In a complaint filed Monday, the attorneys representing Black Lives Matter protest organizer Tianna Arata are requesting the San Luis Obispo Police Department and the San Luis Obispo area California Highway Patrol office be prevented from commenting further on Arata's case.
In the document, attorneys point to several Facebook and Instagram posts they believe have created "blatantly false narratives and prejudicial misinformation."
Her attorneys are arguing this narrative could "jeopardize Ms. Arata's rights to a fair trial with an unbiased and impartial jury."
One of the posts in question is this Facebook post from the San Luis Obispo CHP office from July 22, one day after Arata's arrest.
***The San Luis Obispo Area is seeking suspect information on the following incident.*** On Tuesday, July 21st, a...
Posted by CHP – San Luis Obispo on Wednesday, 22 July 2020
If a judge approves the gag order, officers with both departments would not be allowed to discuss the case with the press or on social media.
Arata is currently facing 13 misdemeanor charges that include six counts of obstruction of a thoroughfare, five counts of false imprisonment, one count of unlawful assembly, and one count of disturbing the peace by loud noise in connection with a protest march on July 21 that blocked Highway 101. Police claim the march also resulted in acts of vandalism at the hands of protesters.
We reached out to the San Luis Obispo City Attorney and the SLO CHP for comment. The CHP said it does not comment on pending litigation.
