Latino street vendor activists are arrested without bail in a “multi-agency investigation”

A group of Latino street vendor activists, primarily from the Inland Empire and Los Angeles County region, are being held without bail. The eight individuals were arrested Thursday morning on search warrants following what authorities called a “months-long” assault investigation.

One of the individuals who was arrested is Edin Enamorado, a 36-year-old Latino man with a significant online following on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. He is most known for his viral videos that expose street vendor harassment as well as instances of police misconduct. Enamorado has also been successful in mobilizing his followers to action, which is part of why his legal defense is claiming he is being targeted. Enamorado’s partner, Wendy Lujan, 40, is among those who are also being held.

Many have expressed gratitude for the group’s “watchdog” style approach, as street vendors are frequently vulnerable to violence. However, authorities disagree with the tactics utilized by individuals in the group. Police alleged that detainees often use racism to “threaten and intimidate their victims,” and misrepresent themselves as protectors of the people.

During a press conference, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon claimed that the group “manipulates videos and photos on social media in an attempt to make them look like they are protectors of under-represented people."

Police began building a case against the “Justice 8” (as online supporters have labeled them) in late September. According to the Victorville sheriff's station, a “multi-agency investigation” was launched after an assault that occurred at a protest in the city of Victorville, California.

Sgt. Tony Romero said, “We discovered our group of suspects were responsible for violent acts during other protests in both San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties.” The Victorville Police Department has previously clashed with Enamorado when he protested a deputy from their precinct for body-slamming a 16-year-old girl in late September.

Enamorado's attorney, Christian Contreras said that the ongoing investigation is being enacted in retaliation against his client for exercising his First Amendment right. In a released statement Contreras stated “The San Bernardino Sheriff's Department's press conference regarding the arrest was absurd and resemblant of conduct in a third world country. Criticizing elected officials and law enforcement officers should never be criminalized and that is what the sheriff's department has done in this case.”

During the arraignment on Monday, Judge Shannon Faherty decided that all the defendants were ineligible for bail, citing the potential for danger to the community Some of the charges being brought against members of the group include conspiracy, false imprisonment, criminal threats, kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful use of tear gas, possession of a firearm, and kidnapping.