ICE in California: has American citizenship, rode a bicycle and reported that agents broke an arm

ICE in California: has American citizenship, was cycling and reported that agents broke an arm Long Beach Police found Ricardo Gonzalez handcuffed and injured during the federal operation; Mayor Rex Richardson demanded explanations - 5 minutes reading' Ricardo Gonzalez, a 40-year-old American citizen, reported that agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) broke his arm during an operation in Long Beach, California, on Saturday, October 17th. The man was cycling an electric bicycle through his neighborhood when he was intercepted by federal officers. Part of the intervention was recorded in a video that spread on social media and raised questions about the use of force. What happened to Ricardo Gonzalez during the ICE operation in California? The Latino man was born in Hanford, California, and worked for approximately eight years for the municipal government of Long Beach, first in the Health department and later in the Public Services area. According to Long Beach Watchdog, his daughter Leslie Gonzalez confirmed that he is a U.S. citizen and had left his municipal job in September. The incident occurred near the intersection of Elm Avenue and 56th Street, in North Long Beach. Gonzalez was riding an electric bicycle through the neighborhood when he encountered federal agents who were moving in vehicles without identification. His daughter assured Long Beach Watchdog that the officers hit her father with one of the vehicles and subsequently used an electric gun against him on two occasions. However, a neighbor reported that an officer got out of an unidentified vehicle and knocked Gonzalez down. The media clarified that they did not find videos or eyewitness accounts confirming the alleged assault. The ICE video in Long Beach shows Ricardo Gonzalez while asking for help The images circulated by StopICE.net to local media show Gonzalez immobilized face down on the ground, while several masked officers restrain him. One of the officers is wearing a vest with ICE identification. "Help me! Help me! I have my arm broken!", a resident is heard shouting during the procedure. The man also requested medical assistance while remaining in the custody of the federal agents. In an interview with Long Beach Watchdog, Leslie Gonzalez recounted that her father continued to have pain after the procedure and had difficulty sitting up and getting up. Long Beach residents intervened during the ICE operation Gonzalez's cries and the presence of federal agents caused numerous residents to leave their homes. According to testimonies collected by the Long Beach Post, several people began to honk their car horns and demand explanations from the officers. The neighbors demanded to know the reasons for the detention and asked the officers to show a warrant. Some residents placed trash containers behind the federal vehicles, while others positioned themselves in front of the vehicles to prevent them from leaving the area. Patricia Velazquez, who has lived in the area for more than three decades, told the Long Beach Post that the residents were willing to intervene to prevent the agents from taking the man away. What did the Long Beach Police do after the ICE arrest? The Long Beach Police arrived at the scene after receiving a request for assistance related to the federal operation. In a statement on October 17th, the institution indicated that ICE personnel had requested help due to reports of vandalism against vehicles and the presence of a person needing medical attention. When the local officers arrived, they found Gonzalez handcuffed, bleeding, and in the custody of federal officers. The department also pointed out that a disturbance of public order was taking place in which a large group of people was participating. According to the police version, the Fire Department personnel could not access the area because some trash containers were blocking the street. In this situation, the police transported Gonzalez to a nearby fire station, where his handcuffs were removed. Subsequently, emergency personnel took him to a hospital to receive medical attention. The Long Beach Police clarified that they were not involved in the immigration control operation and that their intervention was linked to medical assistance and the situation unfolding at the scene. Furthermore, they reported that no arrests were made during the procedure. The institution explained that although they do not cooperate with the enforcement of federal immigration laws, they also cannot legally obstruct the operations of federal authorities. According to the same statement, after the local police left the area, some ICE agents followed them to a police station parking lot. There, they were asked to leave and were told they could file a formal complaint if they believed that damage had been done to their vehicles. The Mayor of Long Beach, Rex Richardson, condemned what happened and demanded explanations from the federal authorities. According to CNN on October 18th, the official attempted to communicate with ICE through its tip line, but so far had not managed to speak with a representative of the agency.