Detailed account of police harassment at City Hall - PHOTOS/VIDEO

At 4:25 pm on May 1st LA Police declared the crowd people gathered at city hall after the peaceful march for immigrants right to be “assembled illegality”. Over a load speaker they ordered every person to leave the area or be subject to arrest, that no one regardless the reasons would be allowed to remain. This announcement was fallowed by the Orwellian words “in the name of the people of California”. The city allotted 5 hours of freedom of speech and freedom of assembly had apparently come to an end. (See photos 1-2 & Video 1)

At 4:35 pm police moved across the intersection of Main St. & 1st st. The police all had weapons drawn, some carried batons while others wielded what looked like tear gas launchers or green handled shotguns. (These guns and ones like them have been linked to numerous deaths around the nation, including in Boston during the Red Sox championship calibrations). Police ware black vests, black helmets with clear face shields and DID NOT HAVE BADGE NUMBERS visible. (See photos 3, 4 5, 6 & 18)

At 4:37 pm police in a lined formation entered the green area in front of city hall. I personally witnessed officers use batons to shove three men to the ground near the corner of main and 1st.

I also saw police jabbed a man as he was trying to leave the area in the chest with a baton. The man was pushing a baby stroller and trying to escort his wife and 5 young terrified children away from the police lines (Photos 7-10).

An older man (wearing a straw cowboy hat and with a wheeled walker was shoved to the ground as he attempted to leave the area by police with a baton. (See Photos 12, 13)

A man caring a large professional video camera was shoved to the ground - again by policemen wielding a baton. The officer was shouting that everyone must leave the area including press. I did not find out if the man/s camera was damaged.

Police than shoved another man nearby with a baton, the man (who was wearing purple ball-cap) fell backwards and did not get up. Three other demonstrators tried to help him but were pushed away by police. I do not know what happened to him. Last I saw he was still on the ground behind the police line. (Photos 14, 15 & 17)

At 4:40 pm a white policemen (pictured in photo 6) raised his green handled shotgun and points it directly at the face of demonstrators concerned with the condition of the man in the purple ball cap still unmoving on the ground. The policemen threatens to shot people in the face at close range (5 to 10 feet). (See Photo 16)

At 4:50 pm police finish clearing the park area in front of city hall. (See Photo 19)

At 4:55 pm police announce that those people gathered at 1st and Spring St. are “assembled illegality” and must disperse “in the name of the people of California”. (See Photo 20 & Video 2)

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