It was looking like a police state out there. I counted 180 cops, and that was mostly along First Street and up in front of Parker Center. There were certainly more on Temple and Broadway.

Undoubtedly, this was in response to last year's demonstration, where dozens were beaten and shot with rubber pellets. This time around, they came heavily armed, with new rifles, colored green; who knows what they shoot? Several police were girded with belts full of silver canisters, again containing unknown product, but I'm guessing they're rubber pellets.

But the people were *peaceful*. Angry, but peaceful. And they only thing the cops got to shoot was surveillance photos for their databases. I'm sure they were angry too, but for different, related reasons. Riot officers don't volunteer for riot duty as community service :-)

The plan was to walk around Parker Center, and the permit planned for a march down First, up Alameda, left on Temple, and back to the police station. It went off without a hitch. Getting back to the stage, the radical crowd was rocked into a pit by a soundsystem blasting Rage Against the Machine and KRS-One, with Jerry Quickly on the mic rapping poetry.

This is a request to everyone. Please post your observations. Also, next time (or at the next event) don't hesitate to call in a quick report to the IMC with information about what's going on. The IMC has volunteers who can keep the website updated with breaking news.

This is good for out-of-town people and people at work to stay updated on the events.

The protest was a success in my opinion. I would estimate several hundred people attending. Maybe more if it was scheduled for Sunday instead of Monday but there may be reasons behind that decision. There were all types of people there, all ages, all with different ethnic backrounds coming together for a great cause.

The drums kept everyone hyped for the march towards Parker Center paralleled with chants against brutality, racial profiling, and the criminalization of a generation. The amount of police presence was just ridiculous. Most having obvious mixed emotions judging from facial expressions. They outnumbered the protesters 3:1 easily. Flaunting weapons, flexing muscles, cracking knuckles, engaging in real childish behavior considering everyone was representing a celebrated democratic practice and right. But that behavior is no surprise hence the whole reason for the protest.

Anyway, the crowd was hyped, the ladies were looking good, the fellas were holding it down and Jerry Quickly ripped the mic in front of the LAPD headquarters emphasizing that the police should be scared of our cameras and not the other way around. People driving home around 6pm who witnessed the the march going back towards it place of origin looked confused and proboly thought it was an anti-war protest since everyone was throwing up the two-fingered peace symbol. One moment that stands out in my mind that I will never forget is the moment a bus passed by the march transporting prisoners. I heard everyone screaming and looking towards the bus then all of a sudden it seems as if everyone who was on the bus handcuffed or not was pounding in support of us showing solidarity for the protesters. That topped it off for me. One love.