Los Angeles Indymedia : Activist News

The Eagle Rock Peace Vigil began in November of 2002. Like the many other weekly vigils that existed all over Southern California (listing of vigils circa '03 included with story), it was against the then-looming invasion of Iraq. In subsequent months and years signs have addressed other issues while still emphasizing war.

Full story and photos: The Eagle Rock Peace Vigil Marks 15 Years by R.P.

(fer) Studio principal /architect Christopher L. Mercier is also an active artist within the Inglewood community. His 2015 Rogers Park mural "Pathways to Success" was a collaboration with 28 pre-teen and teenage designers. His latest mural “Wiggle Walls” (also in Rogers Park) was recently completed. The work arose from city efforts to engage at-risk city youth creative options to gang involvement.

Full story: Architect Chris Mercier Unveils Mural in Rogers Park, Inglewood by David Thompson

The winter 2016 Anti-Mall was in solidarity with Stop the Dakota Pipeline and Buy Back the Farm! (and there were multiple ways for guests to support them). Clemency for Leonard Peltier was also promoted. And as always, the Anti-Mall was a chance for shoppers to put their money into the activist-artist community and practice sustainable living (e.g., repairing more and throwing away less).

Story and photos: Anti-Mall '16: Buy Back the Farm! / Stop DAPL / Free Peltier by Ross Plesset

Lamoreaux judges turned Lexi Dillon (pictured at left) over to a foreigner whom the Tustin police cast reports showed sodomized and raped the girl repeatedly. The foreigner is no longer allowed in the U.S. and due to a lifting of the travel ban on Lexi, as far as anyone knows, neither is she. The alleged molester only has citizenship in Thailand, the site of considerable sex trafficking.

Massive fear surrounds the trafficking of Jonah Rief to Australia via the San Diego courts. A man who is not the father and who did not have to prove paternity was allowed to take Jonah Rief to Australia and he did so using a falsified passport calling the "Rief" boy "Sullivan." Alabama had issued a protective order against Brian Sullivan on behalf of the child and on behalf of the mother Tammy Rief after Sullivan or someone associated with him uploaded misleading YouTube videos appearing to be aimed at getting people to kidnap Jonah from his Alabama home. California chose not to respect the jurisdictional orders of the court in Alabama, which was Jonah Rief's home state. Jonah entered Australia with Sullivan on February 26, 2013 and disappeared. Nude photos that appeared on March 4, 2013, on the Facebook page of Sullivan's accomplice Sara Francis AKA Denise Glasier AKA Denise Sullivan are believed to have been sales photos.

Full story: Activists Hold Prayer Vigil for Lexi Dillon and Jonah Rief in Orange County by Stand Up Orange County Coalition

More: Pressure on Orange County District Attorney to Prosecute Minors Counsel by PAA: Parents Against Abuse

The best quality organic fruits, vegetables, prepared specialties, and non-factory farmed animal products were all found at the Rawesome Food Club in Venice. That is, before the Federal Government (FBI) raided it and eventually shut it down. Raw goat milk was the much publicized reason for the raids, but what appears to have been unsaid is that Rawesome was just a coffee shop and one small intersection away from Whole Foods Market, a giant corporation.

. . . Alex Jones, a controversial radio host, interviewed James Stewart just this year. James told the story of how the Rawesome Food Club was destroyed by the Federal Government to a sympathetic host that described James as a Raw Food Advocate. Too bad the local lefties didn't show the same sympathy. Venice lost a unique free enterprise that provided awesome quality food.In Venice the Constitution and Bill of Rights have been broken concerning the rights of the poor. James and Rawesome assisted poor and unhoused people by providing donations, including vegetables and fruits to the vegetarian Venice Food Not Bombs chapter. Harassment of the poor and unhoused population of Venice, surveillance by Government Agencies, an FBI bust of a raw food club and large corporations moving into Venice (such as Whole Foods and Google) have brought together the excesses of oppressive government policies.

The combinations of government, corporations and abusive community groups have altered the bohemian character of Venice Beach. By using local and federal law enforcement to abuse and control the unhoused population and people who choose the freedom to drink raw goat milk.

Full story: A Venice Rawesome Story by Calvin E. Moss

On August 17-18, the weekly Eagle Rock peace vigil went for 24 hours (normally it's two hours on Saturdays). When asked why they were doing this, they said they cannot in good conscience let their neighbors ignore global warming, "The world isn't proceeding normally, so we cannot proceed normally." Besides signs (which addressed a variety of issues besides climate change), there was a teach-in led by Anne Porter of NELA Move to Amend, "Psychopaths in High Places;" live music; and videos, including one about mass transit.

On September 21, the Eagle Rock peace vigil participated in 350.org's national "Draw the Line" campaign. About 35 people from all over North East Los Angeles converged on the corner to gather signatures to oppose the Keystone XL pipeline. This pipeline would carry one of the dirtiest fossil fuels, "tarsands oil," from Canada, through Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. It would threaten sacred lands, delicate eco systems, precious farmland, and the health of communities along the entire route. This action was a cooperative effort by local activist groups; North East Los Angeles Radical Neighbors for Peace through Justice (NELA Rad), Tar Sands Action SoCal, and SoCal Climate Action Coalition 350.

Story and pictures: All Nighter in Eagle Rock, Los Angeles California by Nina Zvaleko

The California Coastal Commission denied Overnight Parking Districts (OPDs) two years in a row and what has changed since are all the new Coastal Commissioners and the real reason behind the Venice OPDs has been virtually eliminated. We hope the new Commissioners will study the OPD denials from both June 2009 and again in June 2010 and maybe even listen to our story to see why so many of us have fought all this time to keep Venice Beach Free and keep our Coastal Zone open to All.

. . . The main reason for OPDs is to remove homeless people living in vehicles from Venice and to help make Venice a more exclusive community. The OPD law is a Los Angeles Municipal Code (an ordinance) brought to life by Councilman Bill Rosendahl after he was first elected and seated in 2005. The intent of this parking permit system is and has always been to make it illegal for homeless people (or other alternative people) to park a vehicle between 2-6am in Venice, because the rules make it so they cannot get a permit.

. . . Even though the Coastal Commission Staff and Attorneys along with the City of LA and Mark Ryavec all reached a tentative settlement agreement to put in the Venice OPDs prior to the June 2010 Coastal Commission meeting, the Commission denied the OPDs for the second year in a row.

Full story: VENICE OPDs ARE BACK! BUT WHY? by Peggy Lee Kennedy

Saturday, March 9, 2013: The daylong event began with a rally at the Downtown Jail, close to where several inmate families were waiting for visitation. "We were able to speak with some of them, and they were happy to see us out there rallying for justice, for themselves, their loved ones and for all women around the world," reports Wanda Miller. "Lots of people signed our sign-in sheets [and] wanted to join us in future events. Passersby were honking horns and waving in support.

"Even though we were across the street from the jail, some of those inside could [likely] see us through the tiny windows and were perhaps encouraged that we were outside protesting, that we were in solidarity with them."

The rally was followed by a "lively" March for Survival, with the message Invest in Life and Welfare, Not War and Prisons. At about 1:30, there was a teach-in at The Last Bookstore, about a mile away. Panels included Women Surviving Globally, which featured "video presentations from or about Haiti, Tanzania, Guyana, and IJAN (International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network). The last clip was of President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela talking about how important women were to what he was trying to do in Venezuela. . . ." The next panel was Women Surviving Locally with speakers Diana Zuniga of Californians United for a Responsible Budget (CURB); Tanisha Denard Youth Justice Coalition; Rachel West, US Prostitutes Collective; Alexa Rishton, Military Families Speak Out; Rosamaria Segura CHIRLA Household Workers Campaign; Lydia Ponce, an Indigenous from Idle No More/LA; and Wanda Miller, DCFS Give Us Back Our Children.

Full report and photos: 14TH ANNUAL INT'L WOMEN'S DAY EVENT Women Surviving Globally, Surviving in SoCal by Wanda Miller, DCFS Give Us Back Our Children

Family and community members demonstrated near Manuel Diaz's memorial last Sunday as they continue to build momentum in their fight for justice for Manuel and all victims of the recent Anaheim shootings. Diaz was shot and killed by Anaheim police on July 21st this year. On the day of the incident, Diaz had been shot on the back of the leg following a pursuit, where he was brought to his knees, and then shot again in the head, execution style. Manuel Diaz was not armed. Videos circulated the internet that day showed Diaz on the floor just moments after being shot. People could be heard shouting at officers, asking why they had shot him and stating that Diaz was still alive. The video also shows officers more concerned with moving people away form the scene, than getting immediate medical attention for Diaz who passed away at a hospital a few hours later.

Full article: A Coalition of Mothers, Family and Community Members Fed Up With the Injustices by Anaheim by Oceloyotl X via The Rebel Press

Previous IndyMedia Coverage here

GARDEN GROVE - Niko Black, a Native woman (Apache) with terminal cancer, has been evicted from her Garden Grove home by Wells Fargo, with co-operation of the Orange County Sheriff's Department and complicity of the local police. This, despite Niko posting a Federal Court Order forbidding such action on her front door and filing it with local police agencies.

On the morning of October 10, Niko Black was in bed when her front door was kicked open by the Orange County Sheriff's Department. Black, who has terminal cancer, crawled to her wheelchair as four-to-six deputies entered and proceeded to hold a gun to her face. She was then taken outside sans any of her medication. When she called the Garden Grove Police, they did nothing. Since all of her medication and other means of treatment were in her home, Black got sick very quickly and had to be taken to the hospital.

From the newswire: Wells Fargo Evicts Terminally-Ill Woman Despite Federal Court Order by Rick Panna, photos and video by Naui Huitzilopochtli | | Coverage on American Indian Airwaves (online for 90 days)

On February 14, 2011, the Los Angeles Human Right to Housing Collective stopped by L.A. City Councilman Herb Wesson's Campaign Office to deliver a Valentine and demand that he move forward with the community;s recommendations to reform rent control in L.A.

Tenants have been fighting for rent control reform for two years, since the City released a $1 million study showing that landlords benefit more than tenants under the current Rent Stabilization Ordinance. Councilmember Wesson, as Chair of this committee, has refused to act.

From the newswire: Tenants Deliver Valentine's Day Message to Councilmember Wesson by Erik

"STOP THE DESECRATION! 90+ burials (at present) being disturbed in the development of the Mexican Cultural Center at LA Plaza/Olvera St. They have attempted to not follow the law at the discovery of remains. Please support and help - call, write letters, emails. Voice your disgust...Tongva people tired and in pain." -- Tongva Elder

The developer is denying the burials are Native, but the Tongva say one of them includes an obsidian blade and beads.

Call to action: From AIM Santa Barbara: Your VOICE HAS POWER- It only takes 5 minutes to make a phone call & save a sacred site- and piss off the people that need to put in check- STOP THE DESECRATION. Call- Gloria Molina office, (213)- 974-4111-or email molina@bos.lacounty.gov or call the Mayor Villaraigosa, 213 978-0600

More information: Statement of Facts/Call to Action Re: Burial Site by Members of the Gabrielino (Tongva) Community| | American Indian Airwaves (1-11-11)

Update: "GOOD NEWS!!! LA Plaza has stopped further work at site where remains disturbed. Tongva woman, Desiree Martinez provided documentation of the burials that we were told did not exist, and that proved that Native Americans were in that cemetery." -- Gloria Arellanes, Tongva Elder

Feb. 1, 2011: Despite the cessation of excavating, Cindi Alvitre explains why the issue is far from over: American Indian Airwaves.

Update (June 2012): The remains were finally reburied at that site in April of this year. Desiree Martinez, a Tongva involved in this issue, was upset by how the ancestors were treated prior to reburial. Many of them were wrapped in toilet paper or newspaper (and consequently parts were separated and had to be reassembled prior to reburial) or not fully removed, left in place, and covered with tarps. She described this disrespect as "the most painful experience" she has endured.

Mothers & other caregivers speak out against child welfare injustices, budget cuts, criminalization and war. Together they planned joint actions to demand that child "protection," welfare and other government policies end the trashing of mothers and recognize the value of their caregiving work.

Story and photos: Community Dialogues in four US Cities: Mothers and Other Caregivers Speak Out by Global Women's Strike

Saturday, December 11, 2010

COLTON, California - In a large public gathering the cafeteria of Alice Birney Elementary School, well over one hundred community members from Colton, a city whose residents include many low-income immigrants, met with their police chief to expose him to the injustices his officers have been committing and to petition redress of their grievances. While distrust between the community and police is historic, things have gotten worse since the city created its own towyard a few years back and began collecting impound fees on cars, mostly taken from immigrants ineligible for licenses. In order to impound more automobiles to bail the city out of its financial troubles, officers have resorted to profiling anyone who "looks undocumented," making pretextual stops in order to impound vehicles.

Full report: Colton Immigrant Community Meets PD Chief, Demands Justice by Rockero

Labor Notes supporters are no strangers to heated debate--and the SEIU International is not the first union to protest at our conference. During the 1980s, for example, we saw opponents of the New Directions Movement inside the United Auto Workers put up picket lines outside our conference hotel and had BLAST--the Brotherhood of Loyal Americans and Strong Teamsters--try to intimidate Teamster reformers attending our events.

People are going to disagree and that is fine. There is no idea that can't be discussed at a Labor Notes conference. We welcome debate on any and all issues facing the labor movement, including the heated dispute between the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA/NNOC) and the leaders of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) over the best way to build power for health care workers. But that debate must take place with respect and free from intimidation. Despite being welcomed to the conference earlier in the day--and given space to debate supporters of the CNA/NNOC about neutrality organizing agreements--SEIU staff and members shouted down speakers at workshops and panels throughout the event.
SEIU International Attacks Labor Gathering - Conference Goers Assaulted. by Labor Notes - repost