This person was arrested as the rally was ending. He is charged with graffiti and vandalism. He was arrested for allegedly writing in chalk on the sidewalk and on a concrete bollard. Fellow activists tried to get more information but the police were not very helpful, and unfortunately there were no NLG legal observers present at the time.

It is my understanding that street chalk is legal because it is not indelible and easily removed. Does anyone know the law on this point?

Here are some photos and some audio.

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This is a great picture, quite apart from the dramatic scene just beginning to unfold. The marking on the stone column in the foreground, the small boy to the right, the arrested figure and police in the background -- wonderful compositon.

I came by this situation just as the police where taking the man away. The crowd was chanting 'Let him go!', but there seemed to be no information being given them. The police were very uncommunicative, as the writer says. The offense seems very petty, if just chalking is what it was.

An African-American man was arrested for standing on the steps of City Hall. Apparently, this is a crime now. Another guy was standing right next to him as the police put the cuffs on, shouting to the crowd to try to get their attention. "A man is being arrested for standing on the stairs! The police are arresting a man for standing on the steps of City Hall!" Some of the marchers heard him and started to crowd around the scene. Some other cops started putting up yellow tape to keep people off the steps. A few of us confronted the cops and started pulling the tape down. I tried to get others from the march to come up and help, but for the most part, everybody just stood there like sheep, or marched on by, oblivious. A trippy girl with a little white "evolution" flag pointed out to nobody in particular that "you can't fight City Hall." True that, I guess. I got disgusted and left. The man and cop who arrested him were long gone by this point, and (almost) nobody in the area was game to challenge this fairly stupid abuse of authority by the cops.

NLG green-hats were present, but I don't know whether they were able to get the guy's information from him before the cops took him away.

Does anyone know who that is getting arrested in the photo?

From a call to LAPD (213) 473-6100

They did arrest a Sam Sanchez yesterday. He was released at 11:37pm last night on $1,000 bail.

Any nitwit can figure out that chalk on concrete can be easily wiped away with some water and a rag. Vandalism is defined as property destruction, something that can be wiped away with water is not considered destructive. These cops made a false arrest. Once again proves that a brain is not required material for becoming a police officer..

I had been wanting to ask people to lay down so i could trace them but i realized people wouldn't want to get that dirty so i made a cardboard deadguy and traced it like a crime scene then filled it with things like... "Raytheon","Boeing","Northrop Grummond", and "No War"... after the anti-imperialism party all the orgs were taking down their booths... and I wrote a breif line on a pillar protruding from the public sidewalk, it read... "buy less crap".... we got in the car and before i closed the door, three officers ran over and held my car door from closing... told me to step aside and began sticking thier metaphorical thumbs up their you know where until the lead moron decided to not only cite me but arrest and detain me without opproutunity of O.R. The one smart thing i managed to do is hit the record button on the MP3player i was wearing at the time... so i have everything recorded, even a socond file of when i was being held in a cell briefly...


ps- i had about 4 pieces of chaulk but 2 of them were the size of an m&m and the other two where broken... so they seized technically 7 pieces of chaulk which they now hold as evidence of this event...

It's sad to think that they would waste 8 officers on this... im' sorry, aren't there real crimes happening in Downtown LA... like the tyranny of the suits sitting in skyscrappers making decision that will gentrify and further subjugate the last remaining culture of the communities.....

my court info:
div 83
429 Bauchet St
Los Angeles, CA
Oct. 19th 2005

this should be a good one...
i look forward to hearing my case be dismissed or heard by a jury of my peers. IF ANYONE HAS CASE NOTES OR HISTORY OF CHALK RELATED VANDALISM PLEASE LET ME KNOW... THE LAW IS TRICKY AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY THE LEGAL OFFICES OF LUCIFER AND SONS LIKE SOME PEOPLE SO I MAY BE REPRESENTING MYSELF OR PERHAPS MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE N.L.G.

I was arrested for doing the exact same kind of drawing in Pasadena back in the mid 70s.

I pointed out that it is not against the law to draw on a sidewalk with chalk, do they arrested me for resisting arrest and vandalism.

The whole thing turned into a fist fight between me, seven cops and swap. They finally hog tied me and kicked my butt.

The judge would not drop the charges but added that it would make the police and me both look bad. I was a teacher at the time.

I entered a plea of no contest to littering; they waived the $50 fine.

Here is a link to a similar case from Berkeley
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=9th&navby=case&no=9415438&exact=1

and an excerpt from the appeal:

California Penal Code S 594.

As we stated in the discussion of qualified immunity, [Police Officer] Nielsen did not have probable cause to arrest Mackinney for a violation of S 594 because his actions did not "damage" the sidewalk.

The whole story can be found in the Pasadena Star News 70s archives - not online, only on microfiche. Easy to find since it’s the only story about one of a teacher being arrested and beaten for writing on the sidewalk with chalk.

Global Chalk4Peace
Sept 16/17th

OUR STREETS are OUR MEDIA
- WE have TOTAL access -

We CAN Make THE Difference





.......................... heart .........................
United Kingdom… United States…Egypt…Austria…Germany…Canada…Ecuador… Puerto Rico…France…Chile…Iran…Iraq…Mexico…Spain…Italy…Cypress…Israel… Everywhere!


The following has been e mailed to hundreds and thousands
all over the world to activate the first simultaneous Chalk4Peace (scroll down)

People young and old from all over the world are being activated to participate in this
GLOBAL Art/Peace project taking place in communities everywhere Sept 16/17th

This effort follows the success of smaller localized
Chalk4Peace events in London since 2003
http://www.infinitepossibility.org/chalk
and in various locations around the world notably @
The Museum of Modern ARF
www.Modernarf.smugmug.com

It is hoped that at least one million people will participate
in this global outpouring of the heart.

Individuals are encouraged to act alone or to organise groups
in their local community to chalk on the pavements/sidewalks and contribute to
this global tapestry up to the weekend of September 16/17 and beyond.

“Chalk4Peace represents a new direction in activism.
It requires no organisation other that the communication of the idea – it is self organising,
using the streets as a form of media that is fully accessible to the general public and moved by
the enthusiasm of those who are touched by the concept –
Chalk is readily available every where! – It harmless, temporary,
yet offers a unique way to contribute to the global conversation that shapes our culture”.

ON THE WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER 16 & 17th
Chalk4Peace!
On the pavements and sidewalks
of our towns and cities

You are invited to Take Action!
(Scroll down for what YOU can do)

To Participate in this GLOBAL
outpouring of public art.

Where we make our personal statements for peace on
the pavements and sidewalks of our cities all over our world.

Chalk4Peace is happening!

All around the globe, together we are decorating,
dedicating and declaring, in deep sincerity our collective call for peace.

Chalk4Peace is about our empowerment.
We The People, our global culture, all people everywhere and our common
desire to live in peace.

The Chalk4Peace project has already transformed the experience of thousands of people attending demonstrations for peace
all over the world during the past 3 years. Chalk4Peace is both a tool and a conduit for
non violent public self expression,
and participation in the growing global movement for peace.

Chalk4Peace is an opportunity for all ages, especially the young,
whose future is in dire jeopardy as our global village falls faster
and faster into the fear breeding
fear breeding fear spiral.

Our global culture
teetering on the edge of extinction.

No 1 person alone can turn this around, but together WE CAN!

"The Structure of world peace cannot be the work of one man, one party,or one nation.
It must be a peace which rests on the cooperative effort of the whole world"
... Eleanor Roosevelt


Our basic human instincts drive us to seek safety. That is what this chaos is all about.
Our essential human survival instincts are acting out of context with the wider global cultural need.

Everywhere the media is bombarding us with WAR TALK,
distractions and negative belief patterns that encourage us to believe that the
future of our world is out of our hands entirely.
One place we still have communal access to, is our streets.

We can balance our conversation
with collective self-expression using
OUR STREETS AS OUR MEDIA!

Chalk4Peace is one step, a catalyst that can transform our global conversation as
we the people, en masse make our statement that is our common aspiration for peace.

START NOW! Just DO IT!
Carry some chalk with you, invite a friend with you, to chalk inspirations on the pavement whenever and wherever you fancy.
Chalk is harmless, cheap and washes away within a few days.

Especially participate
in the Sept 16 – 17th
Global Chalk4Peace Action!

Make it happen in your Community!

Lets us turn our grey streets into a living river of colour and possibility -
With poetry, hearts, peace symbols, empowering statements,
also expressions of our frustrations and despair.
All will be seen for several days by thousands of people, then as they are washed away
by the elements we can continue to find fresh places to Chalk4Peace.

We don't need to be an artist to Chalk4Peace. Every statement, however
small or large becomes part of the amazing tapestry that is our global future.

This unique event conceivably, could be the largest of its kind inmodern history.
It is a global effort that is happening.
We The People are spreading the word and making the effort to be a part of
this huge creative endeavour to bring Peace back into the equation.

It is our goal for at least one million or more of us to participate with this
sidewalk/pavement chalk extravaganza, at thousands of locations, in as many countries,
cities and towns around the world as is possible.

So what can you do to help make this happen?

1. Network this email to your friends, contacts and where ever else seems appropriate

2. Join the Yahoo group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Chalk4Peace

or send a blank email to:
Chalk4Peace-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

To network with others around the world who will be Chalking4Peace.

3. Email:
viziondanz@infinitepossibility.org
to let us know what you are doing in your community,
and please send us pictures. Or to find out how you can participate in the project.

4. Arrange with you local businesses, libraries, churches, mosques, synagogues, restaurants,
supermarkets etc to chalk on the pavement outside their premises on the 16th/ 17th of September and whenever else.

Identify public squares such as Trafalgar Square in London and invite all your friends and your
friends' friends to show up with a few boxes of chalk, or even get some from your local quarry.
Take extra chalk with you to hand out to passers-by.

5. Use this Email as a press release for you local TV, Radio and Newspapers.
Let them know that Chalk4Peace is happening ASAP to get the momentum going.

6. Document YOUR Chalk4peace actions with photos and video.
Send them to your local media - copies for our website will be greatly appreciated - send to:
viziondanz@infinitepossibility.org

7. Engage co-creatively in local communal efforts, strengthen working relationships and find what it takes
to stand for peace and freedom.

8. Have lots of FUN and keep on
Chalking4Peace after the September event

A List of confirmed and suggested
locations can be found here

How did Chalk4Peace begin?
"Message in a bottle"
http://www.infinitepossibility.org/chalk/message/


http://www.infinitepossibility.org/chalk

http://www.myspace.com/chalk4peace

for Chalk4Peace locations in America
http://www.chalk4peace.org

Its time for us to move beyond the “No to War” position and come together
"Saying Yes2Peace"

http://www.infinitepossibility.org/yes1

Lets skip the war bit and just get to the peace…

Greet someone new today,
look into their eyes, smile, say hello,
shake their hand ...
LET THE PEACE BEGIN!

Brian :)

http://www.myspace.com/viziondanz

http://www.infinitepossibility.org

"There is nothing wrong with our world,
we are just having a weird conversation".

"Reclaim the conversation"

"Our New World Order IS Love!"

Dedicated to the child inside each one of us,
all the children and
all the children to come.