## DHS Accuses Veteran of Assault Following Account of Arrest
Following the publication of an account detailing his arrest, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accused George Retes, a U.S.Army veteran, of assaulting its enforcement officers. Retes was arrested by Customs and border Protection (CBP) agents on July 10th after he allegedly challenged agents and blocked their route by refusing to move his vehicle.
The incident occurred during a protest, captured in part by an aerial video. The video shows Retes driving towards a line of agents, exiting his vehicle to reason with them, and then re-entering as agents advanced, simultaneously dispersing protesters with tear gas.
Retes recounts attempting to leave the area while recording on his phone, backing up slowly until tear gas obscured his vision. He states agents began banging on his car, and a window was broken. “OK I’m sorry!” he is heard saying in the recording. He was subsequently pepper-sprayed and detained. Video footage circulating online depicts agents surrounding Retes while he was face down on the road, and another agent moving his car.
retes alleges that agents knelt on his neck and back during the arrest. He was held at the Metropolitan Detention center in Los Angeles, missing his daughter’s third birthday while incarcerated. Following his release, he was suspended from his job without pay for two weeks, and upon his return, his previous shifts were unavailable, ultimately leading him to resign. He also incurred approximately $1,200 in expenses to repair his car window and remove tear gas residue.
DHS responded to Retes’ published account by denying that U.S. citizens were being wrongfully arrested, stating that operations were “highly targeted.” The agency further claimed that incidents like this have led to a “more then 1000% increase in the assaults on enforcement officers.”
Retes expressed shock at the agency’s claims, stating, “I was in shock… It’s crazy that they’re willing to stand 10 toes down and die on a hill of lying and say I assaulted officers.”
Anya Bidwell, Retes’ attorney and senior attorney at the Institute for Justice, noted the importance of the government’s response occurring only *after* his story was made public. “When people in this country stand up to this government, this government responds with fury,” Bidwell said. “They’re trying to impose their own version of reality.”
Despite the experience, Retes maintains his faith in the government and the pursuit of justice. “I still believe justice can be restored – that’s why I’m standing up and speaking out,” he said. “I think it’s vital now more than ever for us to be unified and standing up for our rights together. Especially when they have the audacity to try to lie, especially to the public.”
