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SLO protesters demand prosecutors drop charges against BLM leader

August 6, 2020

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

Black Lives Matter protesters marched through downtown San Luis Obispo Wednesday evening, defending absent protest leader Tianna Arata, whom SLO police officers arrested last month, and demanding that charges against her be dropped.

While marching through downtown and beside restaurants and businesses, protesters chanted, “Hey you, Dan Dow. Drop the charges right now.” Demonstrators also chanted, “Drop all charges.”

San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow has yet to announce a decision on whether or not to file charges against Arata. However, the SLO Police Department recommended the DA’s office file five felony and three misdemeanor charges against Arata.

Demonstrators defended Arata, saying she is a courageous black woman whom police targeted for being a protest leader.

Wednesday’s protest began and ended at Emerson Park on Nipomo Street. Protesters marched from the park to the downtown core, making multiple loops and stopping in the street for speeches prior to returning to the park, where more speeches were given.

Early in the demonstration, protesters stopped outside the San Luis Obispo Mission and Giuseppe’s Italian restaurant, occupying the intersection of Monterey and Chorro streets. Protesters have recently targeted Giuseppe’s over a contribution the restaurant made to SLO County Sheriff Ian Parkinson’s 2018 reelection campaign.

Protesters also marched and chanted by people dining outdoors on other downtown streets.

While at Emerson Park toward the end of the protest, one protester instructed other demonstrators to take out their phones and post photos underneath an allegedly misleading California Highway Patrol Facebook post.

The CHP announced Wednesday that Highway 101 on and off-ramps would be closed between California Boulevard and Marsh Street because of the protest. In the post, the CHP included a photo of a prior demonstration, prompting protesters to leave dozens or possibly hundreds of comments accusing the CHP of misrepresenting Wednesday’s demonstration.

Additionally, while speeches were being delivered at Emerson Park, one protester called for boycotting San Luis Obispo businesses that do not support Black Lives Matter, even suggesting, “We need to shut them down.” CalCoastNews will soon report more on attempts by some Black Lives Matter protesters to harm local businesses that do not show support for the demonstrations.

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A peaceful protest, GOOD! Annabelle wear a mask! Thank you CCN and Josh for the long video!


0

Haven’t Dow and the SLOPD CHP and Sheriff’s department already CAVED partially by not discussing the corralling of hundreds of citizens in a group kidnapping crime? Seriously, If a conservative group had done this, formal kidnapping charges would likely be on the table for knowingly and with intent, arresting the liberty of hundreds of people.


Prosecute these people. Many seem bent on an antisocial behavior. Defend our society and vigorously prosecute them.


104

“If” a conservative group had done this? How soon they forget!!! It was only a couple of months ago when they were doing just that and they were doing it with semi automatic weapons, because they didn’t like the lock down. Or I guess because they are “right wing” fanatics, that doesn’t count and the fact they were brandishing lethal weapons and yelling and making demands is fine, ’cause that’s all different! After all, THEY WERE WHITE. If you consider the BLM “antisocial”, what the hell was that armed display of arrogance and privilege? And remember there were parts of the country where they were using their cars to tie up the better part of whole towns and even prevented a few people from getting to the hospital and confronting medical personnel in the street in front of their hospitals.


Guess we’re pretending that didn’t happen..


So, sounds like you guys can dish it out but can’t take it or admit it.


Looking forward to all the “down arrows” I will get for pointing out the simple truth. It was not the BLM protestors who invented being obnoxious during protests in this county. But I need a bunch of the supposed “law and order” trolls to vote me down for saying so, because it is not about truth, it is about “points” and it is not about “law and order”, it is about ideology that divides us and makes us easier to control. So hit those orange arrows !!!!!


-109

Store owners armed on their roofs does not constitute an impingement of the protesters’/activists‘/unemployed white young people’s rights. However, detaining/falsely imprisoning free citizens does constitute a breech of rights.


47

oh, so you agree with me then? How refreshing! The protestors with weapons who demonstrated in several state capitals against the lockdown detained people all over the place. Especially in front of hospitals, where they were sometimes preventing entrance to patients. But yo already know this.


-39

The difference Francesca is that those people were fighting true oppression and government overreach. Geez.

Their gun laden protest will be remembered as the great mask protest that it was. Stories will be told about these true patriots fighting for our liberty by badgering healthcare workers and blocking government buildings. They will go down in the history books alongside Shay and Fries.


These BLM wannabes just don’t know how good they have it. I say. We got rid of racism long ago. They should be more thankful.


13

We attempted to fix racism long ago, but just hid it from plain sight. Yes, progress has been made. But to say that we got rid of it? It can always get better. Surely we can try harder and not just put our heads down in denial?


-4

Keep clicking on the orange arrow, “right wingers”. I’m going for a record of how deep your denial actually goes and I believe this is the perfect topic to show just how hypocritical ya’ll are!!!!


-38

You assume an awful lot young lady. I promise you, all of those who disagree with you are not just “right wingers”. How sad for you to go for a record of negative responses. That speaks loudly to who you are.


I know you don’t like it when other’s have opinion’s different from yours, but other’s have the right to their thoughts as well. You always preach tolerance, inclusiveness, acceptance, but fell to practice what you preach. Talk about hypocritical and denial. You and the “left wingers” the face of both.


29

Conservatives whine sooooo much, they remind me of Democrats


-39

Optics count. We are still a democracy, and in the long run social change comes about when the vast majority of people are ready to accept it, even to fight for it. Most folks (including me) are deeply offended by disrespect toward the American flag. I always carry a big Flag when marching for civil rights, and I’m surprised how many people (a) challenge me for it or (b) thank me for it. This young woman has a lot to learn about how change is brought about in the U.S.A.


33

If Tianna wants play the game she should be prepared to pay the price.

Courageous my @ss, she watched thousands of others get away with this and thought she would too.


127

So they want charges dropped. I don’t have info on the various accusations. BUT … How about info on the rear window breaker and the car hood and roof climber? These protestors are become a law unto themselves, and doing there cause … BLM … no service. And yes downtown SLO is just fine for dining, shopping, etc., a fun and interesting locale.


56

These people need to be held accountable for everything they do. Period. If they get away with this bulls$&/! then they will keep doing whatever they want. This is ridiculous that they have gone this far! They need to arrest Heidi Harmon while they’re at it.


120

What charge against Heidi Harmon? Would it stick? Could she be convicted? That’s a stretch, I believe. Looking forward to your reply.


-19

just not what i’m looking for when dining out. oh, well, just another reason to not go downtown. soon the protesters and the mayor will have the city to themselves.


122

There is another protest planned late this afternoon starting at the county government center FYI.


-76

Thanks for the heads up, I will have to get to Giuseppe’s early to avoid parking problems.


78

Yeah, that’s really going to work. Or what? They do something stupid and get arrested also?


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