Thursday, August 9, 2012

Chalkwalk 2 lies and truth

(This document will be updated as new information is made available over the next week and beyond. This is an autonomous article and reflects only this Occupiers' perspective.)

Chalkupy Fresh Juice Party Pershing Square
FAIR USE CLAIM not for profit

This of course is not about art, or chalk, or free speech. It is about the art, chalk, and free speech which interferes directly with the plans and continuity of those in power.

"To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize." -Voltaire

MSM lies against Occupy have already begun hours before Artwalk can begin:

Police Brace For ‘Occupy’ Protests Near ArtWalk In Downtown LA

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/video/7596379-police-brace-for-occupy-protests-near-artwalk-in-downtown-la/

“It’ll be enough where people will see officers in uniform, so that’ll deter any major incident that would happen or individual that would cause problems,” said LAPD Officer Christopher No.

The last ArtWalk on July 12 was marred by violence after police fired non-lethal weapons at protesters who were scrawling messages in chalk on sidewalks and buildings.

Event organizer Joe Moller said he expects things to return to normal tonight after last month’s event was hijacked by demonstrators whom he called “self-proclaimed artists” who contribute little to society at large.


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Comments: 

-Those who have eyes know LAPD are entirely responsible for last month's police riot they are hoping people will blame upon Occupy so CCA can get rid of Occupy throughout Los Angeles.
-If 20 Occupiers can "hijack" thousands of people by using a few sticks of chalk, then society is about to fall.
-Chalking is not a major incident. The city-wide alert last month even said so.
-Police fired upon Artwalkers and locals. This was long after the arrests and brutality against the chalkers. The arrests and brutality LED to Artwalkers and locals standing up and resisting it.
-Art is art. Free expression is free expression. How does that not contribute to society at large? Does he claim the beautiful 1st Amendment chalkupy at Pershing Square is not art, or that its creation does not contribute? What does then? Sales of art, hmmmm?

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Channel 4's facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151010633836028&set=a.394414651027.171020.90240021027&type=1&theater
Like This Page · 3 minutes ago

Tonight, a "chalkupy" event at Pershing Square is set to coincide with the Downtown LA Art Walk. It comes after a chalking protest during the monthly event turned into a melee in July.

"The Art Walk was co-opted by the agitators because they knew it would guarantee an audience," the walk's director said.

Lolita Lopez will have more on the NBC4 News at 6 p.m.

Click here to read the story >>> http://4.nbcla.com/MDQyPD
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Comments:

-POLICE turned it into a melee after hundreds of artwalkers and locals stood up and resisted LAPD brutality in the form of over a dozen violent arrests over the use of water-soluble chalk, including of messages supportive of police. There were only 20 or so Occupiers present. This does not parse with the fact of hundreds resisting the LAPD. POLICE were the only aggressors. Unless you somehow imagine children's chalk to be a weapon. (It IS, but only to those it threatens, meaning the CCA who are attempting to fully own downtown and who have stated a desire to eliminate "intelligence-based grafitti", because it can obviously tell the truth about them and their plans and Fascist influence of city hall legislation. That and their planned "Neighborhood Prosecutors", whatever the hell that means...not sinister at all.)

-The walk's director is utterly overlooking the fact that LAPD fired upon hundreds of people in violation of the apparent (unconfirmed) rules of use regarding "less-lethal" weapons, which are never to be directly aimed at bodies or more especially, heads (one passer-by was shot in the face). "Less-lethal" weapons are still just that: weapons. They can definitely kill if misused. Nice concern there for your artwalk patrons...

-And if 20 people writing with children's chalk can "agitate" the entire area into a melee, then this city is utterly doomed. Imagine if 30 or 40 had shown up.  

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LAPD Vows To Arrest Chalk-Wielding Protesters At Occupy L.A.'s 'Chalk Walk' Tonight

http://laist.com/2012/08/09/permit_for_occupy_denied.php


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The day after, August 10th.

Print edition title:

Party vibe wins out at Art Walk

Online edition title:

Downtown Art Walk sees no repeat of last month's violence

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/08/los-angeles-art-walk-no-violence.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+lanowblog+%28L.A.+Now%29 

The print edition is longer.

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Comments:

-No repeat of last month's POLICE violence. Omission/Context shift.

-Does not show the wonderful Fresh Juice Crew's "I love the 1st Amendment" chalkupy artwork

-Permanent/archived online article is seriously shorter than the print version. Study differences if they skew things further 

-Party vibe? It's mostly about money changing hands, not fun and free expression. It's mostly about people showing and selling art, not people making their own as artistic, creative inspiration reveals itself. 

-Words used in the article about business and not about art:

"visit clubs", 
"eat at restaurants and food trucks", 
"merchants watched warily and wondered if (police) violence would again tarnish the (profits)", 
"clothing store on 5th St.", 
"selling clothing on 5th St.", 
"Coba Gallery, as a handful of patrons"

-The article says "turn the historic core (of downtown) into a colorful festival". Chalk is colorful.
-Does not mention the misuse of potentially deadly "less-lethal" weaponry, which is not to be aimed at the head. One passer-by took a hit in the face. One was shot four times with "foam batons". One man was shot in the chest at close range, then kicked in the head by police as they arrested him. That can kill and it is not mentioned at all.
-Does not mention that LAPD created the conflict from the beginning through shoving citizens around, aggressive arrests, intimidation, saying "chalk is illegal for now"...video clearly displays people calling out in amazement as police make violent arrests for water-soluble chalk. LAPD created outrage through outrageous behavior. They should not be surprised that Artwalkers and locals, watching from above, became outraged and resisted.
-Does not challenge the heinous proposition of a "free speech zone" for Occupy within Artwalk.
-"They also talked about what, exactly, the Occupy protest was all about." Is it just me or does this imply that Occupy itself does not know? Because the single quote they printed is highly important but is not expanded into its desperate details such as homelessness for the young who have degrees but cannot find work, and it also might imply there were no more "meaningful" answers given such as ending Citizens United to remove unlimited money from elections and politics, re-instating Glass-Steagall to reel in the banksters, etc. I know Ryan and he's always extremely well-spoken and articulate, so this one quote from him leads me to believe that more was said but was not printed.
     And most especially the part about Citizens United, and money and corporations controlling/influencing the state. Because that's Fascism as defined by Benito Mussolini, and this is exactly what CCA are doing.
-Much of what is important is in the second half of this article. Do people these days read the first few paragraphs and believe they have the entire story, and does media take advantage of this?
-The stated heavy police presence and its stated negative effect upon business is obviously contradictory to the printed article's title: "Party vibe wins out at Artwalk". Quotes, if they do not appear in the online article:
"...Jacky Herrera complained that all the police had sucked the energy from the typically jovial event. 'I think it hinders a lot of folks from coming out,' she said of the police presence. 'It definitely slows the traffic down.'"
So the CCA and LAPD are responsible for this problem, not Occupy, not chalk. CHALK!
-There is something in there about Occupiers stealing shirts from a vendor. This is the first I've heard of it and I'm calling bullshit. Downtown is also home to thousands of homeless people too, in desperate need. And Occupy feeds them at Pershing Square.
-It is not stated that Occupy has attended Artwalk since Occupy began, and the the arrests and brutality and obvious targeting began shortly after Occupy began camping nightly on the doorstep of the CCA at 626 Wilshire.




=======

Last month after riot police attacked Artwalk over chalk, city "authorities" had this to say:



But now we have this:

Chalkupy Fresh Juice Party Pershing Square

-Last month far less than this justified riot police shooting passers-by in the face with "less-lethal" rounds?
-This month it's free speech and not "criminal behavior"?
-Does it have anything to do with it not directly interfering with CCA's financial investments/power structure/plans for owning more of downtown?
-Will they have the city spray-paint over it like they did the water-soluble chalk from last month's Artwalk (LA Times front page picture; see what they've done and what we have to do about it! The humanity!)

Owing to the CCA-sponsored "safer cities initiative" and other business-oriented influence over police numbers on Skid Row and their obvious influence over LA Times and DTLA "News", I also cannot believe LAPD are able to act independently of their influence and agenda. There likely can be no "peace" between those seeking an end to Fascism in our city, and those who are the Fascists (CCA). So long as those seeking this end are actively and even violently prevented from speaking this truth in various forms, it will not be peace. Peace will be the elimination of the so-called "shirts" who are private Corporate security roving OUR streets. Peace will be the elimination of Corporate influence in city hall. Peace will be the elimination of such obvious control where none is needed, where it interferes with the people of this city. All of them, regardless of income level or address or lack of address.When their policy against "intelligence-based graffiti" results in aggressive arrests and riot police, over water-soluble chalk, something must change, and it is not the chalk.

Again, the CCA obviously cannot tolerate whatsoever any threat to their establishment and plans. Part of the reason for Artwalk is to get money to change hands. This is all over the August 10th LA Times article. But freedom isn't about money; money can be the enemy of freedom when its interests are deemed to be more important. With CCA's plan against "intelligence-based graffiti" (and even the sinister "Neighborhood Prosecutors") and their corporate security patrols throughout downtown, and their direct and bragged-about influence of city hall in favor of corporate-friendly legislation, money is obviously more important than freedom.

LAPD may believe that they have allowed something better to occur. This is entirely countered by their exceeding presence at Artwalk, obviously intent as yesterday's article stated, vowing to make arrests, and obviously to escalate again into a police riot should they not get their way. Allowing would mean to allow "intelligence-based graffiti" at Artwalk without heavy police presence, arrests, intimidation, brutality, less-lethal weaponry...it means staying away and allowing. It's chalk. Water-soluble children's sidewalk chalk. A low-pressure garden hose obliterates it instantly. If chalkers get out of perceived hand, wash it off with a garden hose. There IS no problem, except to the CCA who cannot tolerate criticism. They need a serious time-out. There is a large difference between being free and knowing there are good public servants around to keep the peace should the need arise, and being allowed a crumb of the complete freedom righteously ours, under the dark cloud of "do what we say or else". It is as giving a prisoner a special treat; they still know they are prisoners. This is not the Stanford Experiment. A sea change is required. And is possible.

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Why are CCA afraid of children's chalk? Because of the messages it is used to present. CCA actually call for the elimination of "intelligence-based grafitti" in their future plans document:

http://ccala.org/downloads/DT2020legislativeprioritiesJan2012.pdf

They also talk about something they call "Neighborhood Prosecutors". Sounds Fascist.

Livestreams and media links for Chalkwalk 2



This will be updated as the day unwinds, with media links, etc.

Last month these links were live:

Helicopter:

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/live-video/

The LAPD online police scanner feed is currently offline:

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/?feedId=899


Listen to 10 seconds of LAPD and LA mayor's office killing the Constitution regarding children's water-soluble sidewalk chalk:



Article explaining the backstory and power structure:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021100419

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Shameful media/police collusion on Anaheim PD's attacks upon citizens!


PD phone number: (714) 765-1900 and address: 425 South Harbor Blvd Anaheim,CA 92805  


"Officers used non-lethal rounds and pepper balls to control the crowd, Dunn said. A police dog also got free from an officer's car and charged at several people before it was pulled back, he added."



This is what KTLA say occurred (FAIR USE ACT NOTICE; precludes all other agreements)

This is a citizen's video:


Police are said to have gone door-to-door asking to purchase all recordings of their attacks. Please note the LA Times article says absolutely nothing about the fact that the citizens shot up and bitten in the above video were at a =weekly= protest against Anaheim PD violence. A regular event. And that they were sitting on the lawn! LA Times goes directly to burning dumpsters without connecting the dots that perhaps citizens were mad not only about the murder of one of their own, but that they had been earlier in the day shot up and bitten for protesting it! People must be wondering why they would bring a K9 unit to what is obviously from the video a weekly, sit-down event (not that I for a minute believe the dog simply got loose on its own)...they brought it there for the same reason they brought, and freely used, "less-lethal" weaponry...upon peaceful citizens.
"If they would use those RBs on the guy they killed for running away none of this be happening right now." -Annie Lindstrom
"Non-lethal force has replaced actually speaking to people. People are things now." -Guy Gondron on the Anaheim PD Police Riot
"Anaheim cops, mainstream media call community with baby strollers and children in their front lawns a 'riot'"
-Michael Prysner

"For those trying to parse the #MSM spin of #Anaheim, 'Officer Involved Shooting' means a cop guns down someone."
-Occupy Wall Street
 
Anaheim PD Officers placed on paid leave after shooting unarmed man in Anaheim.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

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."

Sunday, July 15, 2012

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:

Chalkwalk before the riot 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 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:
Chalk walk rubber bullets by Todd Blose

Photo by Damon:

DSC_0400

Chalkwalk Ch7 crops out rubber bullet injury
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:

Chalkwalk man arrested violently for filming police


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:

LAPD fires less lethal rounds on Kings fans


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

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Guest [rant] #OWS Energy is powerful.

[rant] #OWS Energy is powerful. So many of us live oblivious to beauty, truth, freedom and love. However, what I saw in the streets of Los Angeles on Thursday night was instead an embodiment of all four.

The streets were covered in color. Pregnant with people, full of Angelen@s that were standing up for their freedom of expression, art, and speech. The police response was predictable and unconscionable. Those in power are trying (and failing) to apply the insane broken windows theory on the 1st Amendment! The gall of this system is shocking. They will do anything to stop dissent, and people are waking up. Kids shot and tackled and beaten and gassed for using sidewalk chalk on a sidewalk.

It's not really about the chalk, and you and I both know it. It's about what's being written.

One of the components to this movement in my opinion is the recognition of the power of the people united. On Thursday night, it felt like Los Angeles was the People's Town. For an evening, public space became one of meaningful expression. Messages to lovers were written on street corners. Inspiring quotes from social justice figures were drawn on bleak emtpy walls. And smiles were everywhere as people were empowered to be heard through chalk.

The #LAPD, just like the police forces in New York, Oakland, Portland, San Francisco, Chicago, San Diego, UC-Davis, Miami, Seattle, DC, and Philadelphia, reacted how they always do. It is systemic fascism. Lest we forget, the day before the Brooklyn Bridge saw 700 arrests last fall, JP Morgan Chase donated $4.5 million to the NYPD. If you'll remember, the Oakland Police Department received "counter-insurgency" training from Bahraini military police and Israeli Defense Forces. Training for what? How to deal with some tents and signs? For peaceful assembly?

The connection to that type of money in politics & policing in LA? The lobbyists for the 1% in corporations like the Central City Association, the Central City East Association, and other business improvement district firms throughout the city. The free speech crackdown began when activists laid their heads on the sidewalks at #626Wilshire, the offices of the CCA. These groups give money to every single City Council seat and are "helping shape policy" in City Hall nearly every day.

Who is lobbying for Bank of America, Chase, Wells Fargo, Verizon, Walmart, Ralph's, Chevron, AEG [property developers]? The Central City Association. Who is pushing for further criminalization of the homeless, rent hikes on the long-term community residents, "intelligence-based graffiti", a Walmart in Chinatown (and 211 other locations in LA County)? The Central City Association.

So the police fired gas, flashbangs, rubber bullets and beanbag rounds, and beat people with batons. Who are they protecting and serving? The 1%... and a system that values profits over people, property over community, stifling dissent, imprisoning people, and keeping the status quo. On Thursday Night in DTLA, chalk became a catalyst for the people to take the power back.  




By Ryan Rice, Occupy Los Angeles. 

Find his Twitter feed; all killer, no filler:

https://twitter.com/RyanRiceLA

http://ryanricela.tumblr.com/ 


http://ryanricela.wordpress.com/

Thursday, July 5, 2012

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





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


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"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/