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Home My WebLink AboutCharging SLO protest leader Tianna Arata puts8/17/2020 Charging SLO protest leader Tianna Arata puts city at risk | San Luis Obispo Tribune https://www.sanluisobispo.com/opinion/editorials/article244945927.html 1/8 2020 Atlas for 72months0% APR For highly qualified customers through Volkswagen Credit. Visit our dealership in the Central Coast area. Build yours View key offer details. EDITORIALS SLO police want to teach Tianna Arata a lesson. But overblown charges put the city at risk BY THE TRIBUNE EDITORIAL BOARD AUGUST 16, 2020 05:05 AM , UPDATED AUGUST 16, 2020 08:46 AM Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham, Supervisor John Peschong and Paso Robles Mayor Steve Martin sent a letter demanding the Water Board allow brush clearing in the Salinas Riverbed after a fire destroyed homes. BY LAURA DICKINSON Listen to this article now 05:29 Powered by Trinity Audio SHARESHARE SC 8/17/2020 Charging SLO protest leader Tianna Arata puts city at risk | San Luis Obispo Tribune https://www.sanluisobispo.com/opinion/editorials/article244945927.html 2/8 The controversial arrest of protest leader Tianna Arata has put the city of San Luis Obispo on the map — but not in a good way. The case against a young, charismatic Black woman who’s been at the forefront of local civil rights marches has blown up into a cause celebre that’s been covered by ABC News, Newsweek, the New York Post, Teen Vogue and Cosmopolitan. The attention has been overwhelmingly negative. Our community — once rated the happiest city in the country — is now characterized as a place where authorities trample on citizens’ First Amendment right to protest. TOP ARTICLES As of Friday afternoon, there were more than 400,000 signatures on a change.org petition asking District Attorney Dan Dow to drop all charges. By now, that number’s probably grown to more than half a million. On the flip side, local conservatives are telling Dow to stand his ground. The SLO County Republican Party circulated this call to action via email: “Let him know you support full prosecution of the criminal charges if the facts warrant.” All of this has left Dow in a tight spot. If he dismisses the charges, he’ll infuriate his conservative base. If he moves ahead with the case, protests will only get bigger, louder, angrier. Today’s top headlines Sign up for Tribune Afternoon Headlines and get the day's biggest stories in your inbox. Enter Email Address SIGN UP protected by reCAPTCHA Privacy - Terms Central Valley residents flock to SLO County beaches amid state’s ‘unusual’ heat wave 8/17/2020 Charging SLO protest leader Tianna Arata puts city at risk | San Luis Obispo Tribune https://www.sanluisobispo.com/opinion/editorials/article244945927.html 3/8 As civil rights attorney Lee Merritt posted on Instagram, “You (Dow) have a very small window of time to drop these charges before your county, city and home are bombarded by activist (sic) from all over the country.” If the case against Arata were somehow righteous and warranted, we would say, “So what? Let them come. Let protesters march in the streets. We won’t be bullied into caving in to their demands.” But this not such a case. It has been blown out of proportion from day one. A 20-year-old activist was arrested off the street. First, the threat of five charges were levied at her. Then five became eight, and five of eight are felonies. This, all for leading a civil rights march? Yes, the protesters blocked the freeway. The rear window of a car was broken, under circumstances that remain in dispute. Protesters said the car drove into them; the Police Department said the people in the car were victims. But no lasting damage was done to any of those people whose lives were momentarily disrupted by a national movement. The same can’t be said for Arata, who’s now living in fear outside her own home. Police Chief Deanna Cantrell has publicly said she doesn’t want Arata’s life ruined over this incident, which is an admirable sentiment if not for the fact that SLOPD’s actions speak louder than the chief ’s words. Do I want her to have criminal convictions and a record that’s going to impact her life later? No. What I do want is I want her to realize that she cannot engage in that kind of behavior,” Cantrell said at an online forum Wednesday night. That sounds as if Cantrell wants charges filed primarily to teach Arata a lesson, which is frightening. The purpose of our criminal justice system should be to prosecute people suspected of committing actual crimes worthy of punishment — not to threaten citizens with outrageous charges in order to bend them to your will. And if the police chief doesn’t want Arata to have a criminal record that will impact her life later, why in the world would she recommend the DA file five felonies? Frankly, Cantrell can’t have it both ways, and the Police Department has more than made its point by running Arata through weeks of distress. That punishment already 8/17/2020 Charging SLO protest leader Tianna Arata puts city at risk | San Luis Obispo Tribune https://www.sanluisobispo.com/opinion/editorials/article244945927.html 4/8 doesn’t fit the crime. Yet, on we go with this charade. We know police departments often recommend overcharging, but this is ludicrous, especially in the context of a civil rights protest. Why doesn’t the Police Department in SLO — and District Attorney Dan Dow in turn get that? Because other communities do. In Oregon’s Multnomah County, which includes the city of Portland, the district attorney recently announced that he’ll press charges only against protesters arrested for assault, theft or property damage. If we leverage the full force of the criminal justice system on individuals who are peacefully protesting and demanding to be heard, we will cause irreparable harm to them individually and to our society,” he said. “The prosecution of people exercising their rights to free speech and assembly in a nonviolent manner takes away from the limited resources that we have to prosecute serious crimes and to assist crime victims.” Keep in mind, this is the city of Portland, where protesters have used aggressive tactics that have included setting fires, and throwing rocks, water bottles and fireworks at officers. In San Luis Obispo County, protests have been overwhelmingly peaceful — the mayor and police chief have marched; parents have brought their kids; police officers have taken a knee in solidarity. Do our leaders want to jeopardize that relative peace? Do our leaders want to escalate this? Do they want this fight on this hill? How far are Cantrell and Dow willing to go to make an example of Tianna Arata? Actual felony charges? Prosecution? A trial? If so, we’d better brace ourselves, because the Black Lives Matter movement has found a hero in Arata, and we shouldn’t expect her growing circle of high-powered advisers to plea bargain this moment away. Quite the contrary, they know an opportunity when they see one, and they’re looking to make an example of us. Rightfully so, based on what’s happened to date. For her part, Arata seems equally motivated, willing and eager to be her own champion and see this through without capitulation. That leaves everything up to Dow, who has said outside pressure won’t influence his decision whether to file charges, or what charges to file. We’d expect him to say that. But if he goes ahead with a criminal case, especially any felonies that would affect Arata’s permanent record, the battle lines will be drawn. Then what? You think a few hundred people marching on the highway was a riot? Better brace yourself for what could be coming next. Dan Dow has the power to end that fight before it begins. Here’s hoping he makes the wise choice — for Arata’s sake and the sake of our community. 8/17/2020 Charging SLO protest leader Tianna Arata puts city at risk | San Luis Obispo Tribune https://www.sanluisobispo.com/opinion/editorials/article244945927.html 5/8 RELATED STORIES FROM SAN LUIS OBISPO TRIBUNE Powered by Qualtrics A How can we help? We want to know what you need from The Tribune as we help restore our pandemic-stricken communities. Please fill out this 3-minute survey to help us serve you better. Which of the following topics would you like to see more of from The Tribune? Select all that apply. Small business resources Volunteering and donation opportunities Resources for promoting racial justice Uplifting stories about our community Resources for local Black-owned businesses / organizations Opportunities to connect with other Tribune readers Information about how COVID-19 has impacted my community Solutions from community leaders Unemployment resources Other LOCAL Tianna Arata appears on ABC News; attorney says charges aim to discourage protests’ AUGUST 13, 2020 12:26 PM LETTERS-TO-THE-EDITOR Should SLO County DA prosecute protest leader Tianna Arata? Here’s what Trib readers say AUGUST 11, 2020 5:05 AM LOCAL Tianna Arata got ‘a little not-sound advice,’ SLO police chief says at diversity forum AUGUST 13, 2020 10:54 AM EDITORIALS SLO activist Tianna Arata faces 8 criminal charges. Here’s why the DA should drop the case AUGUST 07, 2020 7:16 AM 8/17/2020 Charging SLO protest leader Tianna Arata puts city at risk | San Luis Obispo Tribune https://www.sanluisobispo.com/opinion/editorials/article244945927.html 6/8 COMMENTS EDITORIALS Several teens at the Grizzly Academy in SLO came down with COVID. How is it still open? BY THE TRIBUNE EDITORIAL BOARD AUGUST 13, 2020 05:00 AM , UPDATED AUGUST 13, 2020 12:10 PM An unknown number of cadets at the Grizzly Youth Academy, a California National Guard program in San Luis Obispo, tested positive for coronavirus, or COVID-19, and were sent home. The program should close. KEEP READING TRENDING STORIES Lightning storm rolls through SLO County, sparking brush fires UPDATED AUGUST 15, 2020 08:22 PM SLO police want to teach Tianna Arata a lesson. But overblown charges put the city at risk UPDATED AUGUST 16, 2020 08:46 AM A ‘fire tornado’ warning? Weather service issues what could be a first at California blaze UPDATED AUGUST 16, 2020 08:27 AM Fire crews fight 120-acre fire possibly sparked by lightning near Cayucos UPDATED AUGUST 16, 2020 12:16 PM Update: Small fires continue to burn in SLO County after lightning storm UPDATED AUGUST 16, 2020 12:16 PM Local news has never been more important ReadLocal Subscribe for unlimited digital access to the news that matters to your community. READLOCAL ABC News Prime host Byron Pitts speaks with San Luis Obispo activist Tianna Arata and civil rights attorney Lee Merritt during a segment on Wednesday evening. ABC NEWS READ NEXT 8/17/2020 Charging SLO protest leader Tianna Arata puts city at risk | San Luis Obispo Tribune https://www.sanluisobispo.com/opinion/editorials/article244945927.html 7/8 EDITORIALS An only-in-California problem: Why your newspaper delivery driver could disappear UPDATED AUGUST 10, 2020 01:56 PM EDITORIALS SLO activist Tianna Arata faces 8 criminal charges. Here’s why the DA should drop the case AUGUST 07, 2020 7:16 AM EDITORIALS Fact check: Did Jordan Cunningham’s opponent just approve a huge tax increase in Morro Bay? UPDATED AUGUST 10, 2020 09:29 AM EDITORIALS SLO County DA is a prosecutor, not a preacher. Religion shouldn’t interfere with his job UPDATED AUGUST 04, 2020 02:02 PM EDITORIALS As COVID cases rise in SLO County, how do we deal with anti-maskers who refuse to cover up? UPDATED JULY 31, 2020 08:32 PM SPONSORED CONTENT Simple Method Ends Neuropathy - Try It (It's Genius!) BY NERVE SHIELD Take Us With You Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. 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