Fuerza Regida Frontman JOP Was Detained by the LAPD

After a magical night of music and drunkenness, the Mexican band, Fuerza Regida, faced an unfortunate “governing force” … and probably not the force they’re referring to in their band title. Frontman Jesús Ortiz Paz, better known as JOP, was arrested alongside Chino Pacas and members of the Calle 24 band in the early hours of Sunday, July 16, 2023.

Their concert beforehand was a giant party. It lasted through to early morning hours, but during a post-fiesta traffic stop, our boy JOP was handcuffed and sent to the LAPD station. The video of his arrest has already gone viral on TikTok, and now fans are wondering why JOP was arrested.

Throughout the night, JOP encouraged rowdiness among his fans, so it’s no surprise that police planned a traffic show on the route from the stadium. He reportedly said, “This isn’t a concert, but a drunken party.” Just a few years ago, Fuerza Regida was considered a band on the rise, and now, they’re selling out stadiums with ticket resale prices as high as $1,500. So there was definitely a reason to celebrate.

But at around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 16, 2023, officers reported that they discovered one of the men they pulled over during a routine traffic stop had a gun, so they drew their weapons. The unnamed man, later identified as one of the artists’ managers, was arrested for possessing firearms and had an outstanding warrant.

Because of this, JOP, Chino Pacas, and members of Calle 24 were handcuffed and detained on weapons charges. When the officers noticed the man with the gun, Chino Pacas and Calle 24 were held at gunpoint by police. It’s possible that an altercation involving the musicians began when the officers pulled their guns.

However, it was reported that two hours later, JOP, Chino Pacas, and Calle 24 were released from custody and there were no arrests or charges. Is this an incident founded on institutional racism and xenophobia? Or is it a simple misunderstanding that included some deadly weapons? Hopefully, more details will be released as the dust settles.