(LOS ANGELES, CA – 6/12/2020) – The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) today welcomed decisions by the L.A. County District Attorney and L.A. City Attorney not to prosecute thousands of protesters who have been arrested for violating curfew or failing to disperse in the wake of the murder of George Floyd.
CAIR-LA calls on other city and county district attorneys to follow suit.
According to NPR, L.A. County District Attorney Jackie Lacey and L.A. City Attorney Mike Feuer said they will take a non-punitive approach to resolve cases in which people who have taken to the streets protesting police brutality since the May 25 killing of Floyd in Minneapolis, Minn., ended up detained and in police custody.
READ: LA Protesters Arrested for Violating Curfew Won’t Be Charged
In a statement, CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush said:
“We are heartened that the city and county of Los Angeles will not prosecute thousands of people who expressed their right to free speech in a peaceful manner to protest the continuing racial injustice in the criminal justice system.
“We ask all county and city attorneys to follow the lead of Los Angeles and not prosecute those who were arrested for violating curfew or failing to disperse. The right to free speech must be protected.”
CAIR-LA is Southern California’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-LA Communications Manager Eugene W. Fields, 714-851-4851 or efields@cair.com