A demonstrator is arrested by police officers from Orange County, California during a protest against recent police shooting in Anaheim, California (file photo).
Mon Jul 30, 2012 1:21AM GMT
Chanting slogans such as “the whole system is guilty” and “Am I next?” the protesters gathered in front of the Police Department on Sunday to show their outrage over last weekend’s shootings.
Protesters also demanded an end to police brutality and called on the California Attorney General and the FBI to launch a probe into the killings. At least nine people were arrested during the protest.
Local activists, including members of the Occupy Orange County and Kelly’s Army, were among the protesters.
Anaheim has seen such protests since July 21 after the city’s police shot and killed unarmed 24-year-old Manuel Diaz, whom, they said, was avoiding arrest. A day later, a man, named Joel Mathew Acevedo, was shot dead by the police after the 21-year-old allegedly fired at an officer during a foot chase.
Protesters say Anaheim has a long history of police violence and racism. The city’s police officers are responsible for five fatal shootings this year.