Staff Report

Following is the incident report from the Los Alamos Police Department on the alleged assault by local resident Lauren Palermo during the Black Lives Matter protest Sunday at Ashley Pond Park:

On Aug. 30, 2020 at approximately 1225 hours (12:25 p.m.), I, Sgt. Ben Irving, while wearing my full duty uniform, displaying my badge of office, and driving a marked police car within the County of Los Alamos, New Mexico, was dispatched to Ashley Pond in reference to a fight.

Upon arrival, the fight was already over. I made contact with Rebecca Cai. Cai stated she witnessed what happened. Cai stated she was attending a Black Lives Matter protest at Ashley Pond when she saw a Caucasian female wearing a black in color shirt and jeans leave the area of the protest and walk over to several Republican nominee supporters that were in the south parking lot of Ashley Pond.

Cai stated she saw the young woman grab the hat off the head of one the Republican supporters and throw it into the street. She stated she then saw the man and young woman get into a scuffle. Cai ran over to the scene and guided the woman away and back toward a table within the protest area.

I asked Rebecca to bring the young woman over to me so that I could interview her. Cpl. Randleman then came over to me and stated that Cmdr. Ballew witnessed the altercation. Cmdr. Ballew was off-duty at the time.

Cai then returned with the female. I identified the young female as Lauren Palermo. I asked Lauren to tell me what happened. Lauren stated she was attending the BLM protest when she started hearing the Republican nominee supporters making racial and insensitive remarks toward the protesters. She stated she “punched him [indicating Robert J. Hansel] because he was racist”.

Cpl. Dezendorf advised me later that Lauren had also admitted to striking Jean Hansel in the face for wearing a “F… China” facemask. I reviewed Cpl. Dezendorf’s BWC footage and heard this interaction and statement. I advised Lauren that she would be summoned for battery and that she needed to leave the premises. She complied. I then went to speak with Robert J. Hansel. Robert J. Hansel stated Lauren came over to them and called them “racist”.

She then allegedly asked why they were voting a certain way and Robert J. Hansel stated he told her he would not speak with her for calling him a racist. Robert J. Hansel stated she then grabbed his hat off of his head and threw it in the roadway. Robert stated he then saw his mother’s head (identified as Jean Hansel) go back, so he grabbed Lauren believing she had struck Jean. He stated Lauren kicked him in the “b…. [indicating testicles]” and scratched him. Photographs were taken of both Robert J. Hansel and Jean Hansel’s injuries.

Based on the statements of both Lauren and Robert J. Hansel, as well as Cai and several other witnesses, Lauren will be summoned (to appear in court) for simple battery.

End of report.