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Video of a Perris, California flower vendor wrestled to the ground by a police officer simply for selling flowers and Hawaiian leis without a license ignited controversy as it spread on social media in earlier this month.
15 vendors were “contacted, warned, and cited” for selling items without a permit to people stuck in traffic near Perris High School’s graduation ceremony.
A Perris police statement claimed that Juanita Mendez-Medrano, 52, gave police fake names, pushed an officer, and attempted to walk away.
“Unlike the other vendors, Ms. Mendez-Medrano refused to cooperate as necessary to allow our officer to issue her a citation,” a Perris police statement said.
The officer then attempted to arrest her for “violating the city ordinance and obstructing justice.”
A bystander filmed part of the arrest. The video tweeted on June 7th shows an officer holding Mendez-Medrano’s arm while she pulls away. He then grabs her by the ponytail, and slams her to the ground, pinning her while another officer assists.