Above: Diebold Devil.

This is just the last half of the photographs taken at this event. Story is the same as for part 1.

About 1,500 people met at Hollywood and Highland and marched to the recruiting station at Sunset and LaBrea to protest the occupation of Iraq and the stolen election.

About 500 people entered the parking lot of the Army recruiting center in a mini-mall at LaBrea and Sunset. There, we chanted and denounced the feeding of the Iraq murder machine with the bodies of the U.S. poor. Police seemed somewhat unprepared but recovered after about 15 minutes and inserted themselves between the protestors and the recruiting center. After reinforcements arrived, they announced that we were engaged in an unlawful assembly and would be arrested if we did not clear the parking area. They then proceeded to sweep across the lot, driving everyone out the LaBrea exit and into the main mass of demonstrators.

This all happened without much incident other than a few arrests about which I have no information but according to others these were people the police singled out somewhat capriciously rather than people who deliberately engaged in any kind of violent activity.

During all this, the rally and the speakers continued on the main stage at LaBrea. Several people from KPFK 90.7 FM spoke, including Margaret Prescod and election reporting coordinator M.T. Karthik.

So, Kerry is a coward after all, but we're still here, and we're still working to end this war.

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KPFK's M.T. Karthik

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...That People Died for the Right to Vote

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These girls make a valid point: if you voted you acknowledged and validated the way this country is run. If you lost, then face it, there's no reason to protest bush's re-election. You can't have your cake and eat it. Nothing worse than condescending liberals.

Sure, lay down and die like the elites want you to do. Don't even voice a complaint. Certainly don't vote because it's TOO hard. Or TOO confusing.
Moron nation.

If your vote had no power, then why would the Bush machine have gone to such lengths to suppress the votes of African-Americans in particular who voted overwhelmingly for Kerry? Voting is one way to distribute power more generally, and that provides some protection for our diverse communities. Suppressing the African-American vote through a variety of sophisticated techniques has its roots in Jim Crow, which in turn has its roots in the institution of slavery. People did die to overthrow that legacy, and it is not our right to simply surrender it now. And let's not forget the struggle of women for their right to vote.

This is not a right that should be casually surrendered in a wave of cynicism or revulsion. The main problem with this election is that we failed to protect the votes of the highly-mobilized oppressed communities, who saw (unlike these young women who are apparently from fairly protected backgrounds) the importance of this election for them and for the nation.

The present pseudo-democratic system often presents two bad choices, but when they are choices that nonetheless make a significant difference in the environment within which we will be organizing for at least the next four years, then exercising our mandate represents real power.

I hope that this criticism is seen as constructive, as I greatly value the fact that these two women came to the demonstration and expressed their opposition to the war. Tactically speaking, however, the point of view on their signs is naive.

Unfortunately, anti-voting attitudes are rather common among the "activist left", and it helps explain why the Left (the Movement Left, not "liberals") is so small, so marginal and so utterly un-influential. This is the kind of self-defeatist, self-fulfilling prophecy that guarantees we will never win, and even raises questions about whether we WANT to win. Some people are only "happy" if they are utterly isolated and miserable. The left wing should really examine some of its depressing, people-hating, life-hating pathologies.

On the other hand, I liked the sign that asks what we're going to do after the demonstration is over. Some have asked why we don't have a day of organizing and outreach instead of a day of marching. The short answer is that going to a demo and yelling slogans is a lot easier than communicating one-on-one with a long series of people you don't know (i.e., organizing); still, people should at least be open to the idea when they're planning the next big Mobe.

The Religious Right doesn't go to protests, but they do vote, and they win more often than they should have any right to expect. DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Don't mourn, organize!"
--Mary Harris "Mother" Jones

fuck you liberals and your petty excuses to salvage this fucked up institution. tons of people dont vote in the country because they realize that the left and the right are full of shit. you fucking lost this election cause your a bunch of spineless cunts. quite frankly i dont care, you can piss off with your republican play mates.
those two birds rock, their signs say it all. i wish i could play nice with you assholes but you snipe people who dont fit your liberal agenda anytime you can. you have nothing in common with real people. fucking shoot yourselfs.

the two guys(one with megaphone, one with bag next to him) in the front of the "fair question" pic are either cops or incredibly stupid. they got people arrested and created trouble for everyone.

I just shoot off my mouth because my mom wouldn't let me out of the room today. Damn all you adults.

my personal opinion gathered from Green Anarchy Journal:

Don't Bother To Vote

Propaganda to get people to vote during Stalin's leadership in 51' or during Hitler's reign was all too much.

Democracy lends a threadbare semeblence of legitmacy to control of the country- and the world- by corporate cream of the crap. It wastes lives and wastes time with equal abandon, and we must abandon it so as not to waste the time of our lives. Abolition of war, work, and want wil not be on any ballot. Mutual aid and direct action are the winning tickets.

THINK OUTSIDE THE (BALLOT) BOX.

TURN DOWN DOMESTICATION.

My Fellow Americans, the time has come to put the bitter divisiveness that we have experienced in this country behind us. To paraphrase the words of an unfortunate victim of gun violence in America, the late John Lennon, America must "Come Together"! And let's not forget the simple eloquence of Rodney King when he managed to ask us, despite his fractured jaw and the bruises covering his face and body, "Can't we all just get along?"

We all know how much our President enjoys a nice bag of pretzel sticks while watching football on TV. Since we are in the middle of football season, I propose that all of us, Democrat and Republican, Liberal and Conservative, Christian and The Damned, show our support and appreciation for our Leader by the simple gesture of mailing a small bag of pretzel sticks to his attention at The White House. My dream is a scene reminiscent of that toward the end of the classic movie "Miracle on 34th Street", in which the US Mail delivers sacks of letters to The Real Santa Claus as he sits in the defendant's seat in court. Imagine the huge smile receiving sacks of pretzels would bring to the face of our President, his cheeks glowing redder than Santa's as he munches on his pretzels while cheering on his favorite team.

I am doing it today, and I urge all of you to do the same. Won't you join me? Let's all "Come Together, Right Now -- Over Bush"!!

The address is:

President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

if anyone wants to get in touch/involved with some of us folks who organized and took part in the "Just Don't Vote" contingent you can go to: http://www.anarchistfederation.org
the site is update with news and events regularly

Yea, that was a big success...way to go. hahaha.

You all are the laughing stock.

There was a meeting held by SCAf the week before the "Dont just vote" contingent. It concluded there would be NO BLACK BLOC. Success? The only fucking successful thing anybody did was get 4 people arrested. QUIT THROWING SHIT AT A HORDE OF COPS. Maybe they wont hit you. What is the point of battling riot cops if the outcome will be our own suppression. If a black bloc was callled and participated in direct action, they would have been flanked by riot cops and shot with "non-lethal" weapons. THINK BEFORE YOU FUCKING ACT! ORGANIZE BEFORE YOU SMASH.

goku that was one of the most un intelligible comments ive ever read on an imc. please try again.

we led people to the front doors of the recruitment centre becasue if left to their own devices they'd have stayed, chanted a slogan or two then gone home. the anarchists are cowards for running away and for not supporting the people arrested in a solidarity protest outside the Hollywood substation.

ANARCHISTS=COWARDS!

we are not cops nor are we stupid. people know there is a risk of being arrested when they engage in acts such as this. we did what you were unable or unwilling to do yourselves.

THE CURSE IS AS FOLLOWS. READ IT CLEARLY
ALL RESPONSABLE FOR THIS CRIME.... FROM GLOBAL BANKERS TO U.S. POLITICIANS...DOWN TO THE
U.S. MILITARY COMMANDERS AND SOLDIERS........ .......WILL CRY OUT IN SORROW ON THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT. THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BARE THE BURDON OF THIER SINS AGAINST THE LITTLE ONES. THEY WILL LIVE THE REST OF THEIR LIVES SEEKING TO DESTROY THE MEMORY OF WHAT THEY HAVE DONE... BUT WILL NEVER FIND REST IN THIS LIFE. and once they die..They will live in hell until they have re-lived the terror , the fear , ( of mamas papas and children huddled in houses together before death strikes )and ALL of the suffering which they have inflicted....through the eyes, minds, and hearts of every one of their victoms, including the suffering loss of the living.. who's loved ones have been maimed, or killed, and every ramification of this MURDEROUS BEAST.
THEN YOU WILL COWER ON YOUR KNEES AND BEG FOR MERCY...BUT YOU WILL FIND NONE...UNTIL EVERY PENNY HAS BEEN PAYED. -AMEN

i like how you criticize anarchists because they didnt want to follow your dumb ass into a potential mass arrest.. what are you gonna get accomplished with 1000s of cops around watching you/us? anarchists have pulled off far more effective actions by the cover of night working in small groups.. why dont you wake up and re-evaluate your tactics?

<3 @

give me a f-king break!! what, maybe you little friend did a little adbusting around town. so you sprayed painted a f-king billboard or two, the media was out at this event and if there had been a mass arrest there would have been, at the very least, solidarity in numbers. the ELF had it right, but what i saw the anarchists do this past saturday was nothing short of cowardly and they should be lined right next to the repugnants, and the demonazi's.

ill show you how cowardly anarchists are you cunt. if i ever see you and your nader pin wearing friend i will open you up and bury you. im a southsider from twin towers you asshole , have you ever been locked up you cunt? probably do the lockin up you fucking cop. you assholes were lucky your pig buddies were all around, i would have cut your tongue out so that you could bever create a situation of tactical suicide again. and if you are a liberal and not a cop, get your fucking lefty shit for brains pals to do your dirty work next time, not us. PS if you want to "discuss" this in person name the place and time.



"one of the two guys pictured above.



we led people to the front doors of the recruitment centre becasue if left to their own devices they'd have stayed, chanted a slogan or two then gone home. the anarchists are cowards for running away and for not supporting the people arrested in a solidarity protest outside the Hollywood substation.

ANARCHISTS=COWARDS!

we are not cops nor are we stupid. people know there is a risk of being arrested when they engage in acts such as this. we did what you were unable or unwilling to do yourselves.

Author: ANARCHIST=COWARD"

big words from someone who ran away. the only people worthy of respect that day are the punks and the hippie's. the anarchists ran and hid. i've probably been "locked up" more times than you. you're outraged at what i have to say but where was that outrage at the recruitment centre. we saw you and your little buddies sitting on the steps of Hollywood High when we marched to the substation. you ran away, then refused to join the solidarity march!
you're not pissed at me really, you're pissed because you're a fking coward and couldn't stay and face the heat.
sucks to be you!

my comments reflect only my personal outrage at certain members and NOT the anarchists as a group. i have very good friends who are anarchists and offer blanket apology. the person referred to above, in my opinion, do not accurately reflect the interest of all anarchists.

in solidarity
the nader button wearing cunt.

The person using the name "@" shows misogyny in his (obviously, not a "her") posts. The use of the word "cunt" as an epithet simultaneously devalues women by equating them with a single, sexually-related body part, and then attempts to insult another male by equating that male with this absurdly devalued image of a woman.

Beyond that, all of the posturing about who is more tough, who ran from the cops, etc., is testosterone talking and reflects zero organizing strategy. As if fighting with a vastly superior police force on the streets were going to get us anywhere but in prison or dead.

Before posting anything like this again, please ask yourself where the hope for progress in such a discussion is to be found. Actually, ask yourself what your *definition* of progress is; how will you even know if things are getting better or worse?