Latest news with #CaliforniaFacultyAssociation
Fox News
21 hours ago
- Fox News
California professor arrested, accused of throwing tear gas canister at federal agents during marijuana farm
A California professor has been arrested for allegedly throwing a tear gas canister at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during a massive raid on a cannabis farm last week, where agitators also hurled rocks at law enforcement vehicles. The raid led to the arrest of more than 350 illegal aliens and the farm is suspected of using 14 children in potential forced labor, exploitation and trafficking violations. Jonathan Anthony Caravello, a math professor at California State University Channel Islands, was arrested by federal agents conducting a raid at Glass House Farms in Ventura County, California, on Thursday, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli confirmed via X. Essayli was responding to a local report on Caravello's arrest, which quotes a social media post from the California Faculty Association (CFA) labor union accusing agents of "kidnapping" Caravello. "Professor Jonathan Caravello was not 'kidnapped' by federal agents,'" Essayli wrote. "He was arrested for throwing a tear gas canister at law enforcement." Essayli wrote that Caravello was charged with a violation of 18 USC 111, assaulting, resisting or impeding a federal officer. Caravello appeared in court on Monday and was released on a $15,000 bond, per reports. The CFA on Monday posted a video of Caravello exiting a building in socks with an ankle monitor strapped on his left leg. "Jonathan is a deeply committed educator and mentor who showed up for their students and immigrant communities—and for that, they were targeted,' the CFA wrote, using gender-neutral pronouns when referring to Caravello. "Their release sends a powerful message: when we organize and raise our voices together, we win. We are in this fight and will not stop until no one is criminalized for speaking out against injustices." Caravello was seen on bodycam footage attempting to kick a canister, then picking it up and throwing it overhand back at agents, according to a federal affidavit cited by Ojai Valley News, The affidavit states Caravello resisted arrest by refusing to comply with commands, kicking his legs and attempting to grab a Border Patrol agent's leg during the takedown. He's also accused of using a megaphone with siren sounds to disrupt officers. Caravello left the scene after the canister incident and returned two hours later in different clothes where he was identified as the alleged canister thrower and arrested. California State University Channel Islands released a statement in support of Caravello. "At this time, it is our understanding that Professor Caravello was peacefully participating in a protest—an act protected under the First Amendment and a right guaranteed to all Americans," the university wrote. "If confirmed, we stand with elected officials and community leaders calling for his immediate release." As the raid was taking place, violent clashes erupted between ICE agents and around 500 protesters, some of whom waved Mexican flags. Federal law enforcement agents were assaulted during the operation and one agitator appeared to fire a handgun towards agents as the crowd was dispersed with tear gas. The raid is believed to be the second-largest single-state ICE worksite operation in history, behind the first Trump administration's 2019 Mississippi chicken plant raids that netted almost 700 illegal alien arrests. One man taken into custody has a history of violent crime, including attempted child exploitation. Fox News has learned that the children rescued at the farm are from Mexico and Honduras, and that immigration authorities are analyzing the criminal histories of all 319 of the detained illegal aliens.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
California professor unmasked as protester who 'hurled tear gas at ICE agents' during pot farm raid
A California professor has been accused of hurling tear gas at ICE agents during a tumultuous raid on a cannabis farm last week. Jonathan Anthony Caravello was taken into custody on Thursday, with U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli claiming on social media that he threw a tear gas cannister at law enforcement officials who descended on Glass House Farms in Ventura County. Essayli went on to deny the California Faculty Association's earlier claims that Caravello - who teaches math and philosophy at California State University Channel Islands - was 'kidnapped' by federal agents. Instead, a criminal complaint obtained by the Ojai Valley News claims that after agent deployed cannisters of tear gas, Caravello was caught on body camera footage 'attempt[ing] to kick the canister' which proceeded to roll past him. 'Caravello turned around, ran towards the canister, picked it up and threw the canister overhand back at [Border Patrol] agents,' an affidavit says, adding that it 'came within approximately several feet above law enforcements' heads.' In the aftermath, Caravello allegedly left the scene - only to return a few hours later wearing different clothes, according to the affidavit. It also claims that Caravello was seen 'holding a microphone' at the cannabis farm when Border Patrol agents 'attempted to clear a safe pathway' between the protesters and government-owned vehicles attempting to leave. He was arrested just before 6pm, according to the criminal complaint, which states that agents placed the professor on his stomach on the ground and gave him 'verbal commands... but Caravello would not comply and attempted to grab a [Border Patrol] agent's leg. 'Caravello continuously kicked his legs and refused to give the BP agents his arms,' the complaint alleges. Witnesses at the scene, though, offered a different version of events. They claimed the professor was attempting to dislodge a tear gas cannister that became stuck underneath another protester's wheelchair when he was arrested, ABC 7 reports. Angelmarie Taylor, 24, also told the Los Angeles Times she saw agents fire tear gas after Caravello and others refused to move out of the way of agents' vehicles. At that point, four masked agents took Caravello from the protest site and placed him in an unmarked vehicle without identifying themselves, stating a reason for his arrest or disclosing where they were taking him, the California Faculty Association claimed. 'They didn't give us a dispersal order,' Taylor recounted. 'They didn't say anything.' In a statement, California State University Channel Islands said it is working to get 'additional information to fully understand the circumstances of the incident.' 'At this time, it is our understanding that Professor Caravello was peacefully participating in a protest - an act protected under the First Amendment and a right guaranteed to all Americans,' the university said. 'If confirmed, we stand with elected officials and community leaders calling for his immediate release.' Members of the California Faculty Association and VC Defensa, an immigration rights group, then hosted a rally demanding the release of at least 12 Ventura County residents - including Caravello - on Sunday. 'As part of our union's antiracism and social justice agenda, we show up for our immigrant communities, including faculty and students engaged in efforts to stop and protect our communities from the invasion of ICE, [Department of Homeland Security], National Guard and local law enforcement,' the California Faculty Association said in a statement. A spokesperson for the group also spoke up about Caravello's detention in remarks to the Coyote Chronicle. 'This was not just an arrest - it was a disappearance,' the spokesperson said. 'Dr. Caravello is a US citizen, a public servant and an advocate for justice. His abduction is part of a deeply alarming trend of silencing dissent and criminalizing compassion.' VC Defensa also shared a message on Instagram asserting that Caravello was 'defending the immigrant community and supporting other people who come to show their support. 'Let's be critical before sharing news that he was "violent,"' the immigrant rights group urged. 'We have so many witnesses that know he was attacked by ICE and assaulted for no reason other than he was in the crowd that stood against ICE. 'This is an egregious lie by the ruling class (as always!!),' it claimed. Still, Caravello is now facing federal charges of 'assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers or employees,' which can carry up to 10 years in prison if the offense involves a weapon or causes injury. He was released on a $15,000 bail on Monday, with an arraignment set for August 1. Meanwhile, Democrats have spoken out against the ICE raid at the cannabis farm, as they insisted the migrants agents were after were just children picking strawberries. Ventura County Democratic Party Chair Steve Auclair called the raid 'a military attack on our community,' Auclair said. 'First they came for the farmworkers. Now they're coming for all of us,' he declared. California Gov. Gavin Newsom even declared that President Donald Trump is 'the real scum' for conducting the nationwide ICE raids.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
California professor accused of assault after he was ‘kidnapped' during ICE protests at cannabis farm raid
Federal prosecutors have accused a university professor of assaulting law enforcement by throwing a tear gas canister back at officers during protests against immigration raids at a California cannabis farm. Jonathan Anthony Caravello, a math and philosophy lecturer at California State University Channel Islands, was arrested July 10 as heavily armed federal agents fired tear gas into crowds demonstrating against the raids. Bill Essayli, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, accused Caravello of 'throwing a tear gas canister at law enforcement' and said his office is preparing to charge him with assaulting, resisting or impeding officers. Carvello's first court appearance is Monday. According to witnesses, a tear gas canister had rolled under the wheelchair of a legal observer who struggled to breathe or move. Caravello had reportedly rushed over to help when he was tackled by agents. Following his arrest, more than 24 hours passed before Caravello's whereabouts were discovered. His educators' union, California Faculty Association, posted a statement saying that he had been 'kidnapped' by four masked agents who did not identify themselves or state where they were taking him as they placed him in an unmarked car. The university said in a statement that it believed Caravello 'was peacefully participating in a protest — an act protected under the First Amendment and a right guaranteed to all Americans.' 'If confirmed, we stand with elected officials and community leaders calling for his immediate release,' the university said. Members of the California Faculty Association held a vigil Sunday in front of a detention center demanding his release. The raids and intense standoff between protesters and federal agents have emerged as the latest flashpoint in Donald Trump's aggressive anti-immigration agenda, which has deployed masked federal law enforcement agents into communities to make mass arrests and swiftly remove thousands of people from the country. Last week, officers arrested more than 300 people during a pair of raids inside cannabis farms in Camarillo, California, roughly 50 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Agents allegedly discovered 10 undocumented immigrant children working there. The United Farm Workers union said several workers were critically injured during the raids, while other targeted workers, including a U.S. citizen, 'remain totally unaccounted for.' Agents are accused of chasing one worker who fell 30 feet from the top of a building. Jaime Alanis Garcia was hospitalized and placed on life support with a broken neck, broken skull and a severed artery. Garcia was later removed from life support and died from his injuries. 'His wife and parents decided today to let him rest. He has passed away,' his family said in a statement. The raids sparked an intense standoff between protesters and federal officers who arrived on the scene in military-style vehicles. 'We are outraged by these military-style tactics that target immigrants and terrorize communities,' California Faculty Association said in a statement. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security agents are 'tearing families apart and undermining the constitutional rights of everyone — including U.S. citizens — who stand with marginalized communities,' the group said.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Labor union says California university professor was taken during Camarillo immigration raid protest
Editor's note: KTLA reached out to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for comment on this matter prior to publication. As of publishing, DHS has not responded. KTLA will update this article with any new information as it becomes available. The California Faculty Association says one of the people detained during a protest over a federal immigration raid in Camarillo this week is a local university professor. A crowd quickly started to gather outside the Glass House Farms marijuana grow facility on Laguna Road in Camarillo on Thursday and Friday while federal agents conducted an operation stemming from what the Department of Homeland Security said were criminal warrants against the company. Another raid involving Glass House Farms was conducted simultaneously in Carpinteria. As a result of the raids, more than 200 people were arrested, and officials said they found at least ten child workers during the operations. Glass House Farms is now under investigation for child labor violations, and the company says they are cooperating fully with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. Woman unaccounted for after Camarillo immigration raid recorded video right before being detained: 'I'm not coming down' During Thursday's protests, Sky5 captured at least 30 people sitting against a wall in handcuffs with brown paper bags in front of their feet. More detainees were seen around the area; however, it was not clear whether they were protest-related or stemmed from the raid. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security later confirmed that four U.S. citizens were arrested for resisting or assaulting officers. On Friday night, officials with the California Faculty Association (CFA) put out a social media post advising that a professor at California State University Channel Islands, Dr. Jonathan Anthony Caravello, was taken during the demonstrations on Thursday. Per the CSUCI staff directory, Professor Caravello is a philosophy and math lecturer. CFA's social media post says that the professor was 'kidnapped' at 2:33 p.m. Thursday near Las Posas Road and Laguna Road – not far from the CSUCI campus. 'Four masked agents dragged Jonathan away into an unmarked without identifying themselves, without giving the reason for arrest and without disclosing where they are taking him,' the post reads. The professor has not had access to his medication since his disappearance on Thursday, the post elaborates. Caravello was not heard from or seen for over 48 hours before it was announced on Saturday he was located and in contact with his family, although details surrounding his exact location are limited. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cal State Channel Islands calls for immediate release of detained professor
California State University Channel Islands is calling for the immediate release of one of their professors who was detained during a protest on Thursday. The demonstration sprung up while federal officials conducted a raid at a Glass House Farms marijuana grow facility in Camarillo, not far from the CSUCI campus. At some point during the protest – which saw tear gas being deployed and dozens being handcuffed – Professor Jonathan Anthony Caravello was detained and taken from the scene. According to a social media post published Friday by the California Faculty Association, Professor Caravello was 'kidnapped' by federal agents who didn't provide any information to demonstrators. 'Four masked agents dragged Jonathan away into an unmarked [vehicle] without identifying themselves, without giving the reason for arrest and without disclosing where they are taking him,' the post reads. Woman unaccounted for after California immigration raid had recorded video In a statement, CSUCI confirmed that school officials were aware of the reports that Professor Caravello, a math and philosophy lecturer who is a U.S. citizen, was taken into federal custody. 'At this time, it is our understanding that Professor Caravello was peacefully participating in a protest – an act protected under the First Amendment and a right guaranteed to all Americans,' the statement reads. 'If confirmed, we stand with elected officials and community leaders calling for his immediate release.' CSUCI officials elaborated that they would continue to monitor the situation closely. Hours after the statement was released, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli stated that Caravello would be charged with a violation of United States Penal Code 18 USC 111, 'assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees.' A social media post published late Saturday night by the California Faculty Association indicated that Professor Caravello had been located and was in contact with his family. There was no word on where he was found. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
