Some residents in Pico Rivera were left outraged after a man was caught on camera being tackled by federal agents during an ICE raid.
It happened on Tuesday outside a Walmart. Oscar Preciado, a witness who caught the incident on camera and posted it on his Instagram, told KCAL News that Adrian Martinez was trying to intervene as federal agents were arresting another guy.
At one point, video posted by Preciado showed Martinez being tackled to the ground by federal agents. Martinez was then arrested.
Martinez’s mother told KCAL her son is a U.S. citizen.
“I just wanna say that, you know, I don't think that what he did was wrong,” she said. “He..we all have freedom of speech, and that's what he was practicing, so, you know, I, and I would tell him that I love him and I hope he's OK, and, you know, I want him home.”
A witness told KNX News’ Nataly Tavidian he saw seven to eight agents, including three marked Border Patrol trucks, pull into the lot.
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“ I was scared,” he said. “The people was asking for help. I can't do nothing because the immigration.”
He said some workers are now too afraid to come back to their jobs. There were protests held on Tuesday night in regards to what happened, but there were no arrests.
KNX News has reached out to ICE for comment on the arrest of the U.S. citizen and is waiting to hear back.
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