Los Angeles Teacher Threatens ICE Agents, Says Authorities are ‘Not the Only Ones with Guns’

A Los Angeles high school teacher and anti-ICE protester is facing backlash after appearing to justify armed resistance against federal immigration agents.

Ron Gochez, who teaches at Maya Angelou Community High School and is a spokesperson for the activist group Unión del Barrio, made the comments during a press conference on Tuesday. Gochez argued that ICE agents are “not the only ones” with guns.

“Don’t forget where you’re standing. This is South Central Los Angeles,” Gochez said. “They [ICE] are not the only ones with guns in this city. Don’t forget that.” 

Gochez clarified that he was not “calling for violence,” but also claimed that “the people have every right to defend themselves against masked, unidentified gunmen.”

“The people have every right to defend themselves,” he added. “That’s not violent. That’s intelligent.”

Gochez’s comments follow criticism by California officials against immigration authorities who wear masks during operations. Last month, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law to ban state and federal law enforcement from wearing masks on duty. The Trump administration, however, has defended mask-wearing among agents, arguing that it is crucial to prevent them from being subject to doxxing and attacks on their families. The bill goes into effect in January.

In a statement to Fox News, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin criticized similar rhetoric by officials in sanctuary jurisdictions for the uptick in attacks on immigrant authorities.

“These are the consequences of conduct and rhetoric by sanctuary politicians and activists who urge illegal aliens to resist arrest. Resisting arrest puts the safety of illegal aliens, law enforcement and the public at risk,” she said.

“Our law enforcement officers are facing a more than 1,000% increase in assaults against them, including vehicle rammings by illegal aliens,” she continued. “We are once again calling on sanctuary politicians, agitators and the media to turn the temperature down and stop calling for violence and resistance against ICE law enforcement.”