imc indymedia
white themeblack themered themetheme help
About Us Contact Us Subscribe Calendar Publish RSS
Features
latest news
best of news
syndication
commentary


KILLRADIO

CopWatch LA

ABCF LA





IMC Network: www.indymedia.org africa: ambazonia canarias estrecho / madiaq kenya nigeria south africa canada: hamilton london, ontario maritimes montreal ontario ottawa quebec thunder bay vancouver victoria windsor winnipeg east asia: burma jakarta japan korea manila qc europe: abruzzo alacant andorra antwerpen armenia athens austria barcelona belarus belgium belgrade bristol bulgaria calabria croatia cyprus emilia-romagna estrecho / madiaq euskal herria galiza germany grenoble hungary imc-london ireland istanbul italy la plana liege liguria lille linksunten lombardia madrid malta marseille nantes napoli netherlands nice norway oost-vlaanderen paris/ÃŽle-de-france patras piemonte poland portugal roma romania russia saint-petersburg scotland sverige switzerland thessaloniki torun toscana toulouse ukraine united kingdom valencia latin america: argentina bolivia chiapas chile chile sur cmi brasil colombia ecuador mexico peru puerto rico qollasuyu rosario santiago tijuana uruguay valparaiso venezuela venezuela oceania: adelaide aotearoa brisbane burma darwin jakarta manila melbourne perth qc sydney south asia: india mumbai united states: arizona arkansas asheville atlanta austin baltimore big muddy binghamton boston buffalo charlottesville chicago cleveland colorado columbus dc hawaii houston hudson mohawk kansas city la madison maine miami michigan milwaukee minneapolis/st. paul new hampshire new jersey new mexico new orleans north carolina north texas nyc oklahoma philadelphia pittsburgh portland richmond rochester rogue valley saint louis san diego san francisco san francisco bay area santa barbara santa cruz, ca sarasota seattle tampa bay tennessee urbana-champaign vermont western mass worcester west asia: armenia beirut israel palestine process: fbi/legal updates mailing lists process & imc docs tech volunteer projects: print radio satellite tv video regions: oceania united states topics: biotech
printable version - email this article - view hidden posts
link:

May Day 2007; A Report To Correct The Balance
by Nick Napolitano Wednesday, May. 02, 2007 at 2:20 AM

The following is a summary of what occurred when LAPD decided to disperse a peaceful march. The following contents of this article may be used for non-profit only.

May Day 2007; A Repo...
img_1674.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480

It is 12:53am and I am exhausted having just ate dinner (thankful that I had a meal to eat and a roof over my head.) I write the following with great hope that story of what happened with LAPD and the peaceful protestors today does not get truly lost within the annals of corporate media.

The local major media news outlets are all reporting that “anarchists” caused the melee by throwing some bottles. First, I would like to pose this question: Are empty plastic water bottles really a threat to anyone let alone police officers in full riot gear? Second, Should there not be some sort of maturity factor involved in officer response and conduct? Third, The “anarchists” as they are so eloquently called (simply because they wear bandannas over their respective faces I assume) were the ones trying to keep the peace. One supposed anarchist was actually pleading with the officers and saying “We are peaceful protestors; we came here for immigrants rights; we are no threat to you; please do not rush; women, children, and men will get hurt; you can disobey orders that do not go with your beliefs.” Who was angry and threw a couple of bottles? The youth of Los Angeles were simply angry and frustrated. They have been dealing with the reality that ICE can rip their families apart at any moment due to legal status. The rumor that ICE was on the scene was also quite persistent hanging high in the back of many minds. Does it justify throwing a couple of water bottles? No; but was it really a threat to the officer’s safety? Please also take note that Police Chief Bill Bratton has reported that “missiles” were thrown. Would you consider an empty plastic water bottle a missile?

Let us now take a look at the side of the coin that the media seems to be purposely under reporting.


The following events are listed in chronological order.

Rampart division officers harass and illegally search and detain a peaceful protestor for 15 minutes because the protestor was documenting the march and had decided to take a photograph of the wrong officers. The protestor is released when a crowd starts to gather and take pictures of the incident. (Please note that event #1 occurred when all was calm and peaceful and the march was slowly winding its way into MacArthur Park)

(Approximately 30 minutes after the first event) Officers start to push a protestor at the corner of Wilshire & Parkview. This results in the Los Angeles chapter of Copwatch quickly moving into action to document the incident. A crowd quickly gathers and the street starts to fill up with people of all ages and backgrounds. A protestor was shown the true force of a police baton in blunt force trauma to the head. Organizers start to plead with people to leave the street for fear that the officers will declare this an illegal assembly because of people being in the street. People remain in the street simply because they are trying to protect those that they love and care for. LAPD was now fully mobilizing at this point getting riot gear ready and forming a defensive block. Bear in mind; this all started with LAPD attacking peaceful protestors.
An alert is issued that police have started attacking and pushing a young man on the opposite side of the lake in MacArthur Park. Protestors quickly rush to the scene to try and protect the young man from the officers. Once again plenty of media (Corporate & Indy) are there to document all that occurred. It is at this point that the tide seems to turn; LAPD now seems to be gearing up for something much larger. They start to block off all streets surrounding MacArthur Park. One can see certain officers joking about getting to beat people with their batons. The bicycle officers are moved out of the way. The officers wearing helmets are moved in and form a line. Word gets out that SWAT has mobilized in the southern portion of the park; the fear of women, children, and men getting hurt quickly spreads. Protestors quickly start moving to try and get people to move back to protect the innocent. Protestors continue to plead with LAPD to prevent the use of unnecessary force.

Without an order to disperse or a warning shot all hell breaks loose. LAPD is now firing rubber bullet kisses into a crowd of families gathered for a peaceful cause. LAPD uses absolutely no discrimination in whom they choose to shoot; women, children, men, the homeless, the media, and those whom cannot walk without assistance are not safe. LAPD continues to fire round after round until MacArthur Park starts to resemble a scene in a horror film where the a monster has just showed up and everyone is running for their lives and safety grabbing whatever they could to try to get to a safe place without getting hurt. I was able to witness a community working together in that I saw others rushing in to the rubber bullets to pick up people that they were just meeting for the first time. I saw two protestors picking up a man without a clue of what was going on and explaining that he needed to get to shelter; the protestors carried him to safety, as he could not walk on his own.

At this point it is amazingly clear that the officers on duty are neither protecting nor serving the people; they are simply protecting and serving themselves and their own respective interests. Protestors try to grab some red wooden fencing from the stage truck so that people can hide behind the fencing. The officers on the scene would hear nothing of it; they continued to fire until the protestors were driven into streets near by.

Protestors are now in the near by streets running as fast as possible to get away from the shear brutality being served ice cold. LAPD continues to file in and attack protestors who are still attempting to get to safety.

By roughly 8:00pm most of the protestors have gotten to safety.

LAPD continued to block off streets surrounding MacArthur Park for an unknown amount of time.

Reports of video footage of a protestor being shot three times by an officer at point blank range while they were lying on the ground have surfaced; hopefully the footage will get out.

I just want to point out that despite the tragic end; the march was beautiful and it was filled with people from all backgrounds marching for worker’s rights no matter if they have “legal status” or not. We all should try to understand that worker’s rights have no borders. We all are in this struggle together. We all want to live and enjoy life in peace. We are all human and I think some forget this fact. Sometimes we lose a bit of our humanity and I think that it is time for people to take care of one another. In this world we only have each other. If we do not take care of each other then who will? I think Katrina showed quite well that we cannot rely on our government when it comes to taking care of the people.

Know your neighbor; know your community. Take care of each other. There seems to be no justice in this cold system. Just us.


Report this post as:

add your comments


Officer Making A Movie
by Nick Napolitano Wednesday, May. 02, 2007 at 2:20 AM

Officer Making A Mov...
img_1713.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480

Report this post as:

add your comments


Sky Cops
by Nick Napolitano Wednesday, May. 02, 2007 at 2:20 AM

Sky Cops...
img_1768.jpg, image/jpeg, 360x480

Report this post as:

add your comments


Officer Trugman (Rampart Division)
by Nick Napolitano Wednesday, May. 02, 2007 at 2:20 AM

Officer Trugman (Ram...
img_1811.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480

Report this post as:

add your comments


Park & Wilshire #1
by Nick Napolitano Wednesday, May. 02, 2007 at 2:20 AM

Park & Wilshire #1...
img_1815.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480

Report this post as:

add your comments


Park & Wilshire #2
by Nick Napolitano Wednesday, May. 02, 2007 at 2:20 AM

Park & Wilshire #2...
img_1822.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480

Report this post as:

add your comments


Mobilize
by Nick Napolitano Wednesday, May. 02, 2007 at 2:20 AM

Mobilize...
img_1852.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480

Report this post as:

add your comments


These are NOT toys...
by Nick Napolitano Wednesday, May. 02, 2007 at 2:20 AM

These are NOT toys.....
img_1853.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480

Report this post as:

add your comments


giving the flag respect
by Nick Napolitano Wednesday, May. 02, 2007 at 2:20 AM

giving the flag resp...
img_1861.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480

Report this post as:

add your comments


Ready Aim...
by Nick Napolitano Wednesday, May. 02, 2007 at 2:20 AM

Ready Aim......
img_1873.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480

Report this post as:

add your comments


A Protestor Explaining What Happened To Copwatch
by Nick Napolitano Wednesday, May. 02, 2007 at 2:20 AM

A Protestor Explaini...
img_1883.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480

Report this post as:

add your comments


Blunt Force
by Nick Napolitano Wednesday, May. 02, 2007 at 2:20 AM

Blunt Force...
img_1884.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480

Report this post as:

add your comments


From A Distance
by Nick Napolitano Wednesday, May. 02, 2007 at 2:20 AM

From A Distance...
img_1892.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480

Report this post as:

add your comments


99 cents only?
by Nick Napolitano Wednesday, May. 02, 2007 at 2:20 AM

99 cents only?...
img_1914.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480

Report this post as:

add your comments


The look...
by Nick Napolitano Wednesday, May. 02, 2007 at 2:20 AM

The look......
img_1920.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480

Report this post as:

add your comments


Rubber Bullet Kisses #1
by Nick Napolitano Wednesday, May. 02, 2007 at 2:20 AM

Rubber Bullet Kisses...
img_1927.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480

Report this post as:

add your comments


Rubber Bullet Kisses #2
by Nick Napolitano Wednesday, May. 02, 2007 at 2:20 AM

Rubber Bullet Kisses...
img_1928.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480

Report this post as:

add your comments


Surrounded
by Nick Napolitano Wednesday, May. 02, 2007 at 2:20 AM

Surrounded...
img_1936.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480

Report this post as:

add your comments


Reload
by Nick Napolitano Wednesday, May. 02, 2007 at 2:20 AM

Reload...
img_1941.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480

Report this post as:

add your comments


Stopped on the ground...
by Nick Napolitano Wednesday, May. 02, 2007 at 2:20 AM

Stopped on the groun...
img_1947.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480

Report this post as:

add your comments


LATEST COMMENTS ABOUT THIS ARTICLE
Listed below are the 10 latest comments of 15 posted about this article.
These comments are anonymously submitted by the website visitors.
TITLE AUTHOR DATE
Mr Jonathan Friday, May. 04, 2007 at 5:00 PM
mr ben Monday, May. 07, 2007 at 3:30 PM
traducción al español mafalda Monday, May. 07, 2007 at 5:15 PM
Batalion of riot police Ulisses Oliveira Friday, May. 11, 2007 at 1:04 PM
Captain wATts Foreign Relations Monday, May. 14, 2007 at 5:17 PM
gangs in area too? Frijoleros? patricia del mundo Wednesday, May. 16, 2007 at 11:51 AM
Don't be FOOLED! THIS WAS A COMING POLICE STATE PARAMILITARY URBAN EXCERCISE! V : THE LAPD 'RIOT' WAS PREMEDITATED! Wednesday, May. 16, 2007 at 5:15 PM
human david sharp Monday, May. 28, 2007 at 4:21 PM
Jim "Vendatta" A. the Totalitarian Destroyer Jim A. aka V for Vendetta Wednesday, May. 30, 2007 at 11:23 AM
mr - ibbi - Thursday, Jun. 07, 2007 at 2:55 PM
Heh Lord Locksley Thursday, Jun. 07, 2007 at 3:09 PM
To: Lt. johnk Sunday, Jun. 24, 2007 at 11:52 AM

Local News

Queremos justicia: Pueblo rechazó presencia del alguacil Arpaio en Condado de Orange N06 9:13AM

Sit-in at Chancellor Yang's office to protest closure of Ventura Campus N05 10:49AM

Settlement Puts an End to Controversial Elephant Hill Development in Los Angeles N05 7:33AM

BREAKING: Wednesday, Nov 4, 7:45pm - Hundreds Marching in Silverlake for right to marry N04 7:46PM

Calling Long Beach Area Anarchists! N04 7:54AM

JFAV ACTION WEEK, NOVEMBER 8-14, 2009 N02 3:47PM

Checkpoints this weeked: Retenes este fin de semana (30-31/oct) O29 9:51PM

Fred Phelps Brings Road Show of Hate to San Diego; 500 Protest Against Him O29 7:10PM

Pension fund probe into possible bribery of former LA deputy mayor O29 6:02PM

Dr. Helen Caldicott Speaks in San Diego O29 5:50PM

Queer Democrats Endorse Alvarez, Wayne for City Council O29 5:41PM

Béla Dornon: Queer Photographer Seeks to Document California’s Same-Sex Marriages O29 5:30PM

Physician and Six Activists Are Arrested At CIGNA's Glendale, CA Offices O28 8:08PM

Physician and Six Activists Are Arrested At CIGNA's Glendale, CA Offices/ Video O28 7:35PM

BREAKING: 1pm - 10/28/09 - Healthcare Activists Stage Sit-in at Cigna offices, 7 Arrested O28 12:55PM

First in state Holistic Mom’s Network chapter celebrates 5th birthday O27 11:02PM

More footage of the Anti-Nazi protest O27 1:46AM

Sit-in at CIGNA insurance, 10am Wednesday, 10/28 O26 7:36PM

International Day of Climate Action in Eagle Rock (part 1) O26 7:09PM

International Day of Climate Action in Eagle Rock part 2 O26 6:30PM

Inland Empire Against Racial Hate (1-13) O26 1:44PM

Video footage of the Anti-Nazi protest O26 11:28AM

Immigrants Are Welcome Here. Nazis Are Not. (Photo set 3) O26 10:47AM

Immigrants Are Welcome Here. Nazis Are Not. (Photo set 2) O26 10:22AM

Immigrants Are Welcome Here. Nazis Are Not. O26 10:06AM

Indymedia Los Angeles 10th Anniversary Event! O26 9:55AM

NAZIS GO HOME! Spit and Swastikas Clash in Riverside O26 8:40AM

Nazis in Riverside O25 7:46PM

More Local News...

Other/Breaking News

GLOBAL TURN AROUND! N07 2:27PM

JFAV/ FIL-AMS ALL SET FOR VETERANS DAY PROTEST MARCH ON NOVEMBER 11 IN LA N07 12:26PM

NDF -EV URGES PEOPLE TO ACT ON UTILITIES CRISIS N07 11:58AM

PHILIPPINES; A CAPITALIST CALAMITY N07 10:25AM

~ BIGDADDYJAZZANDMAYA.COM ~ THE ATTEMPT TO DESTROY ONE LOCAL POORER AMERICAN FAMILY~! N07 9:13AM

~ BIGDADDYJAZZANDMAYA.COM ~ THE ATTEMPT TO DESTROY ONE LOCAL POORER AMERICAN FAMILY~! N07 9:05AM

BTL:Former Religious Right Activist Warns Against Incitement to Violence N07 4:00AM

Nov. 20-22 Mass Mobilization to Close the SOA N06 1:59PM

Honduran Accord Solidifies Coup E'Etat Rule N06 1:15PM

Democraticamente. FERNANDO LUGO, CONTINUADA DESHONRA PARA LA INVESTIDURA PRESIDENCIAL N06 11:42AM

National Resistance Against the Coup d’Etat Announces Boycott of Elections N06 10:35AM

Don't go N06 8:59AM

BTL:Civil Disobedience Actions Launched to Stop Mountain Top Removal N06 5:29AM

Diario Siglo XXI. FERNANDO LUGO, CONTINUADA DESHONRA PARA LA INVESTIDURA PRESIDENCIAL N06 12:44AM

Rivers Casino Supervisor Physically Assaults Casino Security Officer during Union Campaign N05 9:05PM

Obama is Absolutely Right to Re-evaluate Afghanistan Strategy N05 6:49PM

The Shortwave Report 11/06 Listen Globally! N05 5:02PM

The latest trend in eco-tourism is completely out of this world ... and right around the c N05 2:18PM

Comments from an Inmate N05 11:56AM

The High Risk Business of Banks N05 5:40AM

BTL:Karzai Government Corruption Hobbles Obama Afghan War Strategy N05 5:11AM

War Criminals and their agent control 344 Members of Congress. N05 1:29AM

EEUU SOBORNA CON ARMAS A FERNANDO LUGO N05 12:45AM

Reject Corporate Option for Health Care N04 7:55PM

Blog en solidaridad con el SME. México N04 1:58PM

House Resolution Designates Venezuela a State Sponsor of Terrorism N04 1:08PM

Pirates attack ship in eastern mediterranean N04 7:23AM

Profits=Investments=Jobs? N04 5:49AM

More Breaking News...
© 2000-2003 Los Angeles Independent Media Center. Unless otherwise stated by the author, all content is free for non-commercial reuse, reprint, and rebroadcast, on the net and elsewhere. Opinions are those of the contributors and are not necessarily endorsed by the Los Angeles Independent Media Center. Running sf-active v0.9.4 Disclaimer | Privacy