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An activist and recent university graduate filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles and its police chief on Monday, aiming to hold authorities accountable for an alleged June 1 arrest she described as "not only unnecessary and illegal, but inhumane."
The activist, Laura Montilla, says she was participating in a peaceful downtown L.A. protest after the city's designated curfew when the arrest took place. In an Instagram post shared June 4, Montilla recalled officers using zip ties in place of handcuffs when they took her and other demonstrators into custody.
"We were zip-tied and put in cages on a bus separated by gender, and without telling us where we were going, they took us to a cemetery parking lot and left us there for five hours," Montilla wrote. "My zip-ties were so tight that when we were finally cut off, I couldn't even hold my arm up to sign my citation or feel my right hand. Days later I still have painful bruises."
She explained that L.A.'s citywide curfew was originally set for 6 p.m. on June 1, but officials moved the deadline to 5 p.m. on less than one hour's notice. Montilla was participating in a protest when the curfew order was switched. "There were HUNDREDS of cops and National Guards that cut us off for blocks. Those who tried to live peacefully were jumped on by multiple men and tased," she said.
The June 1 demonstration was one of many that surfaced following Minneapolis resident George Floyd's death in police custody on May 25, where participants rallied against police violence and systemic racism. Local curfews were implemented to discourage people from gathering after looting after property damages were reported amid early protests, both in L.A. and elsewhere.
LAPD was unable to comment on Montilla's suit directly on Wednesday morning, but a spokesperson told Newsweek the department will investigate all misconduct allegations filed against officers for indigents that occurred during rallies.
"While the Los Angeles Police Department does not comment on pending litigation, we are fully committed to investigating every allegation of misconduct or excessive force related to the recent protests. We have assigned 40 investigators to look into each alleged instance and will conduct a thorough investigation," the statement read.
At least 3,000 people were arrested during L.A. County protests that took place during the final week of May and the beginning of June, according to a Los Angeles Times report. About 2,500 of them were arrested in Los Angeles, many for curfew violations.
As in dozens of other U.S. cities, law enforcement officers used force to disperse L.A. protestors on multiple occasions. On June 11, the LAPD was investigating 58 allegations of officer misconduct during protests, ABC News reported.
