Protester files claim against LA County and city over injuries during June protest

A professional dancer has filed a legal claim against Los Angeles County and the city of Los Angeles, alleging excessive force and civil rights violations after she was allegedly shot with a rubber bullet by law enforcement officers while participating in a "No Kings" protest outside Los Angeles City Hall in June.

A legal claim is a possible forerunner to the filing of a lawsuit. Representatives for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and the City Attorney's Office could not be immediately reached for comment.

"When the president of the United States posts videos of himself dropping feces on peaceful protesters, it's not just disgusting, it's dangerous," said Jamon Hicks, one of the plaintiff's attorneys. "It gives law enforcement everywhere permission to see protesters not as citizens exercising their rights, but as targets for humiliation and harm. That kind of rhetoric from the highest office in the land normalizes violence against people who dare to dissent."

According to the claim, Anna Marie Hicks (no relation to Jamon Hicks) was one of hundreds of demonstrators on the grass in front of City Hall on June 14 when personnel from the sheriff's department and/or the Los Angeles Police Department deployed flash bangs, tear gas and rubber bullets into the crowd without warning.

On Saturday, June 15, thousands of demonstrators filled the streets of downtown Los Angeles as part of a nationwide protest against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement raids and erosion of democratic norms.

The “No Kings” rallies, which took place across the country, drew protesters from across Southern California. What began as a day of lively protest and community gathering in downtown Los Angeles, however, ended in tear gas, rubber bullets and chaos after law enforcement moved to disperse demonstrators. 

Just after 4 p.m., officers in riot gear quickly formed lines along Aliso Street and, within minutes, issued a dispersal order over loudspeakers, citing unlawful assembly. Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) — some on horseback — moved in on demonstrators and began deploying crowd-control measures.

Without substantial warning, law enforcement began firing less lethal rounds into the crowd, causing confusion and panic among protestors. Demonstrators who had positioned themselves in front of the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building found themselves suddenly kettled and media personnel were also pushed back as people tried to escape the stampede of incoming police horses. 

According to the claim, Hicks was holding a protest sign and chanting when she looked at an armed officer behind the barricade, who subsequently aimed his weapon directly at her and fired, striking her in the upper inner thigh with a rubber bullet at close range. The impact caused immediate bleeding, dizziness and intense pain, the claim states.

Two bystanders carried Hicks to the sidewalk and volunteer medics treated her wound. Hicks had not threatened officers, did not hold a weapon and was not violent, according to the claim, which further contends that authorities "intentionally and unreasonably used force against Ms. Hicks despite her being clearly unarmed and non-threatening."

Hicks suffered a severe contusion and open wound to her upper inner thigh, resulting in nerve damage, swelling and medical imaging revealed tendinosis in the affected leg, the claim states. Hicks, who performs and choreographs professionally, has experienced loss of sensation, limited mobility and reduced flexibility, directly impacting her ability to dance, rehearse and perform at her prior professional level, the claim alleges.

Hicks also suffers from panic attacks, anxiety and sleep disturbances, according to the claim, which further alleges that the city and county failed to properly train law enforcement in the appropriate use of less-than- lethal weaponry and in managing peaceful protests, violating both state and federal civil rights protections.

Additional reporting by Michelle Zacarias and City News Service.