SIMI VALLEY : Review of Police Conduct Sought
Neighbors Against Nazis, a Simi Valley-based group, has filed a protest with the U. S. Justice Department to object to police force used against demonstrators at a rally earlier this month, organizers said Monday.
Group members also are calling for an investigation into actions by Simi Valley police and Ventura County sheriff’s deputies at the Sept. 12 counter-protest held against white supremacist Richard Barrett. Police were too aggressive in their use of horses and batons to control the crowd at the rally, leaders of Neighbors Against Nazis have said.
Four people were arrested for allegedly throwing rocks at Barrett and police and for using sticks to strike the horses that sheriff’s deputies used for crowd control at the rally outside the East County Courthouse in Simi Valley.
“I don’t fear any investigation, frankly,” Simi Valley Police Chief Lindsey P. Miller said Monday evening. “Anyone is welcome at any time to conduct a review of the Police Department’s activities.”
He said the results of the department’s own investigation of the tactics used at the demonstration will be presented to the City Council at its Oct. 19 meeting.
Neighbors Against Nazis, which describes itself as an anti-racism coalition, organized the counter-protest against Barrett.
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