SANTA MONICA – Los Angeles County District Attorney, Jackie Lacey, announced on Monday, June 8 that she will not file charges against any protester for a curfew violation or failure to disperse. She has directed her legal staff to decline to prosecute these cases.
10 cities that prosecute misdemeanors such as curfew violations are:
- The City of Los Angeles
- The City of Long Beach
- The City of Santa Monica
- The City of Pasadena
- The City of Torrance
- The City of Burbank
- The City of Inglewood
- The City of Hawthorne
- The City of Hermosa Beach
- The City of Redondo Beach.
“I want to encourage the exchange of ideas and work to establish dialogue between law enforcement and protesters so that we may implement enduring systemic change,” District Attorney Lacey said.
Santa Monica joins the Los Angeles County District Attorney and Los Angeles City Attorney in electing not to prosecute these types of violations. The Santa Monica City Attorney’s Office stated that they will only consider criminal violations involving violence, looting, or vandalism.
Fire officials stated that at least nine fires were set in the city of Santa Monica on Sunday, May 31. Four fires were set to buildings, four fires set to cars, and one fire set in a dumpster.
Pending looting charges in The City of Santa Monica come after several business in Downtown Santa Monica were damaged, destroyed, and robbed on Sunday, May 31. City Officials released a statement indicating that they believe the looters in question are not linked to the peaceful protests that took place that day.
Santa Monica police reported that over 400 individuals were arrested, 95% of arrests from persons that live outside of the vicinity.
