Francisco Romero speaks at Oxnard Police Department during anti-brutality march October 12, 2014 (credit: Agatha Muñoz)
from Raza Press and Media Association
UPDATE – ALERT! TRIAL POSTPONED: Due to court unavailability, Trial for the Romero vs. OPD case has been postponed, tentatively set for May 20th. We will send out details. In the next few days, we will also initiate an email and phone call campaign to demand the District Attorney to Drop the Charges! This way both local supporters as well as those further out can participate in keeping up the pressure! An attack on one, is an attack on all! La lucha sigue!
Trial begins this Friday May 8th, 8:30am, Dept. 23. Ventura County Courthouse located at 800 S. Victoria Avenue, in Ventura, Ca.
Over one year and a half ago, the City of Oxnard, and the Oxnard Police Department (OPD) – in the most cowardly and shameless attempts to silence and intimidate the local community protests against police brutality, issued five whack-lame “traffic” citations against Francisco “Chavo” Romero. El Chavo has been an outspoken critic of local Oxnard Police brutality for nearly 20 years .
On October 2013, Chavo, along with nearly 250 protestors marched for the one year commemoration of the slaying of Alfonso Limon, a young man that was shot down, as he kneeled with this hands up, by the Oxnard Police Department.
JOIN US! This Friday, trial begins, after a one-year-and-half battle and attempt to dismiss under discriminatory prosecution was denied, by a white judge, in a racist conservative court, denied the motion to dismiss, under the pretext that Chavo was the only “identifiable” protestor out 250+ marchers that they decided to prosecute. Now, the District Attorney won’t back down – and will attempt to make an example of Chavo and those that attempt to fathom the possibility of having the right to resist and dissent.
EL PUEBLO RESISTE! Despite the excuse that Chavo was the only “identifiable” protestor, since then, at least two mass marches have taken place, where the community, righteously and courageously has taken the protests to the streets, and have denied succumbing to the city-police-county efforts of repression.
The latest march, held on April 11th, in memory of Megan Hockaday – a young black woman killed in front of her children by the Oxnard Police Department, is a testament of the local community’s defiant and bold call of taking protests to the streets and claiming “No Justice, No Peace – Killer Cops Off our Streets!”
The city, the cops, and the district attorney, will attempt to criminalize our gente, especially vocal critics and activists – but, everyday – our community has lost its fear to fight back and resist!
LA LUCHA SIGUE!
Colectivo Todo Poder al Pueblo 
Case needs to be dropped. Romero is a community leader to be treated with fairness and respect. His criticism of unwarranted violence by police officers is correct. It’s clearly a problem that requires serious, systematic, in-depth, transformative action by the City and the Chief of Police. The courts should support all calls and efforts for reform.