Estela Ortega is Executive Director at El Centro. Roberto Maestas stepped down as Exec Director in July 2009.

About time all Seattle Citizens had the same right.

Always video them.

Because they won't respect the Law, and think that Walking While Hispanic and Driving While Black are crimes.

Anecdotal remark from a colored:

I disagree with the racial profiling remark. As the dude in question fit the description of a suspect. however the cops got caught on video committing a "hate crime" and assault. Sure they should get due process, but their asses should get fired, and the shit heels that were present and didn't report should be reprimanded ( suspended without pay ) as an example.

The cops, thanks to the unions are largely a protected class of citizens, they break laws with impunity and routinely get away with egregious offenses against the people who live in this city with zero lasting repercussions. This isn't the Cinerama guy who might have heard them say they were cops, this isn't a grey area, they offered on tape, to "beat the Mexican piss" ( hate crime ) and an officer used a pain inflicting compliance technique( assault ) on a suspect already in custody ( abuse of power ).

If these people can't be held for the "alleged" crimes committed then who can?

"The cops, thanks to the unions are largely a protected class of citizens..."

I would very much like to read your historical sources, which would suggest that before municipal police forces formed unions, they did NOT act as a protected class of citizens, acting above the law.

@6, @9 - nice try. Nobody buys your excuses.

Can we put an Arizona law on the books here already, so the vagrants don't cause any more trouble?