Community Corner

March to End Violence Against Latinos

A march looking to bring the "end of violence against Latino residents and a path to justice in East Haven" will be held here on Feb. 25.

Update on Tuesday at 10 a.m.

The peaceful march on Feb. 25 is being organized by a newly formed East Haven-based group called "."

According to the organization's president, who spoke to East Haven Patch this morning, the event is being held in hopes of unifying and bringing the community together to create "path for justice and a path for reconciliation" for all the town's residents.

Find out what's happening in East Havenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The group currently has some 130 members, and it's leadership was elected Feb. 9.

East Haven Patch will have a full update on the new East Haven organization following announcing the new Interim East Haven Chief of Police.

Find out what's happening in East Havenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Update at 9:30 p.m.

Werner Oyanadel contacted East Haven Patch a short time ago to clarify that he has volunteered to help publicize the march "on my free time," and not in his official capacity as the acting executive director of the Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission.

Oyanadel added that event organizers include state Rep. Juan Candelaria, the Democratic deputy majority whip from New Haven, and John Lugo from Unidad Latina en Accion

East Haven Patch will continue to provide updates on this story as we talk with Candelaria, Lugo and others about the upcoming march.

Original Story (Monday at 8:30 p.m.)

A peaceful march "for an end of violence against Latino residents and a path to justice in East Haven" will take place here Feb. 25, according to a post on Facebook.

The announcement, shared earlier today on the Facebook wall of East Haven Taxpayers Calling for Mayor Maturo to Resign, was written by Werner Oyanadel.

Oyanadel is the acting executive director of the Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission, which is an independent and non-partisan public policy agency that advises the governor's office and the General Assembly.

Who Is Organizing?

It is unclear at this time if the march is being organized by the LPRAC, or another unrelated group. Oyanadel did not immediately return a call this evening to his Hartford office from East Haven Patch.

The state commission, however, did call for East Haven Mayor Maturo's resignation after the the mayor made to a WPIX television reporter Mario Diaz following of four East Haven Police officers for against Latino residents and others.

'For Dignity'

According to Oyanadel, the march will begin next Saturday at the on Main Street, starting at 11 a.m. Participants are asked to dress in white clothing and bring an American Flag.

"¡Todos somos la marcha! ¡Por la dignidad y respeto a los derechos humanos! — For dignity and respect for human rights," Oyanadel wrote in Spanish as part of his post.

"Please help us forward this message in solidarity to our friends in ," he added.

East Haven Patch will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.


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