Jimmy Slonina, a long-time performer in the Las Vegas arena and co-star of the city’s longest-running Cirque du Soleil production, was released after spending over 16 hours in jail following Wednesday night’s protest against ICE in downtown Las Vegas.
Slonina, known for his role as the clown-usher Brian Le Petit in ‘Mystere’ at Treasure Island, was arrested around 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday as he exited the Cheapshot entertainment venue on Fremont Street.
According to his wife, Robin Slonina, he was taken into custody after he encountered what he thought was tear gas while walking along Fremont Street.
He had just performed at the Fallout Fringe Festival in Cheapshot and was heading back to the Slonina ARTSpace Gallery, which the couple owns, located a few blocks away.
After being handcuffed and charged with unlawful assembly and failure to disperse, Slonina was booked into the Las Vegas Detention Center.
Dayvid Figler, Slonina’s legal representative, noted that he was released on his own recognizance at 3:45 p.m. on Thursday without needing to post bail.
Jimmy Slonina expressed the need for a day or two to process the entire experience before speaking about it further.
Robin Slonina took to Facebook to announce her husband’s release, stating, “He is out! An exhausted and emotional wreck, but free.”
The incident occurred amidst a larger protest where law enforcement declared an unlawful assembly after demonstrators allegedly failed to comply with dispersal orders.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department reported that 94 individuals and seven juveniles were cited as part of the demonstrations, which resulted in violent interactions and blockages of roads.
According to police, the protest escalated at approximately 9:30 p.m., which led to the use of tear gas and projectiles to disperse crowds engaging in illegal activities.
Although Slonina was near the protest, Robin Slonina clarified that her husband was not participating in the demonstration.
During a FaceTime call with Robin, Jimmy described the chaos unfolding on Fremont Street, showing her the smoke and indicating his non-involvement.
The call subsequently dropped, only to resume with Jimmy relaying that he had been arrested, despite merely being a bystander.
He told Robin that he was detained with 14 others who were also drawn to the protest but were not actively participating.
Slonina, originally from Chicago, has enjoyed a celebrated career on the Strip, performing with various productions since the mid-2000s.
He debuted with Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Le Reve’ in 2005 and later took on roles in ‘Vegas Nocturne,’ ‘Absinthe,’ ‘O,’ and several others.
In 2017, he took over the role of Brian Le Petit in ‘Mystere’ after the departure of circus icon Brian Dewhurst.
The Sloninas are dedicated to supporting the arts in Las Vegas, having also opened the ARTSpace Gallery to foster creativity in the community.
Their son, Leo, is a talented 15-year-old bass player and attends the Las Vegas Academy, which is part of the reason why they opened their gallery nearby.
In light of the incident, supporters of Jimmy Slonina are rallying behind him, emphasizing that his arrest was unwarranted given his lack of involvement with the protests.
The community eagerly awaits his upcoming court appearance to address the charges against him.
As the situation develops, it highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding protests and law enforcement response in urban settings, particularly in Las Vegas, where creatives like Slonina are foundational to the cultural landscape.
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