The Department of Justice has recently filed charges against a man who gained notoriety for distributing riot gear from the back of a truck during the recent anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles. Alejandro Orellana, 29, has been indicted for conspiracy to aid and abet civil disorders, as stated in the charging document obtained by FOX News.
Orellana and his associates loaded up a pickup truck with Uvex brand Bionic Face Shields, masks, water bottles, and other supplies, which they then distributed to protesters demonstrating against Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on June 9. A video clip showing Orellana handing out the gear from the truck bed went viral, leading to his identification by the FBI. Subsequently, FBI agents raided the residence where Orellana was living with his parents and placed him under arrest.
It is worth mentioning that Orellana, a US Marine veteran, works as a UPS employee and serves as a shop steward for the Teamsters Union. He has been actively involved in advocating for social justice causes for years, including with Centro CSO, a group named in honor of labor leader and activist Cesar Chavez.
Centro CSO has organized protests calling for the charges against Orellana to be dropped, with events scheduled throughout Los Angeles on Thursday and Saturday. Their slogan, “An attack on one of us, is an attack on the people’s movement,” underscores their commitment to fighting for justice.
Orellana’s father, Francisco, mentioned that his son joined the supply run at the request of friends but was unaware that his actions were illegal. The recent charges filed by the DOJ against Orellana are part of a broader crackdown on protest-related crimes. In addition to Orellana, two other LA County residents were charged for possessing Molotov cocktail bombs during the protests, and a Texas man faced charges for purchasing fireworks intended for use against law enforcement in LA.
Locally, the LA District Attorney has brought charges against over 40 individuals for protest-related offenses, including a recent set of eight indictments announced on Tuesday. The ongoing legal actions underscore the heightened scrutiny and consequences facing individuals involved in civil disorders and protests.
