City attorney files charges against protesters who disrupted L.A. City Council meeting
A man gestures across the street from the Los Angeles City Council meeting Thursday, Sept. 26, 2016, at City Hall. Photo: Jessica Christian/AP
The city attorney has filed charges against three people connected to disruptions during a city council meeting that left councilwoman Nury Martinez with a bloodied nose, broken hand and other injuries.
The city attorney says his office filed the charges Thursday in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. He filed a warrant for the arrest of protesters Kristina Hern and Paul Joyal and the arrest of protester Mike Hernandez for assault with a deadly weapon.
Lawyers from the city attorney’s office and a defense attorney were trying to negotiate a settlement with Martinez and several other people during the Sept. 15 meeting. The protesters were seen throwing water bottles and other items during the meetings to the crowd on the floor of the council chamber. Three people – one who was wearing a helmet at the time was arrested for assaulting the crowd.
The Los Angeles Unified School District released a statement after the incident saying the district was aware of the protests but they had not been violent at this point. The protesters were disciplined and removed from the building. There was no public information available as to what happened during the dispute.
One of the people arrested during the protests Wednesday was wearing a helmet that officials said did not have an integrated communication device. The helmet reportedly had speakers which could have been used to communicate with residents.