Los Angeles Indymedia : Activist News

LOS ANGELES, 20 May 2006--How do you make a miracle? Saturday the recipe was 150 South Central Farmers and their supporters--Guatemalans, Salvadorans, Mexicans, Chican@s, Africans, and people of European descent--a meeting of Latino business leaders, and LA. Mayor Villaraigosa.

Ron Kovic, disabled anti-war Vietnam veteran, tonight will add a procession with community religious leaders and a fast to save the Farm. The Farm sent out a call to the community: "An invitation to all spiritual leaders is extended to join the South Central Farmers, as they will act on foot, on knees and through candle-lit prayer that their sacred community land is preserved. It is with hope that this act of penance will rectify any and all debts that both the community and its leaders may hold giving reason for both the physical and spiritual destruction of the South Central Farm." ...
Full report with photos: Hope Springs . . . at the South Central Farm by Leslie Radford
VIDEOS: Save the Farm - Night Watchman by indio || Save the Farm! by indio

Los Angeles Taxpayer's Lawsuit Targets Main Source of Corruption in LAPD: Illegal Payoffs to Los Angeles Judges. A recently filed lawsuit by a taxpayer aims at exposing illegal payments received by Los Angeles County judges from public coffers. Public records show that since 1998 LA County Judges have quietly taken around one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000.00) on top of their state salaries out of public coffers. State law prohibits such practice. ...
Full report: Silent Coup D'etat in Los Angeles - Part II by Cyrus Aria Parthian || Background report: Silent Coup D' etat in Los Angeles by David T. Lashgari

Bob McCloskey is challenging Democratic incumbent Adam Schiff in California’s 29th district on his pro-war stance and his support for Bush’s policies in the primaries this June 6th. Voters in the 29th district who want peace and an end to the war in Iraq will have the opportunity to vote for some one who will take that message to the congress.

McCloskey is running a grassroots insurgent campaign against the incumbent of his party in an attempt to as he puts it, “take back the house”. The 29th District is considered a safe district for the Democrats. Still Adam Schiff’s voting record as been at odds with the rank and file of his party and the majority of voters in his district. McCloskey hopes to truly represent the people of his district and he is not afraid to speak out against the policies of the Bush Administration.
AUDIO: An interview with Bob McCloskey, Peace Activist & Candidate for Congress by A

What many see as a slap in the face for those struggling for recognition of their basic human rights the LAPD has granted a permit to a group of anti-immigrant organizations to march downtown this coming Sunday. The route down Broadway is the same as that of the massive May 1st and March 25th demonstrations which drew millions to the streets of Los Angeles.
This section of Broadway is the heart of the downtown shopping district of the Mexican American community. Critics have compared the approval of this permit to that of granting a permit for the KKK to march down King Blvd in the Crenshaw District.
From the Newswire:

Urgent Action Alert! Actions Against Minutemen/Ted Hayes in Downtown L.A. Sun 5/21! by Lee Siu Hin - Immigrant Solidarity Network

SOS/Nazis will be in Downtown L.A. Sun 5/21 at 11 am by BaBaBooey!

Anti Immigrant rally by humper

Those fighting for the human rights of immigrants are denouncing the proclamations made by Bush in his speech to the nation Monday. They planned to continue building on the momentum of their movement without compromise until the rights of all immigrants have been secured. They are calling for full legalization without fines or waiting periods. And they are calling for an end to the oppressive trade agreements and wars between nation states which they see as the root cause of mass immigration.
From the Newswire AUDIO: Nativo Lopez, of the March 25 Coalition responds to President’s speech. | | Travis Morales Responds to Bush's Speech on Immigration | | Bush’s immigration speech—an appeal to militarism and reaction

SAN BERNARDINO, May 16, 2006--The San Bernardino City Council today barely rejected the San Bernardino Illegal Immigration Act Ordinance, forcing it to a popular vote within the next ninety days. Outside City Council chambers, packed with 150 petition detractors and a handful of supports, some 120 more people rallied to urge the petition not be ratified. A dozen police lined the back wall of council chambers and forty more kept a watchful eye on the ralliers outside, while national and local media swarmed both locations. ...
Full report: San Bernardino City Council Turns Down Racist Petition by Leslie Radford

LOS ANGELES - May 14, 2006 – Less than two weeks remain on a contract option between the Trust For Public Land, (TPL) and the developer who wants to destroy the farm. The contract grants TPL the right to purchase the property and preserve the farm. One of the terms of the contract states that the local community must raise 1 million dollars towards the purchase of the land. Community organizers say they are still far short of that goal. Last month the farmers lost their legal challenge to the evictions in court. So at this time the contract option is all that is preventing evictions by force.

Reports from the Newswire: 18 Days Left to Save The South Central Farm | | Save the South Central Farm - Photo Essay by Jonathan McIntosh
Update: S. Central Farmers' Actions this Week by Daniel French || Leonardo DiCaprio Joins Fight to Save the South Central Farm by Tezozomoc

What started two years ago as a group of 8 friends who got together for a midnight bike around the city has become a rolling street party approaching 1,000 riders. On the 2nd Friday of the month at 9:30 pm , bicyclists gather at the intersection of Sunset and Echo Park. This has become the starting point for a late night bike ride that weaves its way through the streets of Los Angeles. They call themselves the Midnight Ridazz. From the newswire: VIDEO: Midnight Ridazz | Photo: Midnight Ridazz