respond, and soon after the protest, the department Instagram page posted a photo of a weapon they claim was “near” Albert Arzola on December 6. The department has not explicitly stated that Arzola was armed, and the community isn’t buying it. The people have been demanding the release of the unedited body cam footage and for accountability from the police department.

CSO OC fights for community control of the police, and legalization for all immigrants. They can be reached on Instagram (@cso.oc) and Facebook (CSO Orange County). They hold general meetings every third Thursday of the month in Santa Ana, California.

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