United States | News & Politics

In a Feb. 16 statement, the LAPD states it’s unlawful for minors under 18 to be in public places, streets, or amusement spots during school hours. Exceptions include emergencies or being with a parent. The department cited state education code requiring that children between the ages of 6 and 18 “must attend a full-time public day school for the full designated day.”

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A day later, Bill Essayli, the first assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, condemned the walkouts in a post on X, saying, “The only thing they will accomplish is ensuring violent agitators will be criminally prosecuted, juveniles included.” Essayli also posted photos of youth he said were sought in connection with a “violent attack on [Federal Protective Service] at our downtown Los Angeles property.”

It’s an absolutely wild misuse of the criminal justice system to target children exercising their constitutional rights after having their community, friends, and possibly family members terrorized or kidnapped by federal agents. I can’t imagine making those kinds of statements and not immediately wanting to crawl in a hole and die of shame.