CUDAHY, California.In reaction to continuing immigration enforcement operations, Cynthia Gonzalez, the vice mayor of Cudahy in southeast Los Angeles County, has come under fire for a social media video in which she seemed to urge local street gangs to organize.
“I want to know where all the cholos are at in Los Angeles,” Gonzalez said in the since-deleted video, interrogating the silence of gang members. “You guys tag everything up, claiming hood, and now that your hood is being invaded by the biggest gang there is, there ain’t a peep out of you.”
“Where are you?” she said. “We’re out there fighting our turf, protecting our turf, and protecting our people.” Officials and community members expressed worry after the video made reference to the street gangs Florencia 13 and 18th Street in Los Angeles.
A lawyer claims that the video message was about nonviolent protest.
Gonzalez’s lawyer responded to criticism on Wednesday by refuting claims that she was instigating violence. According to the statement, any implication that she supported violence is completely untrue and unfounded.
According to the lawyer, Gonzalez was encouraging the Latino community—including gang members—to take part in nonviolent protests against government immigration raids. Importantly, the statement stated that Dr. Gonzalez did not in any way condone violence.
