THAT'S WHY THEY HAD THE MEDIA POOL

Submitted by Ruth Fowler on

Ruth Fowler's picture

I was in the inner arrestee circle in Solidarity Park until the very last minute. I tweeted continually from 9pm until 5.30am, yet I have seven hours of tweets missing from my twitter feed. I was in the Park when the Police came in from within City Hall. They were not violent. Neither were we. They called unlawful assembly.

No bad treatment of protestors occurred while the mainstream media was watching - it was only at the end that this occurred, when the non pool reporters were separated from the pool media, and the reporters not in the pool were shoved and hit by cops.

At this point I left, but other non-pool media refused to leave and wanted to stay reporting on the scene. Jared Iorio, our photographer, stayed for fifteen minutes after me and was hit repeatedly (twice) in the chest with a baton by a policeman until he left Solidarity Park. He joined a group of about 600 people on 1st and Main. After half an hour of being pushed back, the police called an unlawful assembly over the megaphone, and asked us to move or we would be arrested.

Approximately 300 of us walked down 1st towards Los Angeles, leaving 300 left standing by the cops.  The police moved in after us, and kettled the 300 left behind. Seeing this, we ran, as a group, a couple of blocks to get away from them, losing people all along the way. Then suddenly a group of police emerged. We were blocked (kettled) in on Alameda between second and first. The police started running towards us - the group was now about 100 people by this point - and everyone ran into a parking lot to escape. The police ran after them and started beating protestors with batons repeatedly as they were running away trying to escape. I saw about ten police hit protestors. I did not get video footage nor photographs as I was running.

Jared, me and three others escaped up first street and ran to Skid Row. None of the protestors I was with had been violent, none had destroyed property, none were even tormenting the police. They were running away from the scene, trying to avoid being kettled by the police. The violence I witnessed was pretty intense. Those cops were pissed and wanted to hurt people. They were running and beating people who were simply RUNNING away, trying to escape!

I sent this to The Guardian and The LA Times just now. It's not well written. But it highlights the frighteningly militant tactics enacted by LAPD tonight. The Media Pool I revealed late last night, written about in this great LA Weekly article, and on the front page of yesterday's Los Angeles Times:

The city's concern about its image was underscored Monday when police announced they would be allowing only a small group of print, television and radio journalists past police lines when the eviction is finally carried out. Police said the rules were to protect journalists from being harmed during the operation.

This media pool drew mainstream media into the inner circle, where they were treated to a display of courteous policing and nonviolence by the police. Even I was impressed by the police. The operation was smooth and efficient and tactical.

Then the pool media was divided from the regular media, and kept in the inner circle. They were not present to witness the brutality and violence enacted by LAPD officers who were kettling and running after protestors in order to beat them outside the park and mainstream media attention. LAPD smoothly kept MSM from witnessing this, and tried to control other media by constant kettling and dividing of the crowd. The Mainstream Media were deliberately obstructed from reporting, and were complicit in their own silencing - as this updated extract from the LA Weekly makes horrifically clear:


Update No. 4: So KCAL9 was running an awesome aerial live stream of the massive deployment of 1,000-plus LAPD officers from Dodger Stadium to City Hall. But then -- get this -- they reportedly stopped the stream because they had "made an agreement with LAPD not to reveal their tactics," and wanted to protect the integrity of the operation.

Tonight was tactical, it was efficient - and it quite clearly violated our First Amendment Rights, not only by violating our right to petition for a redress of grievances, but by manipulating and censoring the media, so that they were unable to cover the violence and abuses being carried out by the LAPD on peaceful protestors not under the MSM's eye.


Tonight has radicalized many people, and highlighted the true nature of City Council, LAPD and Mayor Villaraigosa. Villaraigosa is an expert politician, who has no interest in our grievances, our demands and our movement. He, like so many Angelenos in the Film Industry, only cares about portraying the necessary image to advance his own agenda. When the cameras are turned off, he doesn't need to act anymore. And then the violence and abuse starts.

14 Comments

Did this take place in a

Submitted by PC on

Did this take place in a parking lot that might have had security cameras? Did the people who were beaten file complaints to get a paper trail started, and force an investigation that could open the door to a lawsuit and/or a break in the overwhelming mainstream media narrative of a kindly eviction?

Either way, it's past time for OLA to start carrying out high profile actions that directly target the mayor, the City Council, and the specific developers and corporations that own them. It's crucial to deny Villaraigosa and certain, erm, "liberal-minded" Council members the opportunity to keep pretending to be friends of OLA.

David Wishengrad's picture

Stop the assults on the sick

Submitted by David Wishengrad on

The message to all Occupiers (Edited version of a letter sent to a friend)
by David Wishengrad on Monday, November 21, 2011 at 11:48am



I believe that the activists involved in occupying do not need to be assaulted by the police, weather, each other, etc.


I have been up all night, lying in bed, and thinking about everyone. I see clearly. I don't have answers on the spot many times, but after seeing, listening and thinking it is clear to me now that the activists do "not" need to be doing what they are doing.


If the ones that are supporters of life most important ask me to not buy this or that, I'm on it. Always was. No brainer necessary; all heart. Same holds true for anything that has the respect of life as its core reason.


However, there comes a time when things must be thought about and if what is coming from what is perceived to be from the heart is real, it will ring truth in the mind.


There are many perspectives that people have on things. Certain things in reality do not change. A perspective of a person that does not acknowledge what they see as unchangeable, is incomplete, and therefore suspect. In other words, if a person talks and states that they see something as unchangeable, but then goes on in thought ignoring what they already believe, in this case that life is most important, then they have a clear disconnect in their mind due to some sort of damage.


How is it that we wish to educate others without telling them the final goal when it is so important and precious? Is it not judgmental of others to judge other's unable or unworthy to hear the full truth in its complete simple glory? Must we hide the truth and pretend it is not there for our own safety or are we not giving others the respect they deserve or both?


Liberty, freedom, love, happiness and growth are for uses “in” life. How is it that we choose to ignore such truth that all things of value come from life first? People have nothing without life. Love, compassion and family come in life. Life really is the first and most important of all.


Failure is not an option. These fine people, the protesters being assaulted, and everyone else, need the complete truth. Bar none. Time is very short. We, the upholders of life, must flourish, educate, and find/encourage others from their pitfalls, teach them to see them clearly, and to help others with inoculation/prevention and how to maintain in themselves and others. Everyone is very, very important, no matter what their offense or gift.


We can do anything we want to solve this together. There are enough caring people to get it done right. We see the alternative and its horror. Yet, if life is not held as most important by some in a group, then the group is not working together on what is most important. This is division, separation, pain, suffering, death, and fear.


There is a promise of salvation. It can't be any other way. Whether the one called Jesus was the son of god or not, he did speak what God would actually say. He spoke that he, God, was the life, and that it was the truth and the way. That without accepting life as most important, finding God was impossible and that his words would last forever. Indeed, life, as the most important self-evident truth, is indeed, eternally self-evident. He was the ultimate activist a long time ago. He gave what he loved.


This is really weird. I am sane. Of all times in the human race, we are here now at the real crossroads and there can be only one most important objective or there is division.


All problems can always be reduced to the disconnection/s that occur/s when either life is not believed to be the most important self-evident truth, accepting it, and/or both. Everything! It's air tight. We can't settle for less and there must be salvation, unification, belief and acceptance.


I believe, on the numbers/odds and considering the potential of the words spoken by Jesus, given that everything else he is quoted as saying adds up in actual reality, that all may hear my words and realize they are true and not my own. They were a gift. I assure you all that I am no more important that anyone else. I have done many wrongs. If I can understand these words, then so can everyone that is sane (not currently sick).


We all can/do get sick, and then fail to understand, and we are all important enough to try and find cures for.


I have talked with many people. A fair percentage of the somewhat educated ones say that the government will do a sweep and grab anyone deemed inspiring others.


We have found the truth. We are not spreading it with occupying. Life as most important is not the accepted goal of Occupy by all within Occupy.


This must occur or the Occupy group is without complete moral and ethical guidance. Maybe in the past something was better than nothing, but the goal is always to do the most good and any reasonable person can perceive that time is short and there should be complete disclosure of the truth.


Yes, you have been lied to. The ones lying did not realize what they were doing. They never do when they mess up. Accidents do happen too. Forgiveness is important and it lets us move forward, after belief and acceptance. We need those important people that are taking pepper spray and beatings and worse... to live and thrive!!! We need them for more important work: The full truth; the only way; believing and accepting that life is the most important of all.


Without the full goal in plain view and believed and accepted, the brave activist’s minds are allowed to wander where we can see there will be brainwashing, poisoning, etc. occurring to them and they are there without something completely solid to hold on to. The group is divided along the most important of all and as a result, the activists do not have the backing they should to make such sacrifices in this way. It is completely unnecessary, uncalled for, etc. We are in this mess because of the lack of belief and acceptance of a most important self-evident truth.


Is it some crime to state to the person drowning that this is the only solid ground, when it is proved true? Is it unreasonable to hold onto the solid ground with one arm, when your other arm is outstretched? Must we dive in and swim in the dark waters of everyone around us drowning and possibly be pulled under? It is legitimately horrible. It really is.


Many of us get it and it is smothering and damaging us. I am for 100%. The only solution includes everyone. Do you believe in working together? Do you really? I will be waiting.


Please reconsider everything you are doing. With great responsibilities come great opportunities for great success and great failure. The responsibilities you have undertaken bare such opportunities.


Without life as number one, all is doomed to failure. We will make it either way. The only difference is in the unneeded pain to be endured for encouraging others to rush in unaware of what the goal is. Make no mistake. That pain is not something any compassionate person wants any other person to experience. It is as horrific as anything can actually be and completely unnecessary in most, if not all, cases. I learned through such pain, as have many others. Many, if not most, didn't make it back.


We are all the same in that we can all skip much of the pain of learning through humility. Isn't that the entire point of education?


Anyone getting life as most important will be stronger at the core and will accomplish much with help, just as any cause benefits from unity in a cause that, when really examining it, has life as its true cause.


There is no need to waste time pussyfooting around what sane minds perceive as real; "life is required first". All must understand exactly where the solid ground really is for the mind and body. It is a person’s right to understand that which cannot be changed and all should be encouraged to believe and accept that full truth which they already realize.


Currently, people instruct others that ignoring this most high truth is what being a strong human is. They have passed forward the insanity they were taught. People have been lied to far greater than they realize. Whether it is about what the truth is and/or stating it as elusive and something to be discovered, it is all lies.


The truth is right in everyone's faces and should be acknowledged as being there, not denied; for it is the only sane position. Occupy is not stating the full truth, nor is stating to believe it, nor is it stating to accept it. We don’t need to Occupy. We need to believe and accept life as most important. Occupy, thus far, has been a distraction from the most important, to the issues caused by not holding life as most important. Each and every issue presented by people should be presented in a reduced, proven cause, and again, it is not done by those moving this movement forward.


Example problem and cause: Babies are starving unnecessarily because there is not enough food and water for them, because of corporate greed, because of selfishness of individuals, because they are sick, because they do not believe and accept life is most important.


All issues and problems should be, and would be presented as above, if Occupy was really on spot.         
The core problem is not religion; it is the lack of believing and accepting life as most important.
The core problem is not the government; it is the lack of believing and accepting life as most important.
The core problem is not the health care system; it is the lack of believing and accepting life as most important.
The core problem is not the corporations; it is the lack of believing and accepting life as most important.
The core problem is not the foreclosures; it is the lack of believing and accepting life as most important.
The core problem is not the wars; it is the lack of believing and accepting life as most important.
The core problem is not the poverty; it is the lack of believing and accepting life as most important.
The core problem is not the lack of education; it is the lack of believing and accepting life as most important.
The core problem is not famine; it is the lack of believing and accepting life as most important.
The core problem is not money; it is the lack of believing and accepting life as most important.
The core problem is not greed; it is the lack of believing and accepting life as most important.
The core problem is not fear; it is the lack of believing and accepting life as most important.
The core problem is not a lack of liberty; it is the lack of believing and accepting life as most important.
The core problem is not hate; it is the lack of believing and accepting life as most important.



The core problem is always the lack of believing and accepting life as most important.


I encourage anyone that made it this far to read the following link and the links at the end of it, completely.


Love you all.


http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=303276893034641

Life is the most important thing in life.


The most important self-evident truth “Life” is to be:


A: Believed because it is eternally logical and


B: Accepted because it is eternally unchangeable

J'Tao (PunkBoyInSF) was part

Submitted by invictus99 on

J'Tao (PunkBoyInSF) was part fo the group that got charged by cops down towards San Pedro/Central and 1st. He's been in Oakland and in SF during raids and he was actually quite shaken by the police tactics that were in use. He stated several times that the cops declared unlawful assembly but the announcement was garbled and so no one knew where to exit even if they wanted to. The entire group started moving down 1st St towards Alaemda and the cops kept as he said "playing cat and mouse." They'd rush the crowd and send them into chaos running with nowhere to go. There was about 100 people caught up in that and they kept boxing them in and though the video was really dark, J'Tao said it sounded like the cops were beating on people by the screams he heard. It was pretty chilling to watch.

You can find his recordign here. It starts around 1:38.  http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/18834521

 

Dissent is the highest form of patriotism. -Howard Zinn

 

There is always someone

Submitted by Dekanawida on

There is always someone watching. People in high buildings must have seen what went on and someone might have filmed it. I hope that the footage does come out and the LAPD takes it in the @$$ for the brutality of a peaceful movement. Is that considered as domestic violence? haha

 

 

The following appears in

Submitted by PC on

The following appears in today's Morning Report blog entry: "To be fair, LAPD exhibited none of the tendencies that have plagued other agencies who appeared eager and willing to use force whenever possible." I find that pretty hard to reconcile with the account provided here. I wasn't there and wouldn't know, but I hope that we can get some more info provided here about what happened on Alameda.

Real Talk

Submitted by albert.cantaloupe on

Hi Ruth,
 

Thank you for your honest write up about the entire incident occurring last night (Tuesday the 29th till early this morning). Here is some more information from my group of 200 plus that assembled at about 11ish who eventually joined the group at 1st and Main later that evening.


I came as a medic in anticipation for any unnecessary police violence. It is important to note that many exits were closed on the freeway as well as streets, heading towards City Hall. The group was very diverse in nature with all levels of personhood: people of all age groups, some there from different occupations (San Francisco, San Diego, Riverside, Seattle, Oakland and Long Beach) and different jobs (ie students, professional photographers, teachers, social workers and waiters).


A large group of us assembled on Main and Aliso. We had plans of going around the bend on Broadway, but somehow got caught between Main and Spring on Aliso. Probably due to many protestors stopping to see City Hall on Main and Aliso. It is here where the police tried to split our group and in a matter of a few minutes two bus filled with police in riot gear came. They used excessive force pushing a handful of us (maybe 30-50) towards Spring. A few of us were shoved excessively (me included with bruises to prove it)...we however managed to meet up the group by heading on the parallel street, Arcadia. (Google maps to help with ariel recognition: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&source=embed&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=109157877912473623501.0004560bed4b7d7eee7ad).


The group than decided to find an alternative route and headed towards Alameda. It was evident that cops were on our tail...the helicopter light continuously flashed their ugly light on us, as if to scare us. Along the way some angry protestors tried getting through the Metropolitan Center (maybe 5-10), understanding how valuable I was as a medic...I wisely didn't follow.


It was so beautiful to see everyone come together and most were very friendly. I quickly made friends with an EMT and photographers. It was around this area where many protestors noticed Sheriff's buses in front of the detention center. Many took the streets to protest and in a matter of minutes more LAPD came in shoving protestors to the sidewalk and arresting a handful of them who seemed to be angry at the police using excessive force - this is about 1242am...I have photos that are time stamped.


We regrouped and marched till we hit Alameda and 2nd at around 1am. Our group was halted by the cops. It is important to understand that the cops tried pushing us as further away from City Hall as possible. I met a guy named Marcos who was injured and had blunt chest trauma from getting hit with a baton. He refused to go the hospital because he didn't have health insurance and wanted to continue protesting.


We stayed there for a few minutes, bargaining with the Lieutenant Wernli, to let me (RN) and my friend (EMT) to help those who may potentially be hurt. We understood that the LAFD would probably not have been able to quickly assess and help out those protestors  injured by any police squirmishes. After our group backed up a few meters she allowed the medic team to get in. In a matter of moments we were in front of 1st and Main where I met many familiar faces. In about 20-40 minutes the large group that I originally was with joined us.


It was not until about 130ish did they announce an unlawful assembly. In about 30-40 minutes the police keddled many individuals and arrested them. Even medics and photographers were not spared. I stayed behind while a majority marched at different location, making sure those arrested didn't get hurt by the LAPD.


I eventually made my way to La Placita on 535 Main to meet 75-100 occupiers. I was happy to see familiar faces uninjured. At about 430 I decided to make my way home. I hope my story fills some gaps about this dreadful night of our eviction. Thank you again Ruth. 

~albert.cantaloupe

www.bulletsalvador.com

Sue Basko's picture

Same Experience

Submitted by Sue Basko on

My son experienced the same thing.  He got kettled by the police and chased place to place with groups of protesters about 7 or 8 times, while simply trying to leave the declared "unlawful assembly." He said he would slip free of one group, only to get trapped in another.   He did not get hit or caught, and managed to make it to a safe haven location to wait it out till dawn.  Thank goodness for twitter and texts, I was able to text him to alert him that the police were doubling back using 2nd Street with the plan of kettling people and arresting them.  And thank goodness he was able to text me when he reached safety.

 The whole time, I was horrified --   he was being chased by hundreds of masked, hooded men in black, carrying weapons.  And why?  For exercising his First Amendment rights in an entirely peaceful, legal manner.     

Then in the morning, he stopped by outside the camp to take a few pictures.  Four police came running over and threatening him saying not to take photos and to get out.  Since when is it illegal to stand on a public sidewalk taking pictures?  Since when can he be threatened for doing so?   

 I AM TERRIFIED FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR NATION AFTER WATCHING THIS DISPLAY OF POLICE STATE BEHAVIOR.  This is what lawyers call "chilling our First Amendment rights."  Police action like this chills free speech.  Having throngs of LAPD lurking outside the GA chills free speech.  Requiring HUGE bail chills free speech.  $5000??  That's ludicrous!

To me, it looks like Los Angeles needs an ENTIRELY NEW MAYOR (meaning NOT Eric Garcetti).  It has to be someone with a real chance of winning, not some offbeat candidate.  I was thinking Bill Rosendahl.  What does anyone think about this?    

Sue Basko, Lawyer

OCCUPY PEACE - Legal Info on How to Hold a Peaceful Protest or Occupation

 

Wow, if even you now understand...

Submitted by tovangar2 on

... that the police exist to protect the PTB and that staying within the law is absolutely no guarantee of protection against arrest and police brutality, as your son was under attack for his thoughts, I am truly impressed at the effectiveness of the Movement for its expose of the truth.

Bill Rosendahl?  The same

Submitted by PC on

Bill Rosendahl?  The same Bill Rosendahl who wasted the Facilitation Committee's time a few days ago so that he could deliver his oh-so-urgent speech backhandedly supporting the eviction?  That Bill Rosendahl?  I'd sooner vote for Matt Szabo.

I was in the inner arrestee

Submitted by michaelclarke123 on

I was in the inner arrestee circle in Solidarity Park until the very last minute. I tweeted continually from 9pm until 5.30am,sending Christmas flowers japan yet I have seven hours of tweets missing from my twitter feed. I was in the Park when the Police came in from within City Hall. They were not violent. Neither were we. They called unlawful assembly. share your experienced for sending Christmas flowers canada for my family members

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