Los Angles: Boyle Heights protest demands the release of Sammy Carrera

Los Angeles, CA – On Thursday, February 19, Boyle Heights community members came together at Hollenbeck Police Station to demand the release of Sammy Carrera and to drop the charges against the CSO 3, who LAPD attacked and arrested the night before.

Late on February 18, LAPD attacked members of Centro CSO who were trying to leave from their monthly general meeting and arrested Sergio Flores, Sammy Carrera, and a 16-year-old minor. Flores was released on the morning of February 19 and was charged with felony riot charges. Carrera has not been released yet and is being charged with resisting arrest.

“These cops, they’ve been targeting our youth, they’ve been targeting our people for years. They need to be held accountable,” said Jess Rivas, family member of Carrera, “His family misses him, his daughters are very sad, they’re in pain.”

At the protest, people spoke highly of Carrera and his legacy growing up and organizing in Boyle Heights, emphasizing how ridiculous it was that LAPD arrested him and is pressing bogus charges. Carrera is a third generation Boyle Heights resident and is raising his family in Boyle Heights. He participated in writing poetry at the cultural art center Corazón Del Pueblo and is an active member with Centro CSO. In 2021, Carrera’s portrait was even featured in a mural called “Somos Boyle Heights” located off of 1st Street.

Reuben Navarrete, a member of Teamsters 396, said of Carrera, “This guy’s got a heart of gold, not only is he an outstanding father and an amazing community organizer, and he’s one of the hardest working men I know. Sammy Carrera is the kind of guy who will work 12-hour days six days a week and still have time to come out and do a barrio walk.”

As the protest was winding down, a CSO member, one of many who had been beaten by LAPD the night before, attempted to go inside the station to file a police report on them. As soon as she and a few other people entered the station, officers inside forcefully pushed them back out the door.

A few minutes later, over 40 officers ran out in riot gear and used their batons to forcefully push back the crowd onto the sidewalk, creating a wall of officers to keep the protest off the property of the station.

Gabriel Quiroz Jr, who leads CSO’s police accountability work, made a spectacle out of the excessive display of force, and led a chant shouting the names of different young Chicanos who LAPD has killed in the last few years including Jose Mendez (killed by LAPD in 2019), Christian Escobedo (killed by LAPD in 2022), and Jeremy Flores (killed by LAPD in 2025).

Before ending the protest CSO members were able to repeat their demand to LAPD face to face – release Sammy Carrera, and drop the charges on the CSO 3!

Editor’s note: After an intense pressure campaign, Sammy Carrera was released without charges late in the afternoon, February 20.

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