F29, Mira Loma, California ALEC Walmart protest

Lots of pictures this time as it involves members of at least Occupy Los Angeles, Occupy the Hood LA, Occupy San Fernando Valley, Occupy Orange County, Occupy Santa Ana, Occupy Riverside, Occupy Irvine, Occupy Long Beach, and Occupy San Diego! This post will be updated as new info is noted, so check back! At the end of the pics, find links to others' F29 photo collections!

Click twice on any pic to see a large version, then click twice on your browser's Back button to return. To download any, click three times, then click "View all sizes" and then you can.


A little back-story on ALEC:

http://www.truth-out.org/shut-down-corporations-action-takes-aim-alec/1330540090


Walmart workers are in support of our protest:

http://www.warehouseworkersunited.org/fileadmin/userfiles/Uploads/An_Open_Letter_To_the_Occupy_Movement_From_Schneider_Workers.pdf


An in-depth story on the action:

http://www.salon.com/2012/03/02/occupy_invades_americas_storage_shed/singleton/

And another great article with great photos (links back here):

http://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2012/03/report-from-the-front-lines-occupys-feb-29-mira-loma-alec-action/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=report-from-the-front-lines-occupys-feb-29-mira-loma-alec-action


The whole day, by Occupy San Fernando Valley!




Report from Press TV, with a 2-minute video, including a great angle on some sheriff ugliness:

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/229396.html


We arrived at the site at 6am-ish. One genius brought hot coffee for those who need it.












We marched:





When we arrived at the Walmart facility gate, it was closed and locked.





So we took the intersection.













Sheriffs began blocking the intersections further back:



We stopped all trucks in and out of the intersection and facility:



Hella accoutrement:









Eventually, four different helicopters showed up. LAPD, sheriffs, and and two unknowns:







































Chalkupy:





This group was good; the bassist played a mean wah pedal, and the drummer had the double kick drum down cold.



Eventually, those paid by the 1% show up. There was another line at the next further intersection, and at least one at the opposing.











Protester in wheelchair wearing gas mask telling cops "This is not honorable"! Photo by OccupyFreedomLA:




A bunch of excellent photos from Occupy Irvine, especially of the struggle with the sheriffs!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.356951210993660.81408.268797163142399&type=1

A fantastic set from Allan Eaton:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3026169371306.2133490.1174925630&type=3

A nice batch from John Waiblinger:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3438997500152.2166225.1426973770&type=1

All of my photos, slideshow:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11165691@N03/sets/72157629492100893/show/

Thank you to Brian for even more!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150562348262143.371122.712547142&type=1

Sam Slovick's excellent collection:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150722271851719.456929.681711718&type=3

DeniZ has quite the eye...!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150832581922519.516880.584362518&type=3

Francis Herrero as well:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150662425233466.415972.633218465&type=3


Occupy Irvine said of today:

"F29 was a success!

We shut down a wal-mart warehouse for 5 hours by taking over a street, there was a crowd of around 200 people, maybe more, after of few hours without significant confrontation from the police (around 11AM), they started to move all the protesters back very slowly (towards the area most parked their cars), it was a huge street so both the officers and the protesters formed a huge line, after an hour of slowly moving us back while many protesters stood an inch from the officers and their batons, they (the officers) started to take more aggressive action, they charged at us at least twice and started to surround us more (they even took over the sidewalk), in one instance...an officer started chasing an Orange County occupier and hit him on the thigh with his baton, and right after, the officer fell flat on his chest/face while the protester kept on running, it was quiet funny (for the officer, not for the occupier), all in all, 1 or 2 got arrested, a helicopter circled us the whole time, their was a GA after the event at a park about five minutes away from the wal-mart, 70-80 people showed up, they were going to discuss another potential demonstration for later today..."

Brian's video!




Here is a link to five minutes of the police action, with plenty of indexes about what happens:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVfamE7WAcY&feature=youtu.be


Livestreams by FreedomLA and CrossXBones, also:

http://www.livestream.com/occupyearth



Video streaming by Ustream



Video streaming by Ustream

Here is Tim Pool's livestream of Matt Taibbi's F29 NYC teach-in!



Video streaming by Ustream

F26. Occupying the Shadow Issues.

To quote OLA member Deirdre:

"The Safer Cities Initiative is being used to criminalize the homeless in an effort to move them out and gentrify the downtown area.   We believe that every person in Los Angeles, particularly the disenfranchised, has a right to shape and design our city's future.  At a cost of $6 million dollars a year, the Safer Cities Initiative was implemented in 2006 by the LA City Council and LAPD, allowing physical attacks by the police on people who refuse to move, seizures of the property of the homeless, and giving police the ability to make arrests for such 'crimes' as sitting on the sidewalk or tying your shoelaces.  SCI has taken the prejudice against, and harassment of, Skid Row residents to an unprecedented level."

Was with fellow Occupier Ron at a teach-in downtown (oddly enough, about protester's legal rights) and decided to walk a few blocks to the Occupy Skid Row encampment. Turns out we were right in time, as a police Captain in an unmarked car crept up to order the last tent standing be taken down per the "Safer City Initiative". I know that =I= feel safer, now that he's collapsed it. Yesh.





TC told us that police had been by earlier and told him that he's going to jail. Nothing specific, just threats. They'll find a reason. And it's a shame. I've met some decent police who would hopefully not go along with these destructive sorts of orders and behaviours.


See also the Occupyshadowmediala and official OLA youtube channels for reports:

http://www.youtube.com/user/OccupyLAMedia

http://www.youtube.com/user/Occupyshadowmediala?ob=0&feature=results_main

F25, Occupy Skid Row General Assembly

Click twice on any photo to see a large version, then click twice on your browser's Back button to return.

Story leading into this:

http://occupyobservations.blogspot.com/2012/02/f20-occupy-skid-row-los-angeles.html 

Update: Police attempt to evict Occupy Skid Row, June 22, 2012:

http://occupyobservations.blogspot.com/2012/06/occupy-skid-row-evicted-and-re-occupied.html







These two on bikes are private security, paid by businesses to ride around and call the cops:








A policeman eventually used his PA to tell us to get out of the street.





















It is worth noting that the tents DID come down:






Livestream by Mr. Cristofani:


Video streaming by Ustream

In this one, there are skits of what happens on Skid Row regarding the police and personal property, and what you rights are, and how to use them.


Video streaming by Ustream