Los Angeles City Hall Lawn FAIL! OccupyLA!

Exactly two months after City Hall park reopened, video of the clearly dying lawn, which was part of the excuse used to kick out OccupyLA.

The CCA are forcing the homeless out of downtown into surrounding areas.

Today in South Los Angeles, a homeless man tells of having been forced out of downtown. This is the trend CCA are establishing.

"My name is Jay; I got pushed out of downtown. I just doing my recycling, trying to find a place to stay, don't bother anybody.

...but it's wrong because they're supposed to protect and serve and we're citizens and we're somebody. And I don't like the way they go harassing people. I'm in the newspaper for Rodney King, when we had a memorial for him. And officers just come around, harass, and look at you, and minorities, and look at those they don't have (anything). And we're still somebody. They're doing a lot of wrong. And that's all I'm saying; they do a lot of wrong. And downtown Los Angeles, they're pushing everybody out of downtown LA, trying to build up for the Lakers or Staples Center, whatever; the Haves and the Have Nots. So the Have Nots, we gotta suffer. Why? And it's the United States; you're supposed to take care of your country(men). And that's my message. God Bless."

The truth about LAPD's violent attack upon the downtown Artwalk.

There are two things police could have done: Not shown up at all or simply left upon seeing it was CHALK.


[Quote] via Laurel Sylvanus - #OWS #ChalkWalk #DTLA

"You see, NO, the answer is not: "But it was just rubber buillets and beanbags." The answer is "OMG professionals trained in crowd control and crisis management tasked with protecting and serving the PUBLIC made a conscious decision to take aim and FIRE WEAPONS AT THE SAME PUBLIC for peaceful, ARTISTIC PROTEST in the 2nd largest city in the United States of America. I must stand up and be heard on this terrifying, horrible action by SEVERAL MEMBERS of the LAPD!" ~ Occupy Los Angeles


It is entirely about the CCA and their belief that they own and run downtown LA. And that they at least run city hall and the police department, so this is not far from being a complete truth. This is also about Occupy being the cockroach in their tinseltown, and an insane interpretation of the "Broken Windows Theory". And water-soluble childrens' "sidewalk chalk" which is designed to be easily washed off.

LAPD Officer Karen Rayner said it (chalk) is "not vandalism because it's not permanent."

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/los-angeles-artwalk-turns-violent-clash-police-occupy-article-1.1114068#ixzz20XxHB6Hr


Why not sign the petition for an investigation into their brutality and over-reaction?

http://www.change.org/petitions/mayor-villaraigosa-governor-jerry-brown-attorney-general-eric-holder-investigate-lapd-use-of-force-on-angelenos-at-art-walk-on-7-12-12


There were probably 20 Occupiers at Chalkwalk/Artwalk. The =hundreds= of Artwalkers and locals who stood up to LAPD did so of their own will because LAPD were blatantly WRONG. I was not there; I watched livestream from when tweets went out about the police line. An Occupier who was there is saying there were 10 OccupyLA people present. Here is OLA's press release:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/occupy-los-angeles/lapd-push-shoot-kick-man-in-face-arrest-him-at-artwalk-lapd-arrested-and-harm-mo/467166763296113

Artwalk/Chalkwalk early in the evening, sans police:



Photo by Dan Bluemel of LA Activist; see his story linked right after the videos.

Cops arrive including area supervisor Captain Frank, and begin confiscating chalk. Notice the cop in the first video takes out his baton at about 31 seconds. With this attitude and disproportion, it is no wonder they took things so far out of hand.





Arrests for water-soluble chalk drawings, including one saying "(Heart) the police"; people in disbelief, children crying:


Video by PeteyK

Shot in the chest ("foam baton"), arrested...said to have been kicked in the head by cops, see below:



Young woman violently arrested to the crowd's disbelief and upset:


Video by pouyan1 on youtube

Man violently arrested for no reason, with no warning:


Video by Marco Siguenza

Three arrests, woman shoved by cops:


Video by dramakidps2 on youtube

Above view, start at 4:45. Taser can be heard at 4:57; not very audible here but I've heard it clearly on other video near the street. I've been reading that they kicked the man in the face and this confirms it repeatedly:



Taser sound is clearly audible at 7:38. Occupy did not tag the truck. Locals were out by then due to police over-presence and police violence....against chalk.



LAPD aggressively block people into the Alexandria Hotel:



This young man was shot four times; displays his wounds:


Video by Sam Slovick

Video of police firing three times; This man was shot once:


Video by Sam Slovick

Occupiers speak truth to LAPD panel, OUTSTANDING:


Video by PeteyK


Police arrests over chalking leads to uprising | l.a. activist
http://www.laactivist.com/2012/07/14/police-arrests-over-chalking-leads-to-uprising/


Art Walk Vendor Slams the LAPD's Tactics Against Occupy L.A.
http://laist.com/2012/07/13/art_walk_vendor_speaks_out_against.php


LATimes article. Note they are spray-painting over water-soluble chalk.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0714-artwalk-20120714,0,7994058.story
Also note the space given to CCA head Carol Shatz, attempting to create a "We good, they bad" dynamic.

Image by Todd Blose:


Photo by Damon:




Ch7 have on Facebook offered an apology and links to other videos. Occupy the media!

From an above video; I believe this occurred at Main and 4th:




Damon's photoset:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nohodamon/sets/72157630560888092/with/7563452964/


Amber Stephens @amberjamie99pct

Eyewitness: "Many non-occupiers began using chalk and creating their own art, which is when riot police attacked." @Occupyla #ows #ola
Retweeted by Jeff K. (#OYSlive)


"Due to unusual occurance in central division. The city of Los Angeles is on tactical alert status."

Severity:
    Minor - Minimal to no known threat to life or property

https://local.nixle.com/alert/4855473/


RyanRiceLA

[ChalkWalk] #OWS
http://t.co/Gm6i95aG
has compiled several good report-backs on the ArtWalk Uprising in #DTLA
http://t.co/FhiIS0f2 


CHALK WALK ACCUSES MAYOR OF ‘CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR’ 
Participants of Chalk Walk Respond to Mayor’s Statement & Selective Enforcement

http://occupylosangeles.org/?q=node%2F10110


Just a day or so before this attack, Michelle Shocked made a quick video on the subject. Note her being confronted by a CCA korporate kop:




Just a day after their attack upon Artwalk, LAPD are driving motorcycles into crowds of Occupiers:




Do not forget what LAPD did to citizens when the Kings won Lord Stanley's Cup:




ENORMOUS SURPRISE: LAPD SAY

the department "overall responded appropriately."

http://mobile.latimes.com/p.p?m=b&a=rp&id=2424335&postId=2424335&postUserId=7&sessionToken&catId=6978&curAbsIndex=2&resultsUrl=DID%3D6&DFCL=1000&DSB=rank%23desc&DBFQ=userId%3A7&DL.w&DL.d=10&DQ=sectionId%3A6978&DPS=0&DPL=3

Is there enough facepalm? I think not!


Live report thread of the incident as it happened; thank you to all who contributed!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002939669

June 19, Occupy the Military-Industrial Complex 2.0

Video by PMbeers on youtube:



Code Pink interviewed by RT, video from PMbeers on youtube:



Video by soulserviceNEWS





Report from RT News, only a little on our protest but the larger context is why we were there:



My attempt at editing to music but I had to give up as the editor closes spaces and expands them as clips are inserted and removed, throwing off all good cuts to music further downline.



Music included for entertainment purposes only. Links to listen and purchase are below.

Some of Jeff Kloy's livestream, http://www.ustream.tv/jeffkloy



Video streaming by Ustream






























"Generation" and "Chaos" by Count Zero, from the album "Affluenza".
Buy Count Zero CDs:


http://count-zero.com/shop/

Lyrics:

"Generation"

"Chaos"

Listen to all of "Affluenza":

http://count-zero.com/music/affluenza/


Nowhere Man's photos:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3346122814618.2129399.1315217726&type=1

Brian Seligman's photos:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150863356012143.396966.712547142&type=1

Slideshow of all my photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11165691@N03/sets/72157630218873888/show/

Occupy Skid Row, Evicted and Re-Occupied!

Update, June 25: General TC Alexander, seen in the second video, was arrested today for 56.11 which is some nonsense like you have to keep your property moving at all times between 6AM and 9PM. Just before this, the fire department gent seen here and thanked for rescuing the bikes, came by to apparently secretly video us while asking questions about some of our favorite police officers. (The phone/camera was in his belt, mostly aiming at TC and myself.) They are desperate to build cases against us through any means.This also shows that they read this blog, among other things. Send in the guy who got the smile. Who did nothing else, just came by, stood and asked questions, and left. Way to build trust, way to build positive relationships.

-------

June 22, 2012.

The CCA ceased performing their contracted street sweeping, power washing, and garbage collection duties (contracted by the city, I am told) sometime around mid-May. This is around the time the health department were going around Skid Row seeking any and all health violations. Occupy Skid Row took care of their zone as they always do. The resulting Health Department report did not include the Occupied block.

Oddly (or not), the County were asked to power wash the street (as opposed to the city, who have an injunction against removing personal property). As expected, it was a ruse to clear the street. Everyone was told they could not return to where they'd been and also could not stay in the spot to which they'd temporarily moved. Considering that the next few streets in the area had also been cleared and the locals warned to not return (and they hadn't), it was decided to re-Occupy. Police of course arrived and bullied.

Again, "odd" how with a report requesting immediate action on feces, rats and needles, oh my, that CCA first go after Occupy Skid Row. Leaving unresolved the very health hazards about which they most loudly complain. 

The video tells it:



They are told they cannot go back in and retrieve all of their property. A blatant attempt to destroy Occupy Skid Row. Video by David Dang.



Police intimidate and lecture and threaten arrest, marching everyone off the block. Video by Patti Beers.



Or, "Operation Clean Sweep", regarding people. Photo by Damon D'Amato:








Photo by Damon:









Photo by Damon:



THANKS to the Fire Department gent who rescued the bikes!





Photo by Damon:













Photo by Damon:



Photo by Damon:



Thank you Noticias 22!







Thanks Mr. D!









Photo by Damon:



From the Health Department report, cut and pasted into small documents, no other editing excepting cropping and the highlight.

It is interesting to note that the OSR block is outside of the report's mandate. It is also interesting that there is nothing in it even remotely suggesting that the locals be made to permanently leave, or to be inconvenienced so badly they'd have to leave, through not being able to be still for a single moment during the day or face arrest. And of course the cops didn't say where we were expected to go, but it is certainly implied.









SRO housing have not taken any applications for the first five months of this year.

Damon's photostream:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nohodamon/sets/72157630259184858/with/7429848926/

June 13, Los Angeles Occupations march in solidarity with Montreal students

This is an autonomous video of last night's events; an official OLA statement of solidarity should be forthcoming! We counted 72 persons including OLAers and friends from Occupy The Hood LA, and Occupy Skid Row. 72 people shouting on the steps of city hall. Might that be why the LA Times today posted this? LOL

"Could the end be near for Occupy Wall Street movement?"
 
http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-the-end-of-occupy-wall-street-20120610,0,7439790.story

But this contradiction the week before:

"Council aims to thwart new Occupy protest at L.A. City Hall"

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0607-occupy-tent-ban-20120607,0,7358400.story

More information:
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_78

So: We march in solidarity with the Montreal student strikers, and more! Casseroles!

First video by amberjamiewordpress on youtube.




 


 

 


Erik's photo collection:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4285794784072.2181343.1262477200&type=1

Amber's photo collection:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151830407875529.864270.538070528&type=1