Protester Denies Civil Disorder Charges Linked To Face-Shield Distribution

LOS ANGELES, CA — An East Los Angeles man pleaded not guilty Thursday to handing out protective face shields to protesters last month during an anti- ICE demonstration.

Alejandro Orellana, 29, a member of the Boyle Heights-based community organization Centro CSO, faces federal charges of conspiracy and aiding and abetting civil disorder, court records show.

According to the indictment, Orellana and at least two others drove around downtown L.A. in a pickup truck distributing Uvex Bionic face shields and other items to a crowd engaged in a protest near the federal building on Los Angeles Street on June 9. The face shields are designed to protect from chemical splashes and flying debris.

Trial was set for Aug. 26 in Los Angeles federal court.

At a previous hearing, Orellana — a former U.S. Marine — was ordered by a magistrate judge to not come within 100 yards of federal agents or buildings — except for court appearances and meetings with his legal counsel, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Centro CSO contends his arrest was "political repression" due to Orellana's pro-immigrant-rights activism.

• Read Patch's deep dive on Orellana's case and how it connects to a deep history of Chicano activism in the Southland

City News Service