"Thirteen people were arrested on Friday (17 October) in West Hollywood's Rainbow District, where the presence of unmarked vehicles initially sparked fears of a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid. Despite social media posts warning of ICE raids, particularly at LGBTQ+ venue The Abbey, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that ICE agents were not involved in arrests. One viral clips shows security staff locking and barricading an entrance door as officers are seen outside."
"A different clip shows people being arrested by officers, with the person filming saying, "they've just been going into the clubs and grabbing people... they haven't been presenting any ID." An officer then confirms to the cameraman that he and his colleagues are members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department at the West Hollywood station. The officer refuses to share the reason for the arrests."
"The West Hollywood Sheriff's Station told Them that the raid was a "scheduled undercover operation" that occurred "in response to reports of pickpocketing and other criminal activity". The Abbey has long been associated with an area where pickpockets operate, with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reporting that nearly 400 thefts were recorded in the area in 2024 alone. There have been more than 115,000 applications, according to Homeland Security."
Thirteen people were arrested in West Hollywood's Rainbow District during a scheduled undercover operation responding to reports of pickpocketing and other criminal activity. Social media posts and unmarked vehicles initially sparked fears of an ICE raid, but Los Angeles County sheriff's officials confirmed ICE agents were not involved. Viral clips show security barricading doors and officers arresting people while a deputy identified himself as a member of the West Hollywood Sheriff's Department. The Abbey area has a history of thefts, with nearly 400 recorded in 2024, and broader Homeland Security recruitment and application figures were also reported.
Read at PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]