An operation called ‘Operation: Accountability’ from the San Bernardino County Sheriffs has been launched due to the popularity of Edin Alex Enamorado’s efforts to protect Mexican street vendors. The operation stems from the vast amount of media attention Enamorado received from tracking racist behavior towards Mexicans in Santa Barbara, protests against police using excessive force, and other incidents all centering around the discrimination that has been normalized by entitled whites and white institutions.
Ultimately, on December 15, 2023, the Victorville Sheriffs arrested Enamorado as well as 7 other individuals. In a press conference, Sheriff Shannon Dicus even cited the social media popularity as a means to profit despite the fact that social media likes cannot be monetized directly – the claim is ludicrous.
Activism and inflated criminal charges often go hand in hand, with officials who are keen to maintaining their posts exaggerating claims or simply fabricating them.
Issue & Context
Most people in Southern California are familiar with the Fontana police’s recent misguided crusade against street vendors. These hard-working residents of the area are engaging in the most basic free market activity: making and selling food at a profit.
However, the city of Fontana has a stubborn mayor, Acquenetta Warren, who may have a prejudice against Mexicans, which to be fair is not uncommon amongst San Bernardino officials. Many of them look at the Mexican population as below them and repeat the backwards rhetoric used by many other deficient and unimaginative politicians looking for clout. Under their leadership, drug use and homelessness has skyrocketed, and easy scapegoats are an attractive option.
Despite having an ineffective homeless program, where homeless people can often be seen roaming the streets aimlessly, the city of Fontana has elected to really push on this issue of street vendors and calling them for assembling peacefully to engage in commerce.
Local residents in turn began to push back. Most people both online and locally have demanded that the city of Fontana and Fontana police stop their harassment campaign against vendors. Generally speaking, Edin Alex Enamorado is like many other Mexican activists who are willing to go head-to-head with authorities out of principle. For this, he is being charged heavily based on his prior misdemeanors for similar community serving actions.
San Bernardino Elite Respond
Unfortunately, the San Bernardino political class has elected to save one of their own. Instead of modifying their policies against street vendors, educating their staff or simply not doing anything (which they are very effective at doing while collecting pay), they have plotted to incarcerated Enamorado until past Dec 25, by inflating the charges against him.
Many times, in Southern California, people’s freedom is played like an auction. The prosecutor, if they seek to make a political point, will opt to exaggerate the claims against a defendant. A prosecutor or PD will charge people with many crimes in hopes of negotiating both a reduction in offending activities and to ensure that some kind of retribution is imposed on the activists. Otherwise, their arrest appears ineffective and illegitimate.
As we understand it, Edin Alex Enamorado is accused of some serious allegations. Like we mentioned, these are likely exaggerated to prove a point. Even so, they will require serious representation. We believe that this is one more means for the county of San Bernardino to pass a cost on to the activists seeking to enlighten local and county officials on the proper way to engage Mexican vendors.
Enamorado’s father is currently accepting Zelle donations at +1 (323) 362-7359.
- Unlawfully and intentionally restraining, confining, or transporting another person without their consent or against their will. This charge involves the act of depriving an individual of their personal liberty.
- Charge: Threatening a Crime to Terrorize (California Penal Code 422(A))
- Edin Alex Enamorado is accused of willfully making threats to commit a crime that would result in great bodily injury or death, with the specific intent to induce fear or terror in another person.
- Charge: Assault with a Deadly Weapon with Force Likely to Cause Great Bodily Injury (California Penal Code 245(A)(4))
- Edin Alex Enamorado is accused of unlawfully assaulting another person using a deadly weapon, such as a firearm, with the force that is likely to cause serious bodily harm or severe injury.
- Charge: Possession of a Firearm by a Felon or Person with a Prior Conviction (California Penal Code 29800(A)(1)) while having a prior criminal record.