My name is Jonothan Shiloka Pearson. I am a certified farmer in the Pasadena Farmer's Market and I sell essential oils distilled from my farm. When I am not at home or at the farmer's market, I go to festivals in my bio-disel bus that I converted to a motor home. Like many Americans, I choose to enjoy my life to its fullest and travel whenever I can.
Topanga Days Festival was happening and after attending the first day, the next morning, I headed into my favorite town: Venice Beach to shop for supplies and pick up some friends. I was to return to Topanga Days for Sunday afternoon Concerts. After finishing shopping I feed my dogs and checked my emails on my computer.
Five minutes later I was surrounded by some kind of S.W.A.T. Team that demanded I come out and talk to them. I grabbed my ID and stepped out to talk to the officers. Yoshioka (#36027), Murray(35945) and Barron (#36530) who surrounded me in military fashion.
Officer Barron said, “I gave you a citation before and I warned you not to come around here.”
I replied: I was pulled over by you about three or four months ago (and he hasn't seen me since). You followed me for two miles and you gave me a fix it ticket to put my license plate in another spot and I fixed it. I didn't get any citation.
He appeared angry and insisted “you know you cannot come to Venice in a motorhome. If you have a bed or cooking inside it's illegal to park in Venice.”
“That's not true,” I said. “ I like hundreds of thousands of other Americans can travel all over America while I'm not home or while on vacation and sleep and cook-anywhere in America. But when I am in Venice, I don't need to sleep in my motor home. I have two friends close by that I can sleep over anytime I am in town.
The officers seemed perturbed that I was answering their questions with facts and was talking to them like human beings in intelligent conversation. I asked them at least three times “What do you want me to do? Do you want me to leave? They ignored my question and turned to each other and said , “He's not getting it.” I said, “Officer, I am a normal guy doing farmer's markets. I am not doing anything illegal. I am just enjoying my life visiting friends and doing shopping. I haven't done anything wrong.
Again the officers looked at each other rolling their eyes-and one said “He's just not getting it. We're going to have to arrest him.” No. I said. That's not necessary. If you want me to leave, I will leave. Again one Officer repeats “He's not getting it.”
They immediately told me I was under arrest. “Turn around and put your hands behind your back.” “That's not necessary,” I said. I will leave if you want.” They pushed me against my bus and slipped the cuffs on me as if I was a criminal (I have NO criminal record)
They stuffed me into the back of the police car. The officers smiled and told me they would tow my Bio-Diesel Bus and call animal control to take my dogs. “No!”, I pleaded. “Don't tow my motorhome!. It is not illegally parked.” “You're bus is getting towed! There is nothing you can do about it! Said Officer Barron. “We're calling animal control to take your dogs.”
“Let me move the bus. This is a wrongful arrest. I did nothing wrong!”. They ignored me. Let me call my friend to pick up my dogs. “What's his phone number?”, Barron asked. “I need my I-phone from inside to get his number.” “That's not going to happen.” he said. Finally I told them to check my wallet. It has my Press Credentials inside. I was doing a story on Venice Beach. They seemed confused about this and ignored me. In desperation I said, “This arrest is unfounded and illegal. I was not sleeping and did nothing wrong. Please call the Sheriff immediately.” “Why? This is our turf, not the Sheriff-
“What you are doing is illegal,, I said, let me go please or I demand you call the Sheriff please. What you are doing is illegal.” They laughed at me and closed the door. I was sitting in handcuffs for close to two hours. They said I would be able to bail myself out in a couple hours-but said the computer was down so they couldn't process fingerprints.
They kept me in a cell with about ten others. Some were drunks, some were artists, one person who got arrested for smoking a cigarette in a public place and one man was arrested for not having a dog tag for his dog! Then there was Me: A Farmer, Journalist..
They kept me in there until passed 4am.
When I got out I filed complaints against the officers involved and I have record of that.
It cost me over $700 to get my bio-diesel bus back which they towed to the valley (38 miles away from Venice)
I have a special family of working hunting dogs called Lakota Mastino in my family for 20 years. One of my dog had puppies so they took my two adults and puppies from me. They were given vaccinations and micro-chips without my permission. I feed and choose natural alternatives to vaccinations like raw food, garlic and Vitamin-C and I am morally, spiritually and intellectually opposed to poisons being injected into my dogs. Like many other people, I choose organic food and a biological Vetenarian, It took me two days to get my dogs back and four hours of paperwork. It cost me about $1000 to get them out. All this because I was illegally arrested by overzealous, nazi-style raid on a biodesel bus and on me a farmer.
After I picked up my dogs, four were bleeding from their asses, one seriously. When I called the vet at the pound he said stress and other factors caused this...
Los Angeles Councilman Bill Rosendahl has brought a special squad of 21 LAPD officers into Venice, CA for the express purpose of vigorously enforcing LAMC 85.02 which forbids “living” or sleeping in a vehicle parked on the street.
Now that most of the Homeless Living in their cars and moterhomes have lost their Moterhomes and Cars to this Scam... They now are forced to sleep on the sidewalk (not illegal)
Having neutralized their targets, they are now targeting other groups of people to harass by intimidation and by impounding vehicles, Family Pets, or giving unwarranted parking tickets.
I suspect these include Farmers, Raw foodists, Artists, Musicians, or any alternative or creative types.
Venice Beach LAPD: Their Not Getting It!
Venice Beach is Home to Artists, Creativity and Multi-Dimensional Beings
Please help write a story for the local news, complain to Police about this, and help keep Venice Beach Free and Creative.
Feel free to comment or share my story or write
Councilman Bill Rosendahl's OR Charlie Beck Chief of Police's email and tell him what you think about this horrible example of unfounded overzealous police action.
"Councilman Rosendahl" <
councilman.rosendahl@lacity.org>
Charlie Beck Chief of Police
213-486-0150
contact.lapdonline@gmail.com MY EMAIL IS
Jonothan Shiloka Pearson
jonothanshiloka@msn.com 