Los Angeles Indymedia : Activist News

LOS ANGELES - July 23, 2005, Standing in front of the 108th street police station members of cop terrorized south Los Angeles voiced their outrage over the military style assault which left 17 month old Suzie Marie Peña and her farther Jose Raul dead. Organizers of the march and rally have called for an independent civilian panel to determine responsibility for the drastically gone wrong police response while a community seeks to recover from the loss of more loved ones.

Report: Watts Community Demands Justice Part 1 by jlr - builder123 | Watts Community Demands Justice Part 2 by jlr - builder123

Approximately 60 activists from around the region converged on the border area south of Campo, CA to peacefully make the point that the Minutemen are not welcome in California and that racist, armed vigilantes aren’t the solution to the problem of anti-worker, anti-human political and social climate that capitalist globalization presents.

Reports: Report from Campo - Anti-MM Action (7/23) by Next Move| Report from Campo - Part 2 by Next Move

LAGUNA BEACH, CA -- "The rally in [Laguna Beach] this morning was better than I could even imagine," wrote OCAngel in a message she posted on the "Save our State" website last Saturday night. "Thank you to SOS for allowing me an outlet to announce this event, and a place to rant, rave, and bitch, as well as meet new friends. Thank you to those who couldn't make the rally but kept us in good. . ." {1}

OCAngel (whose real name I'm withholding for the moment) is a Laguna Beach mom who is fed up with "illegal immigration". She's angry that a portion of the revenues the yearly Sawdust Art Festival generates for the beach community she calls home are being used to fund a day labor center for undocumented workers. So on the morning of Saturday, July 16th, she held a protest on the public sidewalk outside of the event "to educate the public and tourists about how their Festival of the Arts ticket money is being used to aid and support illegal immigration. . ." {2}

FULL REPORT & PHOTOS: LAGUNA BEACH COPS TACKLE WHITE SUPREMACIST TO THE GROUND by Duane J. Roberts
MORE REPORTS WITH PHOTOS: Racists Identified by Next Move, SOS Racists Identified by Intel Op Center, SOS in Laguna Beach Today by Next Move
REPORT: SOS coming to Laguna Beach Art Festival by Publius

Jose Raul Peña, aged 34, died of multiple gunshot wounds, and his daughter, Suzie Marie Peña, who was less than 2 years old, died after being shot once in the head in a shootout with the LAPD in Watts. That afternoon, the had police received a report that a man was firing random shots. When they went into the area they encountered Raul with Susie in his arms. Shots were exchanged and Raul went back into the office of his auto dealership.

Several of Raul's family members begged police to let them go in and talk to Raul because they felt they could talk him into surrendering, but the police refused. 80-100 cops came into the area and laid siege to the place. Raul was on the phone with family members and people in the neighborhood during the 3 hour siege. He was also negotiating with the cops by phone. "I can tell you now I have SWAT officers having tremendous emotional problems. They are getting therapy. Some may not be coming back to work," an Assistant Police Chief said afterwards.

Watts community residents took the streets in response to the shooting of 17 month old Susie Lopez who was shot in the head with a rifle by the LAPD.

VIDEO: Watts community responds to shooting of infant Susie Pena Lopez by C