This is a piece that I have submitted up on the site for my work, thirsty.com. I work for the rave section. We do not have any sort of political section or youth views section. So I have taken the responsibility upon myself, to report what matters to the youth of today. Thanks for your time. If you go to the link at http://www.thirsty.com/Common/StoryReview/1,2351,8~24110,00.html? then you will be able to see the photo.

Here is our experience.

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The clock struck 7PM, and it was time to go witness history at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, so we willingly left the Four Days of Unity rave party at MacArthur Park, and travelled on the subway to the area designated for the protesters.

The designated area is a caged parking lot with fence along two sides, next to the Staple Center. It's obviously far enough away from the Center to make the politicians and their supporters feel safe inside.

When we got off of the subway and reached the parking lot, we were disappointed to discover that the band Ozomatli had been kicked off stage. Next, we heard a remark made over the PA system by the LAPD. They had declared the area "unlawful," and they were shutting it down. Every one had 15 minutes to disperse. Keep in mind, there were thousands of people, all of various ages, pumped up by a concert by Rage Against the Machine.

Unfortunately, we had also missed out on Rage, because they went on stage an hour before we arrived. Once it became apparent that the free show was over, and Ozomatli could not play, people became even more upset.

Consequently, the police's reasoning for shutting down the protester's area was valid. Some people, obviously not peaceful protesters, climbed the fence, and threw bottles and concrete rocks over the fence at the cops.

Once the announcement was made, many people began to disperse, but more people began shouting at the cops and starting arguments. There was no violence occurring at this time. People were just hanging out and taking photos, and voicing opinions. A little trash pile was started on fire, but that was it. No violence.

About five minutes later, while on our way out of the lot, hundreds of people started rushing towards us. Policemen swarmed in upon us with huge horses, swinging batons. They herded people into the fenced off corner of the lot. They moved in on us and told us to exit the lot, when they were blocking the exits. We had no escape.

We stood in fear with our hands in the air, to let the police know that we meant no harm. Instead, they came upon us and forced us down onto the ground and beat us with their batons. Horses were breathing down our necks, as they hit us repeatedly, shouting at us and telling us to go out of the area. We made our way around the fence and saw an exit. My Editor, Ultraviolet, was spotted in the distance, running into the street. I lost her at this point.

Picture this. Police on enormous horses hovering over us. Yelling at us to go one way out. We followed their orders, and ran to the direction that they ordered. Just when we thought our safety would be secured, because we were following their orders, that was when all hell broke loose.

More police officers greeted us at the exit, with shotguns full of rubber canisters. These were not rubber bullets, these were bullets equal to the size of a film canister. Due to the shots, we made a full turnaround and dove underneath the stage that was set up for bands and speakers. We hid underneath this area for about five minutes, until the police took us out and put us up against the fence.

After they made us sit down and asked us who we were with, we all kept quiet and were finally ushered by security guards to the place where the cops on horses first appeared. They asked us questions for ten minutes, and finally let us go.

We gathered across the way on a street corner. The members of the Convention walked in packs by us, as protesters tried to tell them what was happening in the real world. They scurried past us, frightened, back to their luxurious hotel rooms.

This is a picture taken when the police rushed us with horses and batons, beating us. These are two innocent young adults, no older than eighteen-years-old, peaceful, carrying no weapons, crouched and holding each other for protection.

I reunited with Ultraviolet three hours later, when I received a message on my pager that she was back in MacArthur Park. I met a journalist with the IMC, the Independent Media Channel and went with her to get a ride in her car to the park. Ultraviolet told me how she got trampled and kicked by one of the horses, and she got yanked into safety by a young adult. She is all right, and neither of us have any bruises or scars.

Please visit this site, as it is recommended by the IMC, the D2KLA Network, and the peaceful protesters attending the Democratic Convention right now. Go to la.indymedia.org. These are some non-corporate accounts of the police violence last night.

Thank you ravers, for being real, opening your eyes to reality, and reading our coverage from rave.thirsty.com. Please stay with us, as there are many more pictures to come, including one photo of a man with a gash in his back from a rubber canister.