LAPD Shooting on Skid Row: The number of bullet holes and their locations lead to more questions.

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Eyewitness accounts describe harrowing moments of contagious fire and lack of concern for residents. Additionally, eyewitnesses are outraged because LAPD Officers continued to shoot Kenny while he was down and clearly unable to move; and, putting an entire community at risk while doing so. Thus far local media reports have been incomplete and driven largely by LAPD statements. However, eyewitness accounts and physical evidence at the scene of the shooting suggests that there is more here than meets the eye. Stay tuned, we will report the facts as we get them.

LAPD Police Presence on Main St. Continues to Escalate, Two LA CAN Members Arrested (New Photos Added)

Over the last few weeks, we have seen an increase in LAPD presence and hostile policing on Main St. in Downtown.

This dangerous trend continued late last night when a large group of officers began roughing up  a couple of black female residents.

LA CAN members were standing on the sidewalk talking when they noticed a squad car approach at a high rate of speed and stop a few buildings from where they stood. Two male officers exited their vehicle and threw two African American/Black females against the wall. One officer (the same officer in the video who says its okay to video and simultaneously leads the charge to arrest Bilal Ali & “Colonel”) takes one of the females between two buildings out of the sight of the general public. Shortly thereafter he aggressively slammed her to the ground in full view of residents and LA CAN members who were rightly outraged.  LA CAN members were on hand to video and document the altercation. And when the officers decided they did not like that, they had two of our members arrested.

Why would a male officer move a female suspect into this secluded space in the dead of night? And, what did he do that led to her being slammed forcefully to the ground?

This type biased and violent policing has only increased since the Safer Cities Initiative was implemented in 2006. And long-term, low-income residents who have stood up and resisted have been met with repression and constant harassment. But we remain undeterred. We will not sit back and allow LAPD to intimidate and attack our community.

OFFICERS INVOLVED: (This is a short list because the LAPD routinely refuses to identify ALL officers at the scene)

Officer Rodriguez #36345

Officer Loza #39934

Sgt Severns #33807

LT. Melro #31240

Update: Friday, April 05, 2013

The female who was slammed to the ground was released from custody. . She visited LA CAN today and inquired about the well-being of residents present, and arrested, after they demanded the LAPD to stop abusing her. She reported to LA CAN that no charges were filed against her. She had visible injuries, consistent with the abuse that witnesses reported, and is rightly upset about the physical mistreatment she endured.

This is the picture (taken by Bilal Ali) that enraged the LAPD officer and ultimately led to the arrest of residents.

Immediately after the female suspect was slammed to the ground by male officers. (Photo taken by Bilal Ali)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEW Public Enemy Music Video featuring LA CAN Footage

BRAND NEW Public Enemy Video for “Get Up Stand Up” (feat. Brother Ali) featuring LA CAN footage and clips from our Operation Skid Row Mini-Documentary!

 

Estella Lopez and CCEA Continue Their Misinformation Campaign

Last week, The Los Angeles Times’ published an editorial (“L.A.’s skid row property rights”) calling out City Attorney Carmen Trutanich and his “misguided use of resources” in trying to overturn a recent federal court decision that bars the city and LAPD from seizing/destroying the property of homeless residents living in Skid Row.

On February 28, Estela Lopez (Executive Director of the Central City East Association) issued a problematic response (“Skid row: Hoarding trash on sidewalks isn’t a right”) that was riddled with misinformation and straight out lies. She continues to mischaracterize and demonize our community in the media.

To be clear, Estela Lopez and the CCEA do NOT speak on behalf of Skid Row residents – housed or homeless. The CCEA represents downtown L.A. businesses that pay Lopez and her organization to advocate on their behalf.  If her concern for housed Skid Row residents expressed in the editorial were real, she could work with residents on solutions instead of blaming us for our community’s problems.

In her response, Lopez states “those who are critical of this injunction don’t dispute the right of the homeless to have personal property.” However, that is precisely the position taken by the City of Los Angeles at the behest of those interested in removing poor people from downtown Los Angeles. Leading the charge has been  Los Angeles City Attorney, Amy Field  who has openly in her arguments to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, fought against the notion of property rights and due process in Skid Row.

In an exchange with judges, Ms. Field stated “I’m not conceding that they [homeless residents of Skid Row] have a constitutionally protected property right. In fact, that’s my point…that they don’t.” (Hear audio of this quote and others HERE)

Then Lopez concludes her shallow rebuttal by stating that the injunction “is about whether it is safe, sane and civilized to allow limitless and hazardous possessions to occupy the sidewalks that belong to everyone,” which is a blatant misstatement of fact. The injunction does NOT allow for limitless OR hazardous possessions on the sidewalk.  In fact, it expressly states that property that presents an immediate threat to public health or safety CAN be seized.

Ms. Lopez, Skid Row residents are perfectly capable and speaking for themselves – and they do it every day in their fight for an equitable community that values long-time low-income and homeless residents.  Your version of our community only perpetuates myths and stereotypes.

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The specific directives in U.S. District Judge Phillip S. Gutierrez’ ruling state that the City, and its agents and employees, are enjoined from:

“1. Seizing property in Skid Row absent an objectively reasonable belief that it is abandoned, presents an immediate threat to public health or safety, or is evidence of a crime, or contraband; and

2. Absent an immediate threat to public health or safety, destruction of said seized property without maintaining it in a secure location for a period of less than 90 days.”

Therefore, the injunction in no way instructs the City of Los Angeles to stop picking up trash. Nor does it stop LAPD from enforcing laws that regulate appropriate sidewalk access or from taking property that presents an immediate threat to public health or safety, or is evidence of a crime.

What the injunction actually does is bar the city from seizing and destroying the personal possessions of homeless residents.

LAPD tases Skid Row resident for Jaywalking?

On Thursday, February 9, 2012, LA CAN Community Watch came upon a police scene at 7th and Maple, where a man was being held down by multiple LAPD officers. Witnesses as well as LAPD (see video above) state that the man was cited for jaywalking. According to LAPD officers, he resisted. However, witnesses on scene also stated that LAPD officers then tased the individual, who could be heard screaming and asking for help.

It is clear in the video that the individual is extremely distressed. Did he express symptoms of mental illness? If so, where was the SMART Team (Systemwide Mental Assessment Response Team)? Was it really necessary to tase an individual over a citation? Were over 15 LAPD officers needed at the scene?

As if the mass ticketing in the Skid Row community was not bad enough, it appears now that under the Safer Cities Initiative residents of the community can be tased simply for jaywalking.

GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT!: LA CAN 2011

A video highlighting the various campaigns, actions, and achievements of LA CAN in 2011!

September/October 2011 Community Connection NOW AVAILABLE!

Click on the photo above to read the September/October 2011 Edition of the Community Connection (or download a PDF version HERE).

LA CAN Back in Full Force!

General Dogon was released from jail last night and is back with renewed energy to promote civil and human rights in Los Angeles!  The City Attorney had attempted to create a new charge and a probation violation, but the judge dismissed those unjust efforts yesterday morning.  Later in the day, he was released from County jail in full completion of his 120-day sentence for the convictions in early July related to the May 21^st 2010 police abuse in City Hall.

Also, last Wednesday (July 27, 2011) the City of Los Angeles declined to file any charges against LA CAN’s Pete White following an at-best questionable arrest that occurred during a regular, legal protest of the Central City East Association’s (CCEA) supposed Skid Row Neighborhood Watch Walk.  Mr. White, after being distinctly targeted throughout the protest, was arrested for disrupting a public meeting. Following the arrest, an order to disperse was given and all others were threatened with arrest.  Members of LA CAN and numerous other organizations were simply exercising our first amendment right on a public sidewalk that was not closed to the public at the time.

The overzealous nature of this arrest was confirmed when the city decided to not file charges at this time (although they have the ability to file charges at a later date).

These recent criminalization and retaliation efforts are simply more examples of LAPD and the City Attorney’s ongoing targeting of community leaders who oppose the Safer Cities Initiative and its efforts to criminalize the residents of Skid Row.  LA CAN will not allow these attempts at intimidation deter our resistance and our work for justice and equality!

We will continue our protest of the so-called “Neighborhood Watch Walk” this upcoming Wednesday – August 3^rd. If you would like to join, meet at LA CAN at 5:00 pm or at the Ballington Plaza (622 S. Wall Street) at 5:30 pm.

LAPD Continues Criminalization Efforts against LA CAN to Squash Organizing and Silence Dissent, but We Won’t Let that Happen

On Wednesday, July 6th, just hours after the conviction of General Dogon was announced, LA CAN and partners including Dream Team LA, Comunidad Presente, Hippie Kitchen and others gathered for our monthly protest of the supposed Skid Row Neighborhood Watch Walk.  Pete White, LA CAN Co-Director, was distinctly targeted and arrested during the protest.

This Walk is organized by the Central City East Association, a business improvement district which promotes criminalization of homelessness and the increased policing and enforcement under the Skid Row Safer Cities Initiative.  Often, City Attorney Trutanich, Councilmember Jan Perry, other business leaders, and media attend the walk.  What is conspicuously missing every month is Skid Row residents.

LA CAN and our partners decided to begin a monthly protest of this event for several reasons, including: 1) the City Attorney’s crackdown on protest and dissent which has impacted all of the participating organizations; 2) the lack of resident involvement in the Walk – instead using the walk to demonize and degrade residents; and 3) to protest the Safer Cities Initiative (SCI), since the Walkers are generally accompanied by several SCI officers who have made thousands of arrests of poor, mostly Black residents as part of the Initiative.

We have been doing this protest since March, but this month the response from LAPD was quite different and more intense.  Although there were only 10-12 people, mostly business reps, participating in the Walk, there were dozens of LAPD officers on hand.  Officers gave conflicting information to legal observers about our right to be there and our right to protest on public property.

LAPD at 6th and Gladys, a block before arrest

Although we were simply exercising our first amendment right on a public sidewalk that was not closed to the public nor occupied by a permit obtained by CCEA, Pete White was arrested for what LAPD claimed was disrupting a public meeting.  After the arrest, an order to disperse was given and all others were threatened with arrest.

A community partner who also attended the protest of the “Safety Walk” posted this video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_4qOHHall8&feature=channel_video_title

LA CAN leadership has been targeted with arrests, detentions, false charges, degrading comments and public statements by LAPD, and much more because of our opposition to Safer Cities and our active resistance to criminalization efforts.  We believe this arrest, and especially this ridiculous charge, is unjust like all the rest and we will fight it all the way.  Pete has been released from jail and his first court date is scheduled for July 27th.  Stay tuned for ways to support.

 

April – May 2011 Community Connection HOT OFF THE PRESS!

The April – May 2011 Community Connection is now available!
Click on the cover below to read the paper.

To download a PDF copy, click HERE.