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by Mira
Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2000 at 12:12 PM
filmmakerz@aol.com
A coalition of community groups and activists demonstrate at Anaheim police department.
About fifty Orange County residents marched to the Anaheim police department in a demonstration against police brutality and the unaccountability of the Anaheim police department. The demonstration was sponsored by Progressive Students Alliance, Chapman University; League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) District 1; United Neighborhoods/LULAC 3016; Los Amigos of Orange County; Alliance Working for Asian Rights and Empowerment; and the Hotel and Restaurant Employees Union.
A rally was held at Pearson Park, where people listened to speakers of sponsoring organizations. Activists spoke of their struggle to get a Civilian Police Review Board in Anaheim. The Anaheim police have mounted a slander campaign against them, telling city council members they are all criminals or have family members who are criminals, to try to discredit what they say at city council meetings.
After the rally, protesters marched a half mile to the Anaheim police department, where people chanted and drummed. Besides a park ranger asking to see a permit for the rally, the only police presence was a pair of bicycle officers who rode parallel to the march down a street a block away. At the police department, protesters gathered in front of the doors. Jessica Castro, Deputy State Director of California LULAC, read the police officer's oath of office over a bullhorn to the police inside while one activist held the door open. People observed a moment of silence in honor of all the victims of police brutality.
After about a half an hour in front of the police department, protesters marched back to Pearson park, where organizers brought out coolers of water and people discussed future plans.
Organizers are asking that people attend the next Anaheim City Council meeting to ask for a Civilian Police Review Board. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, October 24, at 200 S. Anaheim Blvd. For further information, call (714)774-0107.
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by M.B.R.
Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2000 at 6:29 PM
byron@webworldinc.com
I attended this rally and protest in solidarity with the organizations that sponsored it and the other people who were there. I believe that this Oct. 22nd protest behind the Orange curtain was the start of something that will only grow in strength in the years to come. I had planned to be in LA on this day but once i got word of this event i felt that it was much better to attend the more local protest. One of the criticisms that i have of the rally and protest is that there seemed to be a lack of class consciousness on the part of the organizers as to what i believe is the primary function of the police in this or any other capitalist society. I guess i feel that signs such as "Bring honor back to the badge." and "Respect" just doesn't get to the heart of the matter when it comes to the police and their brutal tactics. This is not a "just a few bad apples" sort of problem. Perhaps next year many of those more class conscious people from Orange County who went up to LA will stay home to add to the much needed diversity of the coilition that turned out on sunday.
In Solidarity, M.B.R.
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