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San Luis Obispo protesters smash glass on 4-year-old child

July 22, 2020

Tianna Arata standing on a highway barrier

By KAREN VELIE

Participants in a Black Lives Matter protest in San Luis Obispo on Tuesday turned violent smashing a car window onto a four-year-old child and damaging the hood of the car. Protesters repeatedly refused to let people walk or drive where they wanted to go, at times screaming profanities.

Near the end of the protest, San Luis Obispo police officers arrested 20-year-old Tianna Isis Arata, the organizer of the protest, and 22-year-old Elias Bautista.

After the City of San Luis Obispo learned Arata was planning a protest, Police Chief Deanna Cantrell contacted Arata who claimed the event at Mitchell Park would be peaceful, police said. As a result, the city did not have officers blocking entrances to the highway.

Shortly after 5 p.m., approximately 300 protesters marched through the downtown area. The protesters then walked onto Highway 101, blocking all lanes in both directions for nearly an hour. While on the freeway, protesters smashed the rear window of a car with a 4-year-old child in the back seat. Glass shattered on the boy.

Protesters marched back onto city streets, confronting drivers along the way. Protesters stopped and surrounded a vehicle at Monterey Street and California Boulevard. Protesters also chased several other vehicles as they marched.

The protesters then stopped to watch Arrata toss a partially burnt American flag on the ground and stomp on it.

Tianna Arata, in the center, stomping on a burnt flag

In a video Arrata posted on Instagram, Chief Cantrell texts Arata during the march to tell her about the broken window and that, “Trust goes both ways Tianna.”

“F**K Deanna,” Tianna responded.

Officers arrested Arata shortly after the protest concluded.

 

Officers booked Arata in the San Luis Obispo County Jail on charges of participation in a riot, unlawful assembly, conspiracy, unlawful imprisonment and resisting arrest. The decision to arrest Arata was made in coordination with the District Attorney’s Office, police said.

During the arrest of Arata, Bautista allegedly assaulted a police officer, who suffered minor injuries. Officers booked Bautista in the San Luis Obispo County Jail on charges of attempting to deter an officer from doing his job, and for attempting to take a person from the lawful custody of a peace officer.

The back seat of the car that the 4-year-old child was in

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It would be interesting to have these protesters write a CCN article on how they see things. Why they are doing what they are doing. Hopefully they will login to this site and speak their minds or go on Congalton.


-23

Nice try, Mazin, at “normalizing” these criminal morons’ actions, as if they have something rational to say, or as if they could or would participate in rational discussion. If Congalton kneels to them and I happen to hear it, that’ll be my last C-show.


They do not rate nor deserve consideration of their empty and anarchistic actions. Jail them at the first obstruction of public property and highways. The whole movement seems hijacked by anarchists who should be dealt with SEVERELY and justly. Cantrell blew another one, trying to bargain with extremists.


70

Destructive, dangerous and disrespectful behavior is not defensible. How would you defuse and redirect the energy? Can’t lock everybody up.


-40

Some days these young adults might actually want jobs. A quick google and/or social media search will produce results such as these. Had this been a simple peaceful protest without window smashing and assault, this could have actually been seen as a positive thing. To assemble a group of people within a community to come out and support a cause PEACEFULLY shows some skill. To incite violence, go on to the ONLY freeway we have and cause problems, possibly hurt others isn’t someone I want working for me when I may have candidates that are doing actual community service or helping one another.


113

I hope the occupants of the vehicle hire a big-time local personal injury attorney and sue the living _hit out of the arrested domestic terrorist.


118

They’ll have a hard time doing that because theyll have to explain how the dents on the front of the car was actually from driving into a crowd and hitting people with their car. There are videos on Instagram and YouTube if you don’t believe me. The driver is probably going to be the one sued.


-32

Arrest all of them who are on the freeways or airfield landing strips and subject them to the Federal laws that fund the safety aspects of these infrastructures. Peaceful assembly is a right by law, personal safety is an inalienable right.


150

I am sickened by this abuse of freedom in our country. It IS NOT freedom when you assault a child! You took that child’s freedom away, as well as other people trying to live! If you hate our country so much, feel free to leave!! We do not need you trashing it up! Our lives matter!


102

Actually the childs parent took that freedom away when they drove into a crowd trying to hurt or kill people. The dent on the front of the car was from when they hit someone. There’s videos on Instagram and YouTube if you don’t believe me.


-41

Sooner or later people will realize what the mobs true intent is. Doesn’t matter what their t-shirts say or what’s on the signs…. My 4 adult children of AA descent who are also passionate about civil rights want nothing to do with the mob mentality.


132

It’s been interesting reading the perspectives of both sides involved in this event; a lot of denial and self entitlement taking place. Bottom line is you do not need to be nor do you belong on the freeway.


154

Or any street for that matter.


96

That’s kind of the point. The freeway isn’t very important for emergency vehicles, but it inconveniences commuters for about a half an hour. It’s also a good way to eliminate possible Covid transmission rates. The people that plan these protests think about that stuff because they care about human lives but the protests are specifically to raise awareness about violence against black lives. Streets and highways are also a traditional place of protest, this isn’t new. Look up the civil rights movement or just protesting in general, it’s pretty basic.


-45

Your comments throughout the posts on the threads here are uneducated and misguided on several levels.


Please explain why “the freeway isn’t very important for emergency vehicles…</blo"? If you'd like factual information on EMS, let me know, I'd be happy to share accurate information with you and not just opinions.


No, the protestors weren't being considerate of COVID transmission. If they spread it to each other at the protest and then go home and to stores, and the many other places they may go to, well, there it is, all consideration lost and the spread continues.


"Traditional place of protest" and "it's pretty basic." This lost logic does not deem is safe, smart or effective historically, for the present or in the future. People do not need to block roadways to effectively protest.


31

Another brilliant move by Chief Cantrell, responding based on the word of a 20 year-old.


96

I really hate to say this because I feel so badly for downtown businesses, but as long as that wack job Heidi Harmon is our mayor, I’m done spending money in SLO.


Several times a week, my routine was to look for albums at Boo Boo’s, have lunch at Woodstock’s, Firestone Grill, Novo, etc, check out the bookstore, maybe get a drink at a coffee house. Been doing it for many years. Now I no longer feel safe in my own hometown.


I was downtown a couple of days ago and the place is just depressing. So many for lease signs on shuttered stores, graffiti, people walking around in a daze. A fraction of the usual shoppers.


We need a mayor who supports free speech, the right to PEACEFULLY protest and supports law enforcement. Arrest anyone who steps on a freeway or impedes traffic. My friend had just finished a 16 hour work day and all he wanted to do was get home and hug his wife and daughter. Got caught up in this madness.


148

I’ve got plenty of money to spend at local businesses but I won’t be spending a dime of it at any SLO downtown businesses. Too much of a risk to venture there. The downtown business owners better pressure that loser mayor and meek police chief to start restoring order or get ready to go out of business.


60

Also there’s the whole global pandemic thing which is why most businesses are shutting down especially in high transmission areas like downtown but ok bad logic but good conclusion. Glad you’ll be more socially distant


-46
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