Latinos rarely protest against police abuse
African-American citizens who are victims of police abuse cases are very widely reported in English and Spanish media but the same is not true with Hispanics cases. So far in 2015, 100 Latinos - twenty of them unarmed--were killed by law enforcement, according to The Guardian.
Apart from the protests that erupted after the shooting that ended the life of Antonio Zambrano-Montes in Pasco, Washington, and subsequent complaints from the Mexican Government, many other cases have not prompted similar reactions.
Why with so many victims of police abuse in the Latino community, have Latinos in the United States not organized a movement similar to “Black Lives Matter?” Perhaps because they are a more complex group or because of a perceived need to be more supportive and participatory.
Alberto Gutiérrez, Professor of Chicano studies at CSU Northridge claims that “the immigrant Latino community sees all these cases as if they were isolated without any connection between them. We are not a homogeneous community that can express its voice. Almost two thirds of the community are under 18 and undocumented.”
Gutierrez adds that although in recent years there has been an increase in the number of Latinos elected to public office, those who come to power do not always care about the needs of the Latino population.
“One of the major problems we have is that Latino leaders are cowards and for them the only goal is to be the next Governor, Mayor, or the first Latino in some political office. Proof of this is the lack of presence of Latino leaders when anyone Gutierrez said.
For Ariana Hernandez-Reguant, an anthropologist at the University of Miami, Latinos are a dispersed community and don’t feel the same solidarity that exists among African-Americans.
“The only thing that connects us is a language and nostalgia. We all are different, have different motivations and historical, cultural, geographical and social differences. There is no unity even on matters of immigration.”
Another aspect that prevents protests of the abuse is fear of being deported. Fear because of not having legal immigration status keeps many of the community silent and forces them to remain hidden, to go unnoticed. Driving without a license causes terror, therefore, is unthinkable to participate in demonstrations against the police. Many in the community are even reluctant to go to the police, although they may be victims of crimes, fearing the immigration authorities.
Alberto Retana, director of the Community Coalition of South Los Angeles says that another reason the Spanish media is missing coverage of cases of police abuse against Latinos is because “They focus on issues of immigration, novelas and international affairs of our countries.”
“The mainstream media have not put so much attention to these cases of police brutality,” said Maria Brenes, Executive Director of Inner City Struggle, “and so Hispanics have not understood what is happening or the importance to unite to protest.”
Brenes believes that hope may lie with the young people, who have successfully created huge social movements, such as the “Dreamers.”