Friday In The Park With Elicker

Two days after getting attacked at the removal of a Christopher Columbus statue, Los Fidel returned to Wooster Square Park — and ended up face to face with Mayor Justin Elicker for a heated two hour-long discussion.

That discussion, followed by an issue-focused exchange with Black Lives Matter leaders and other activists, took place in the park late Friday afternoon.

Two days earlier, hundreds of New Haveners and suburbanites on different sides of the issue watched, cheered, and at times clashed as the city removed the Columbus statue.

The park was relatively quieter Friday afternoon. A 29-year-old man named Carlos Burgos (pictured), who goes by Los Fidel, returned to the park with 30 supporters to protest what happened earlier this week: Amid racist epithets against Fidel and a fellow supporter of the statue’s removal, an anti-removal protester punched Fidel in the back of the head. Fidel hit the man back as the attacker’s colleagues began chasing and taunting him, until police separated them. (Read about that in this story.)

Fidel and his supporters argued that the attacker should have been arrested and a cop should have been fired for how he dealt with Fidel.

At around 5 p.m. Friday, Elicker showed up at the park, unannounced and unaccompanied, to talk with the protesters.

Fidel asked why Elicker hadn’t shown up at the park on Wednesday during the standoff and removal of the statue.

“You should have been here,” he said.

“Everyone makes mistakes, and I make mistakes,” Elicker responded.

In retrospect, Elicker said, he should have been in Wooster Square rather than in his office at City Hall on Wednesday.

Sitting on the grass in a circle with the group, Elicker spent most of the first hour listening to Fidel tell his story, interspersed with critiques of the mayor. (Watch the full conversation in the video above.)

“Where’s your secret service?” Fidel asked at one point.

Elicker said he didn’t come with protection. ​“I’m just out here with you all.”

Fidel spotted a police officer biking by. He asked the officer if he was doing his job. The officer kept biking.

“Fuck you!” Fidel told Elicker at one point when the mayor disagreed with him.

“That’s not respectful,” Elicker responded.

Fidel called it disrespectful to have police officers nearby. ​“Call Chief Perez to tell them to get the fuck out of here.” The police chief’s name is Otoniel Reyes.

“I’m looking at the fucking white devil,” Fidel said at another point. He then apologized for his manner, and wiped away tears as he recounted getting punched in the back of the head and having slurs shouted at him Wednesday.

Fidel spoke of many times he has been arrested over the years, for charges including felony possession of a deadly weapon and driving under the influence. He said his first arrest came at 13, and that the deadly weapon charge had to do with fishing equipment and was exaggerated by police.

He expressed how he has felt traumatized by law enforcement growing up in Bridgeport and living in New Haven for over 15 years.

“I’m a felon. I’ve been arrested for things I didn’t do my whole life,” Fidel said. He said law enforcement has falsely targeted him. ​“I stabbed somebody in self-defense.” He said he was charged with operating a ​“drug factory,” when in fact, he said, he had less than an ounce of marijuana at his place. (According to court records, he has been found guilty of second-degree assault, probation violation, larceny, and reckless endangerment, among other offenses.)

Fidel said he currently splits his time between New Haven and Hamden, and that he stopped going by Carlos Burgos several years ago after he had a child and decided to turn his life around.

He pointed to his shirt, showing a long list of names of Black and brown people who have been killed by police in recent years.

“I’m not anti-police,” he said. ​“I’m anti-police brutality. I want them to do their job the way they’re supposed to.”

After about an hour, other people present spoke with Elicker, asking him to support fundamental changes in the criminal justice system.

Juan Eastman (pictured at left) began talking to the mayor about how police departments gain revenue by collecting fines.

“Disband police officers that have lost their legitimacy because they are working as an occupying force and stealing wealth from African-American communities,” Eastman said.

“New Haven voted for you. What difference are you going to make for us?” another member of the crowd asked.

Elicker said that he is prioritizing moving along appointments and seating the police Civilian Review Board. The mayor noted that the issue is ​“in the hands of the Board of Alders now and is going to take a couple of months.”

“I think there are opportunities to civilianize the police force,” Elicker said. He said he sees opportunities to have police officers show up to fewer calls, which can be diverted to other responders.

Elicker chatted with more of the people present, including some who weren’t with the original group. The discussion grew less heated. Some shook the mayor’s hand and thanked him for showing up.

Organizer Ala Ochumare of Black Lives Matter New Haven showed up at 6:20 p.m. and began speaking with the mayor. She spoke about how white people were ​“abusing black bodies” at the Wednesday event, and then were able to walk away. (Watch above.)

“If we were pushing back, we would have been” arrested, she said about what happened Wednesday in the park.

“You have the power to make changes,” Ochumare told Elicker.

She said the police department’s no-chase policy needs to be enforced. ​“You chase us until we crash, or never come out alive again.”

Ochumare (pictured at right) said the city does not need ​“community policing,” but instead needs to defund the police and redirect those public monies towards social services like education, housing, and health care.

“We all can name you two or three people who have been abused or harassed by the police,” she said. ​“We don’t want or need community policing. Those people abuse us.”

Ochumare called on the mayor to support the opening of new rooming houses as a way to provide affordable shelter for New Haven’s homeless youth. The mayor promised to meet with Ochumare and other Black Lives Matter activists to discuss their demands.

“I respect you for being here,” said another person present. ​“Being from Bridgeport, Mayor [Joe] Ganim would never be here.” The comment elicited applause from the crowd for Elicker showing up to talk.

“What is your plan for what happens next?” Fidel asked.

Elicker spoke about addressing police accountability, use of force policies, public education, affordable housing — including suburban housing barriers. Fidel nodded.

“I hear over and over — people are tired of waiting. I get that. I can’t control what other politicians have done. I can control what I do. I’m going to work hard. I know you’re all saying, ​‘Yeah right!’ So be it. Some things I can accomplish. Some things I’ll need help with.”

“We’ll back you up,” said another member of the crowd named Raymond Smokes.

WTNH showed up and interviewed Fidel.

“I feel we won a tiny battle” today, Fidel said. ​“The war is not over.”

At 7:08, Elicker said he was taking off to spend some time with his kids, and he and Fidel shook hands.