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