A leftist rioter involved in “protesting” against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) claims he suffered severe injuries to his groin, including a “shattered” testicle, after being shot with a rubber bullet by police during a violent riot in downtown Los Angeles.
This from slaynews.com.
“It sucks to sit down,” said Martin Santoyo, 33, who described the incident in an interview with KTLA following his release from the hospital.
Santoyo says the injury occurred Monday near Temple Street during escalating protests that turned into violent riots. He claims he was shot at close range shortly after dismounting his bicycle amidst a confrontation between protesters and law enforcement.
KTLA reported:
A man who was out protesting against ICE raids in downtown Los Angeles this week spoke with KTLA after an officer’s close-range shot to his groin with a rubber bullet severely bruised one of his testicles… and ‘shattered’ the other.
Santoyo alleges he did not hear police declare the protest an unlawful gathering before the violence erupted.
Violent agitators clashed with police throughout the week, with more incidents reported on Saturday.
Authorities confirmed:
Mobs of leftists ‘attacked police officers’ during the weekend riots.
In response to the escalating violence and threats to public safety, the Trump administration federalized the California National Guard and deployed hundreds of U.S. Marines to help protect federal property in Los Angeles. The move follows repeated assaults on federal facilities and personnel by demonstrators aligned with far-left groups.
While Santoyo’s personal injuries have drawn sympathetic coverage from local media, less attention has been paid to the actions of violent rioters, who have assaulted officers, thrown projectiles, and stormed federal buildings over the last several days. Despite claims from activists, law enforcement sources maintain that officers have been responding to coordinated attacks on police and federal property, and have repeatedly issued lawful dispersal orders before using crowd-control measures.
Yes, a protester’s injury is making headlines, but the injury was the result of escalating lawlessness in which police are under attack and the federal government is being forced to mobilize military support to restore order in one of America’s largest cities.
As Santoyo recovers from his injuries at home, the city remains on edge, and ICE, Marines, and federal officers are bracing for more violence from extremist agitators using “protest” as a smokescreen for destruction.
Final thought: A lesson to Santoyo, ‘Stay home during the next not-so-peaceful protest.’ And may this be a message of deterrence to others who still have two functioning testicles.
