PRESS CONFERENCE about arrests at the Rampart District Police Station

Commander Kalish of the LAPD held an impromtu press conference across the street from the Rampart District Police Station while officers were finishing arresting approximately thirty people for a planned civil disobedience in which they sat down on the front steps of the police station and chose not to leave when asked to disperse. The demonstrators are being charged with "blocking a public building," according to Kalish.

Kalish said he thought that "what we see are people acting responsibly, I think the vast majority of the people who have been here for the last few days have been engaging in protests in a peaceful and legal manner, and acting responsibly, and clearly we have an obligation to facilitate individuals who want to exercise their first amendment rights.

When Kalish was asked where the demonstrators bail would be set he said he didn't "know where bail will be set at this point." A women who had asked him this question had earlier pointed out that some demonstrators arrested earlier in the week had their bails set between ,000 and ,000.

Another person in the crowd asked the question: "do you see it as a no win for the protesters as well if 3900 are nonviolent and 10 are violent?" Kalish responded that he thought the protesters should answer that question.

A spanish speaking women in the crowd asked Kalish through a translator: "when are you going to change the system of the LAPD and stop attacking the oppressed people and the people of these communities with the police officers?" "We dont do that" replied Kalish. She asked again, "why aren't you gonna change it?" "We don't, I don't understand the question replied Kalish." The women rephrased her question as: "when are you gonna stop stopping people on the street, killing people, when are the police gonna stop doing those things to this community?" At this point Commander Kalish declared that there were other people who wanted to talk here too and that maybe she should ask one of them.

For the entire press conference check out the audio and listen in...