Los Angeles Indymedia : Activist News

VENICE - In the latest wave of government and police repression of the homeless community, a meeting was held, a new policy adopted, signs were posted, and eviction followed. The events were marked by the participation of members of the clergy from the LAPD Religious Outreach office.

In order to justify this clearing out, the city council approved an ordinance banning vending, but also extended a previous ordinance closing the beach between midnight and 5am to include the Venice boardwalk. Advocates have opposed the beach-closing ordinance on the grounds that it was created and enforced without the required California Coastal development permit.

The LAPD's Pacific Division is further attempting to justify the removal of people by claiming that Venice is not subject to the terms of the Jones settlement, which prohibits police from enforcing the ban on sitting and sleeping on sidewalksduring certain hours.

Forcibly removed from their customary locations, the homeless were recommended to go to skid row.

From the newswire: More War Against Venice Street People by Venice Justice Committee | | Power Comes From The Barrel Of a Gun by Calvin E Moss

Wednesday, February 29th was the national day of nonviolent direct action to shut down the corporations, especially those that comprise ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council. Occupy Riverside has called for a community-based picket line at the world's largest Walmart distribution center, Schneider Logistics, at 4100 Hamner Ave in Mira Loma, where workers are engaged in a struggle to recover stolen wages and ultimately, for recognition as a collective bargaining unit.

Calls to Action: #F29 Promo Video | F29 SHUTDOWN THE CORPORATIONS CALL TO ACTION: Occupy Walmart! | Resolution in Support of Warehouse Workers at Walmart Contractor Schneider Logistics

From the Newswire: F29 Walmart Warehouse Shutdown: Victory at Dawn and F29 photos by Rockero | | F29 - Breaking: Protest holding one intersection outside Walmart by LA-IMC | | F29 - Images from Riverside by A | | F29: Club wielding cop trips and falls while chasing flag waving anarchist. by A

VIDEO: #F29 Occupy Walmart Warehouse by occupythischannel | | #F29 Videos by franchiseGH by franchiseGH | | Police Brutality at Occupy Los Angeles F29 by 19Alcibiades87 | | F29 videos by mikepointfive by mikepointfive

LOS ANGELES, March 30, 2012 - Occupy Venice, Venice Locals, Lawyers with the National Lawyers Guild, and a group called Venice Community Unity all came together on 3rd Ave in Venice to stop a homeless sweep from happening on March 29.

There was tension. Despite public resistance, the LAPD and Street Services were going to throw away belongs that were clearly not garbage until civil rights attorney, Carol Sobel called Councilman Rosendahl and convinced him to intercede. So this time no property was seized. Trash was removed from 3rd Ave but the belongings remained. It was a success. The only problem is that the city just keeps doing the same thing. Full Story: Venice Homeless Sweep Stopped: A Good Day in Venice for Street People by Venice Justice Committee & Rosendahl's Legacy: Gentrification and Sweeping the Homeless Out of Venice? by Peggy Lee Kennedy

April 10, 2012

RIVERSIDE - As part of a statewide effort to expose California's 1% and demand retribution from them so that schools can be funded and homeowners protected, community activists gathered for a press conference that was followed by a direct challenge to the managers of the local branch of Wells Fargo. Though the crowd was small, the response--a shutdown of the bank branch--was anything but.

From the newswire: Group of Six shutdown Wells Fargo by the lizard queen