Long Beach PIGS shut down Anarchist Benefit Show @ LB Infoshoppe

About 50-60 people showed up to the Flag Day Anarchist Benefit Show at the Long Beach Infoshoppe on June 14th. The event kicked off around 9pm, the first band "Yukon Ho" played and all seemed to be running smoothly. About 30 minutes later the second band was about to play when an armada of cop cars swarmed into the parking lot down the street. A few people, (including myself) went to go check what the problem was. As we got into the parking lot we noticed 5 cop cars and 8 PIGS who began walking towards us as they were headed for the Infoshoppe. As the pigs began their march down the side walk in a singlefile line towards the Infoshoppe we stood outside the door waiting to see what the problem was. A few of us stood outside the door and the pig in front of the line asked us who the owner was. We told him the infoshoppe is collectively run, and no single person owns it. The pig then asked to speak to who ever was in charge. We told him a group of us were responsible and that if he wanted to speak with us, we rather him speak with our group. The pig then got in our faces, then got into another persons face and told him he had to come with them as he was now being detained for "loud music" (no music was playing at this point). Two officers grabbed both of his arms and escorted him to the parking lot where the rest of the squad cars were parked. I asked the pigs why they came and they said "it was a noise complaint". I asked them specifically who complained because we had checked with the local neighbors before the show and they said it would be fine. The pigs told me they didn't have that type of information and didn't know who the "complaint" was from. Once the pigs escorted the individual to the parking lot, they ordered him to put his hands on the hood of a police car. People came outside and began to stand from an observing distance video taping and taking pictures. About 30 people stood outside observing as they chanted, "stop police harassment! stop police harassment!". Onlookers in the Albertson's supermarket and the laundry came outside to observe the harassment as several more PIG cars began arriving. By this time there were about 10-15 pigs on the scene. The pigs threatened the individual for "spitting on the sidewalk", and "inciting a riot" because of the people who had assembled from an observing distance. Finally after getting all his information they let him go without any citations and told him to "turn the music down". The police then quickly left as they probably realize their intimidation tactics were not working. Despite the harassment, the show attempted to continue on as the second band, "Cuauhtemoc" began to play their set. 2 pigs then came back and attempted to walk into the Infoshoppe as they opened the front door. They said a "crime was being committed" as the music needed to stop. Disappointed, the music had to be discontinued. However, things didn't completely stop there. June 14th was flag day therefore the flag burning session in the back officially began. A good bonfire of flags were burned to celebrate the new transformation of Flag Day.

We will we no longer fly the american flag, unless it's in flames. The flag burning represents a form of protest against the daily wars this country wages against people of the world, including people here in the U.S. With the 1.5 million innocent women, children, and men murdered in Iraq, to the recent thousands in Afghanistan, Palestine, to Indochina, Colombia, to the streets of Los Angeles were police gun down our brothers and sisters in the streets, and harass, beat, raid, and incarcerate those for their political beliefs. This is a war, and we refuse to fly a flag that has waged war against us, unless it's in flames!