Four Cop Watchers Arrested in Cinco De Mayo

Friday nights celebration of Cinco de Mayo in San Jose resulted in numerous arrests Friday night. Five people - including four acting as cop watchers - were arrested at the intersection of King and Story. Around 10PM about twenty-five riot police pushed into a vocal, but peaceful crowd, pushing them back from where they had been celebrating. The quickly moving police-wedge pushed some people to the ground as they were trying to leave.

The shopping center plaza at King and Story was one of many areas where hundreds of people gathered to celebrate Mexican independence from France. The predominantly youthful gathering - waving flags, dancing and cruising - went from early evening until the police arrived in force.

As the police gathered and ordered a dispersal, the revelers made their way out, leaving the more independence-minded people to face the police. Video cameras seemed to draw the ire of the police as four of the people arrested were filming.

Anthony, a San Jose resident said "The abuse by the San Jose police has to stop. The irony of police tactics like check points, street closures, random stops and intimidation of the Latino citizenry on this independence day is obvious".