Thursday, May 03, 2007

MAY DAY MELEE

It's all over the news and press these days. The barbarous actions of the LAPD at Tuesday's May Day rally in MacArthur Park. How many of us who live in Los Angeles and have been witness to such behavior are really all that surprised? I'm not. What gets me about all this is the amount of air time being given to news reports about this single incident and the swift response by the city's police chief.Over the past 37 years I have found myself in the midst of protest and peace rallies for a number of wars and countless human rights issues so I know of the intimidation tactics used by LAPD and LA Co Sherrif's Dept. I am also quite aware of provocateurs who infiltrate peaceful gatherings to stir up confrontation taking an opportunist approach to address their own agenda regardless if it has any relevance to the issue at hand. I have been witness to unprovoked uses of force and wonder why it is that I can't find a single news report willing to air the days events even though I saw network news crews on the scene with cameras on and rolling.

No one likes being treated with disregard. The fact that the press found themselves at the receiving end of rubber bullets and/or a clubbing makes a world of difference for how this will all play out. It's all unfortunate and I wish it never took place but if this is what was needed to finally bring the ongoing and ever increasing level of police brutality in Los Angeles to the forefront then sobeit. Let the press not forget Ruben Salazar and how one of their own was taken out on August 29, 1970 at the National Chicano Moratorium March against the Viet Nam War in East Los Angeles.

Let us not forget the fact that Chief Bratton is vying for another term of office which plays a key role in his determination to appease the public and press with his investigations.