Oct 13 2011
A Debate Over LAPD’s Relationship to Occupy Los Angeles
On Tuesday afternoon nearly 141 protestors were arrested in Boston because they refused to abide to police request to move from the newly-renovated Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway. Such an event is reminiscent to the arbitrary arrests which took place a week ago in San Francisco. Eighty officers reportedly disassembled 200 campers at 12:45AM in which one of the protestors was arrested for supposedly assaulting an officer. Yesterday, the police have arrested eleven Occupy San Francisco protestors, on the charges of blocking the entrances of the Wells Fargo headquarters. Nearly 300 protestors had been gathered around this Wells Fargo building dancing, singing, and chanting loudly “we are the 99%.” The protestors were portraying their anger towards the foreclosures banks have issued and because “the financial system has favored corporate banks over regular people.” Similarly, yesterday, nine people were arrested at 1:00AM at De La Guerra Plaza in Santa Barbara. Here in Los Angeles, the relationship with the LAPD has been generally cordial, which has led to some internal divisions.
GUESTS: Mario Brito, member of the General Assembly, Alejandra Cruz, member of the Committee Against Police Brutality at Occupy Los Angeles
3 Responses to “A Debate Over LAPD’s Relationship to Occupy Los Angeles”
If/when anybody gets an occupy Pasadena movement started… I’ll camp out at city hall. The local banks here like Citi have done us locals no favors. If occupy/pasadena jumps off, count me in…
I think the relationship between LAPD and Occupy LA is good because the protestors are downtown at City Hall and not in West LA. Do you think the police would be so nice if they occupied Beverly Hills?
I don’t think so.
The reason everyone thinks the relationship is good with LAPD is because they are not enforcing the law. All occupiers are supposed to be off the City Hall Park lawn at 10:30 PM. But nobody at LAPD wants to enforce it and create a media event as they arrest several and make the top news. General Services Police who actually police City Hall and parks wanted everyone cited or arrested but were forced to fall back due to political pressure.
LAPD is looking like the good guy because they arent walking the tent lines looking for booze and weed violations. Once they start enforcing the laws they would do anywhere else in the city, OLA wont think they’re so cool. . .