California State University-Northridge (CSUN) students involved in Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (MEChA) claim they were harassed by Los Angeles Police Department officers during their first meeting Sept. 2.

LAPD is investigating the incident and confirmed that officers were conducting a training exercise involving MEChA members earlier this semester.

CSUN Police Department Chief Anne Glavin said Deputy Chief Michel Moore, who oversees the San Fernando Valley force, assured her that MEChA was not targeted nor was any profiling involved. Glavin stressed that there was no intention to involve the members of the organization in the training exercise but that LAPD was “wrong and had no business doing what they were doing.”
 
Chicano/a studies professor Dr. Jorge Garcia said was still skeptical that there was no profiling involved.
 
“So a group of Mexicans just so happened to be there while they are training and there was no profiling, and they just happen to practice on this group,” Garcia said. “That’s an absurdity, on its face!”
 
Moore expressed the department’s regrets for the disturbance and conflict and has issued an apology for the incident.

Abraham Ramirez, president of MEChA, said the group has always been a target of law enforcement agencies because they are a progressive organization. He said they would meet with Moore soon, but that an apology is not enough.
 
“We deserve more than an apology. We deserve respect, the same as anyone else. There should be more consequences,” Ramirez said. “We are going to get to the bottom of this and find out everything that happened.”

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