Updated April 9, 2024 | 3:44pm PT

Claremont, CA — On Friday afternoon, Claremont Police took 20 student protesters from the Claremont Colleges into custody for occupying Pomona College President Gabrielle Starr's Alexander Hall office on Pomona College’s campus. Reportedly, 18 were charged with misdemeanor trespassing for not leaving the premises even though they had been “given directives” to leave, according to Claremont Police officer Eric Orozco. Police arrested an additional protester for failing to clear the path as police began to enter the Hall.

Those arrested were part of 100 or so protesters who showed up on Pomona College’s campus to protest Pomona College’s refusal to divest itself from entities connected to Israel’s role in the war in Gaza.

After the arrest of the students, the protesters moved to Claremont’s Police Department offices where they waited in protest until the arrested students were released one by one. Helicopters from several news sources showed up to document the proceedings.

Earlier, police agencies from Claremont, Pomona, Azusa, Covina and La Verne had stood in full riot gear in riot formation in the middle of College Ave.

And, in an even earlier action, college administration forcefully removed student artwork, eight days after students at the Claremont Colleges erected a mock apartheid wall on Marston Quad. According to a press release from the student-led advocacy organization, Pomona Divest Apartheid, the students erected the work in order to “'illuminate Pomona College's complicity in the face of an illegal occupation and genocide.”

After questioning a Pomona Police Officer why they were in the city of Claremont, we also asked, doesn’t your presence in Claremont result in a “shortage of officers in Pomona, in a city with security issues of its own.? The officer's responded, ‘take that up with your city officials.’

Julian Lucas, is a photographer, a purveyor of books, and writer, but mostly a photographer. Don’t ever ask him to take photos of events because he will charge you a lot of money. Julian is also the owner and founder of Mirrored Society Book Shop, publisher of The Pomonan, founder of Book-Store, and founder of PPABF.

POMONA – Gente Organizada, a community-led non-profit, will deliver a cease and desist letter at the Pomona City Council meeting on April 8, 2024, represented by attorney James Gutierrez. The letter addresses concerns regarding the Pomona Police Department’s (PPD) continued violent targeting of Black and Brown communities and its violation of state and local laws.

The letter highlights several instances where the PPD's actions contradict its stated values of compassion and transparency, eroding public trust in local government and law enforcement. Specific incidents cited include the officer-involved shooting in the Angela Chanslor neighborhood on February 3, 2022, where the officer violated department policy by not having his camera on, and the murder of Andres Avila in 2011.

“The Pomona Police Department’s actions are in direct violation of Policy #424 and California Assembly Bill 748,” said James Gutierrez, attorney for Gente Organizada. “They’ve been able to violate these local and state laws with impunity because there’s no checks and balances.”

Furthermore, the letter outlines a concerning pattern of the PPD's history of targeting young community members, particularly Black and Brown youth. The lack of transparency and accountability within the PPD, as well as its collaboration with police special interest organizations, are also highlighted as major areas of concern.

Gente Organizada calls on the Pomona City Council and City Manager to demand transparency from the PPD, address patterns of use of force, and launch immediate investigations into the incidents outlined in the letter. Failure to do so may result in legal action against the City Council.

Next week, Gente Organizada will present this letter on April 8, 2024 at 6:30 pm in front of Pomona City Hall before the City Council meeting.

See Cease and Desist Letter

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