Well, if you weren't there, hopefully you've read about it by now, but it was brutal and terrible in Long Beach. One member of our small group that went down said to me that she felt much more comfortable about being surrounded by the Long Beach cops as opposed to the L.A. cops. She no longer feels this way. Please e-mail orangebloc@hotmail.com if you would be willing to come as an individual or as a group to plan and/or attend a Long Beach Anti-Police Brutality March!

In Solidarity

Perhaps people would like to wait until October 22nd, which is the national day of protest against police brutality. If the consensus is to wait until Oct. 22nd, we would have a lot of time to plan and oraganize a huge protest with activists from all over the SW US (Az, Ca, etc.) and hold the huge protest IN LONG BEACH! I'll post an announcement NOW on www.protest.net GET READY!

You should network with the October 22 Coalition in LA, along with any copwatch groups around, and other organizations involved with police brutality issues. We need to show the LBPD that we won't be scared away by their brutal tactics. Whose city? OUR city!

I'm from the midwest so not involved with any groups out west, but i would ask, why wait till oct 22? Use the momentum the cops gave you now, and take to the streets, of course, bring along information on the oct 22 coalition so that those who see you this time can join you then!

I believe that the city of Long Beach should become the center of attention for all forms of protests in southern California from this point on. The beast like brutality of the military assault on the "May Day protesters" should not go unchallenged. Since the city of Long Beach wants to be known as southern California's "free speech despot", than they can become the home of every progressive organization. I believe the people should protest the city of Long Beach this week, next week, next month, on October 22, and any other day that is conducive to large numbers of people showing up. There should even be a large annual labor day march and rally in Long Beach from all over California. Let's organize, educate, and agitate-until we get Justice.

Eventually, the city leaders and their business cronies will get the idea that the people mean business. The loss of tourist dollars, along with the general monetary loss of business consumption(especially in the area of entertainment)- due to the fact of the city's new founded reputation, and a undermanned police force for large protests will be a costly burdened to the city. Either the city of Long Beach will begin a quick attitude adjustment or they will be financially brought to their knees. I believe that the citizens of Long Beach will run their city leaders and politicians out of office and out of town, long before the right of the people to assemble and protest their grievances, can be brutalized into submission.

Let's protest until they criminally prosecute the Long Beach police. Every officer present during the May Day protests should be prosecuted, for they were all "a party to the crime" of brutality and insanity. All power to the people!

All I have to say is good luck suing the police and holding them accountable, if that's what protesters plan on doing. Many years ago, I was arrested, sexually harassed and permanently disabled by a fascist cop during a protest which happened to be walking down the street where I was on the sidewalk. I was charged with obstructing traffic, resisting arrest, and refusing to disperse because I was walking down a public sidewalk as a demonstration happened to be going by. I sued, but the cop never received any repercussion. Instead, taxpayers paid some of my medical bills, and I ended up permanently disabled and unable to work anymore at age 25. I was homeless for several years due to the police, and now I earn so little no place will rent to me even if I can afford it, and I must rent a garage to live in, not the best place for a disabled person.

The good thing that came out of it is that it politicized me and since then I have become very active in direct action against police brutality. Suing the police can help with the money wasted on arrests, court hearings, and injuries, but it won't hold the violent abuser cops accountable. We must do more!

I agree we have alot of momentum in this now. If we want to a do a police brutality protest we don't necessarly have to wait until O22, hell , the more police brutality protests, the better. There is alot of momentum built up right now. We shouldn't have to wait only once a year to get out there to do a big protest. We can get out in the streets all the time because we have the people, we are the people, we have the power. We can get many more peoples attention if we hit the streets more frequently. Let them know that we arn't just a bunch of kids who don't got any balls. Let them know that there is a revolution going on. Let them know that the 60's is comming back around again, except this time we won't be smacked down.

I wasn't at the Long Beach march, but have been keeping up on what went down. Why wait for O22? Good question, no answer. Long Beach police will not be punished until their higher ups feel the strain. March well and march often. And post when and where. I will lend my support. Also, just an FYI. They are not considered 'non-lethal' weapons by anybody but political pr reps. the manufacturers themselves state that they will cause severe damage and refer to them a less lethal simply because they have a lesser chance of being lethal when used properly. Also a good idea to look up california penal code, sections 403-409 to find out just what is unlawful assembly. I think it would be good to march before October 22nd. Things mean more when done outside of a regular schedule. And as always...educate to erradicate-refuse, resist, revolt!