DOJ Issues Statement Following Protests

The U.S. Department of Justice escalated its legal response to last week’s violent anti-ICE riots in California, announcing new federal charges against three more individuals tied to the unrest that rocked Los Angeles County.

U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli made the announcement during a press conference alongside LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, emphasizing a unified law enforcement crackdown on violent protestors.

The riots, which began as protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, quickly spiraled into targeted attacks against law enforcement, infrastructure, and public safety personnel.

Federal prosecutors have now filed charges against over 20 suspects for acts ranging from arson and assault to conspiracy to incite civil disorder.

Essayli delivered a clear message: “You have an absolute right to peacefully protest, you have no right to destroy property or to engage in acts of violence — especially against our law enforcement officers.”

Among those newly charged:

• Adam Charles Palermo faces a federal charge of attempted arson of a vehicle used in interstate or foreign commerce — a charge that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20. Essayli revealed that Palermo was caught on video during the riot and that his social media featured images of flaming patrol cars and other acts of destruction. In one post, Palermo boasted: Of all the "protests I’ve been involved in, which is well over 100 now, I’m most proud of what I did today.”
• Angus Johnson has been charged with assaulting federal officers. According to Essayli, Johnson spit on a California National Guardsman and multiple federal law enforcement officers who were attempting to maintain order. “If you spit, we hit,” Essayli said, reiterating a zero-tolerance stance. If convicted, Johnson faces up to eight years in prison.
• Alejandro Theodoro Orellana, who was charged last Friday, allegedly conspired to incite violence by distributing protective gear — specifically face shields — to agitators, preparing them for confrontation with police. He faces charges of conspiracy to commit civil disorder.

Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman echoed the DOJ’s tough stance, stating, “We are coming for you.” He promised that investigators are reviewing hours of footage and collecting evidence to bring additional perpetrators to justice.

Essayli reinforced the broader implications: “We are not going to allow mob violence to go unpunished — especially when it threatens public safety and targets law enforcement.”