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SLO police seek eight criminal charges against Tianna Arata

August 6, 2020

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

By CCN STAFF

The San Luis Obispo Police Department is seeking five felony and three misdemeanor charges against a woman who organized a July 21 Black Lives Matter protest that included chasing after cars and detaining the drivers.

After conducting a two-week investigation that included watching videos of the protest, officers asked the SLO County District Attorney’s Office to file five felony charges against 20-year-old Tianna Arata: four felony counts of false imprisonment and a felony count of conspiracy. In addition, investigators are seeking three misdemeanor charges against Arata: resisting or obstructing a peace officer, inciting a riot, and unlawful assembly.

After congregating at Mitchell Park, Arata led approximately 300 protesters onto Highway 101 from both Osos Street and California Boulevard, blocking all lanes in both directions for nearly an hour. While on the highway, protesters ran after vehicles attempting to drive off the freeway, blocked vehicles, and yelled profanities at some of the drivers, according to videos of the protest.

In one incident, a protester threw a skateboard at the back window of a car. The window shattered, with the pieces landing on a 4-year-old boy, who was unharmed. Protesters claim the driver had hit a protester.

During Arata’s arrest, 22-year-old Elias Bautista yelled at an officer before kicking him in the crotch. Officers are seeking three felony charges against Bautista: two counts of attempting to deter an officer from doing his job with force, and one count of attempting to take a person from the lawful custody of a peace officer through a riot.

During an Aug. 5 BLM protest, attendees demanded District Attorney Dan Dow not bring charges against Arata. In late July, Dow announced that he will makes his determination based on evidence, not public opinion.

Arraignments for Arata and Bautista are scheduled for Sept. 3.

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Let this instagram brat suffer the consequences of her actions. Don’t worry , certain the inept Gov. of Slo will drop the ball on this one.


20

Leadership should bear the responsibility and consequence of its actions. For example, Deanna Cantrell when she lost her loaded weapon in a public restroom endangered lives more than Tianna and should resign or be charged. Robert Bettencourt when he improperly secured weapons that resulted in officer shootings and deaths and has had zero accountability for his part in the tragedy. Ian Parkinson who has had inmates die in his prison facility due to neglect and abuse–he should resign if not be charged. Which leaders do we hold accountable? Why no charges for white leaders in positions of power, the very leaders who are espousing “responsibility and consequences”?


-27

CalPolyAlumnus: Depressing to see how you think, but it’s crystal clear. Another soul damaged and swayed by university liberalism, it appears. And boy, have you found a home in this whacky dystopian violent current “movement”.


I was immersed in Cal university liberalism long, grey-haired years ago but arrived as a freshman with some brains and large scope of view, so the whacky liberalism diatribes just bounced off.


May I suggest that all this movement needs to rebel against the liberal fog that was pumped into their minds, get a clue, and begin to pull together for a prosperous society which has come light years and achieved diametric change from 1950’s Alabama. Geez, the thinking I’m hearing is so far out it’s hard to write a cogent reply to post here.


18

Lame Commenter — THANK YOU — your comments are a breath of fresh air!!! I’m wondering if this Cal Poly Alumnus is a more recent Grad. since the culture/attitude at Cal Poly has certainly changed over the years for the worse, especially under the “feel good-mamby-pamby” leadership of President Armstrong!


5

After last weeks stunt, where the gang protested into the night at the D.A.’s home, I believe there should be an additional harassment charge. Peaceful protests in front of a D.A.’s home subjects his family to unspeakable risk. A very racial, not peaceful, protest. FLM too.


36

Grizzly Academies greatest Alumni Award goes to ….


41

Is it just me, or is it odd that ALL THE PROTESTS SINCE HER ARREST HAVE BEEN PEACEFUL!?!?!


80

What is the over/under? I’ll put 5 the charges get reduced to (1) misdemeanor and (2) infractions……I’m feeling lucky! (However the safe bet is not to play as the house always win = all chargers dropped)


-26

Vic L, if enforcing the law leads to another potential riot, then send a very clear message: we are against police brutality, we’re for dialogue, and also law and order.


Violent crime is up 200 to 300% in many cities (likely far more, manpower is outstripped), and there have been dozens upon dozens of additional murders, including many children.


If a potential riot is planned:


1. Set a curfew

2. Bring in backup support

3. Communicate a law & order message; hooligans will be punished to the full extent of the law.


45

The SLOPD made a HUGE mistake when it backed-down and dropped all the charges over that nasty incident right in front of the police station. Stupid, stupid, political move! Cantrell should have known better! That set the tone for what the BLM operative felt the could get away with.


There’s no question that Harmon’s and Cantrell’s own personal politics played a huge part in dropping those charges. It make the protestors feel as though they could get away with anything in San Luis.


Then this Arata/blocking the highway/destroying private property/lying to the chief of police/corralling people and not letting them disperse (the biggie) happened. They got slapped. They’re waiting to see if they actually get hit.


If they do, they’ll go nutty. It will be impossible to pull together enough mutual aid to immediately stop the mayhem, since there’s simply not hundreds and hundreds of officers available throughout the county. It’ll be violent, but I don’t see SLO burning or anything like that. To some degree because I expect fed-up SLOers to be vigilant in defending their own property and assuming other defensive tasks.


After that, THEN the BLM will be pacified in the City of SLO. Just like they should have been after that incident in front of the police station several weeks ago.


31

Yep…when you excuse behavior you get more of it.


26

There’s a reason Arata has been noticeably absent since her rise to BLM stardom.

She lawyered up, and he’s instructed her to stay home, quit talking and stop digging a hole for herself.


86

Good advice


11

It’s all up to Dan now. Time to draw a line in the sand and say no more of this nonsense! Dan do the job we elected you to do and prosecute to the full extent of the law and let the true citizens of SLO have their city back. If the protesters start another protest against the prosecution we all hope the police will come down hard on them. We support law and order!


149

Law and Order!


99

The phrase “Law and Order” we are now told is dog whistle code for White Supremacy. All of these Riots are simply campaign ads for the Law and Order Candidate Mr Donald J Trump.


-29

Yep just think of all the commercials and campaign ads Trumps team can put together…


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