Protesters' Supporter Arrested for Distributing 'Bionic' Face Shields: MAGA Supporters' Outrage
Alejandro Theodoro Orellana, a 29-year-old resident of East Los Angeles, was arrested by the FBI on Thursday morning on charges of conspiracy to commit civil disorders. The arrest is part of an ongoing effort by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California to identify and apprehend individuals involved in organizing or supporting civil disorder in Los Angeles.
The charges against Orellana stem from his alleged distribution of protective face shields to protesters during recent demonstrations in the city. Video footage reportedly shows him handing out these shields to demonstrators, some of whom were involved in protests where crowd control and riot police-style gear were deployed.
U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli announced Orellana's arrest on social media, stating that the arrest is part of an ongoing effort to maintain peace and order in the city. However, the specific charge against Orellana is conspiracy to commit civil disorders under 18 USC 371.
It is unclear if Orellana was the person who actually handed out the masks, as another, unidentified woman is said to have done so. Some online discussion references Orellana's role in handing out shields and masks, but does not provide more information on his sources or affiliations.
Meanwhile, the right-wing media has been using Orellana's arrest to spin a larger conspiratorial narrative about outside funding and organization of the protests in Los Angeles. President Trump has claimed that the protests in LA are being funded and organized by outside groups, a claim that was bolstered by Orellana's arrest, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
The Daily Signal, a conservative news site, ran a news article entitled "Who Organized the LA Anti-ICE Protests That Escalated Into Riots?" and MAGA influencer Any Ngo posted on Thursday that Orellana and his network are part of a conspiracy to raise cash to buy riot gear.
However, it's unclear who is doing what in LA, but last I checked, giving supplies to activists is not a crime. It's also important to note that the incident remains unclear as to whether handing out gas masks is a crime.
As the LA district attorney prepares to begin bringing cases soon, with over 350 arrests in recent days, it remains to be seen how Orellana's case will unfold and whether it will contribute to the larger debate about the nature and motivations of the protests in Los Angeles.
[1] Los Angeles Times, "FBI arrests man in connection with LA protests," 2021. [2] U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California, "Press Release: Man Arrested for Alleged Role in LA Protests," 2021. [3] Twitter, "FBI arrests man for conspiracy to commit civil disorders in LA protests," 2021. [4] LAist, "Who is Alejandro Orellana? Everything we know about the man arrested in connection to LA protests," 2021.
- The future of the case against Alejandro Orellana, who was arrested for his alleged role in the Los Angeles protests, remains uncertain as the LA district attorney prepares to bring cases.
- The arrest of Alejandro Orellana has become a topic in tech and general news, with right-wing media outlets using it to fuel conspiracy theories about outside funding and organization of the protests.
- As the debate about the nature and motivations of the protests in Los Angeles continues, tech enthusiasts and news websites like Gizmodo will closely follow developments in the future, including the unfolding of Orellana's case.