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LAPD Again Didn't Heed Protocols, Critics Say
LOS ANGELES - As Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa returned to Los Angeles on Friday in hopes of quelling anger over the LAPD's use of force at an immigration rally, he and other officials questioned why officers ignored rules established after a similar incident outside the 2000 Democratic National Convention.
The department ended up paying reporters and demonstrators more than $4 million for actions during the convention and agreed to a sweeping series of restrictions on how officers deal with large crowds.
"There were protocols that were supposed to happen in these kinds of situations," Villaraigosa said. "Clearly, those protocols weren't followed. We've got to ask why, who was responsible and what consequences there are for not following those protocols."
The restrictions ban officers from using "less-than-lethal" weapons on individuals and crowds unless they are combative, require police to give protesters time to clear out of an area before force is used and establish "safe areas" where the media can operate without LAPD interference.
The department's failure to adhere to the rules will be a major issue in what potentially could be dozens of lawsuits against the city, the first of which were filed Friday.
"Nothing that they agreed to happened," said Carol Sobel, one of the civil rights attorneys who handled the lawsuit against the LAPD over the 2000 demonstration.
Police Chief William J. Bratton said he was concerned about history repeating itself. "It has many of the same elements that the DNC event had now seven years ago," he said Thursday.
On Friday, after meeting with the mayor and other community leaders, Bratton continued to criticize the police actions, in which officers in riot gear fired foam bullets and used batons on demonstrators and reporters during the May Day immigrant rights march at MacArthur Park.
"A lot went wrong," he said. "I'm embarrassed for this department."
The LAPD and other police departments have been struggling for decades over how to handle demonstrations and other crowd-control situations.
The city paid $4.1 million to settle lawsuits claiming that Los Angeles police officers roughed up people during the 2000 convention.
More than 90 protesters, reporters and bystanders said their civil rights were violated when police opened fire with 200 rounds of beanbag munitions, stingers and hard rubber bullets after ordering demonstrators to disperse.
As part of the settlement, the LAPD agreed to reforms aimed at defusing tensions during protests. A key element was to give people time to move out themselves before police move in with force.
On Tuesday, officers came under attack with bottles and other objects from a group of agitators. Commanders decided to clear the park. Police issued a warning from a chopper, but officials have acknowledged that some people didn't hear it.
Officers dressed in riot gear then moved in, pushing people back toward the park, hitting some with batons and firing 240 "less-than-lethal" projectiles.
Reporters and others seemed surprised and later said they had no warning.
Paul Hoffman, one of the attorneys who won the DNC settlement, agreed that the MacArthur Park actions violated the rules of engagement.
"They didn't give people a chance to leave the area, which was exactly the problem at the DNC," Hoffman said. "It's ridiculous."
The rules state that "less-lethal weapons should not be used against a person or crowd that is retreating unless the person or crowd continues to engage in unlawful activity that is aggressive and/or combative."
Sobel said it appeared the department did not isolate from the crowd those who were throwing objects.
"They could have isolated them to the side, but instead they pushed them back into the park where the protesters and families were," she said.
Though the court-mandated rules also require targeted use of weapons such as foam bullets, Sobel said videotapes appear to show officers firing indiscriminately at people in the park, including journalists.
The first legal claims were filed Friday. KTTV television news camerawoman Patti Ballaz alleged civil rights violations by the LAPD when she was hit with a baton. She said she suffered a fractured wrist and injuries to her ankle. Attorney Luis Carrillo filed suit on behalf of two protesters who say officers beat them.
Villaraigosa, who cut short a trip to Mexico, met Friday with Bratton and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez, county Supervisor Gloria Molina and other civic leaders.
"Those images hit me in the gut. What happened May 1 was wrong," Villaraigosa said. "As mayor, I'm doing everything I can to make it right."
Villaraigosa, who had been on a nine-day trade mission, initially decided to stick to his travel schedule because he did not want to cancel meetings with the presidents of El Salvador and Mexico.
But when he had dinner with Mexican President Felipe Calderon on Thursday night, much of the conversation focused on the MacArthur Park incident, a source said.
Villaraigosa also was getting pressure to return from leaders in Los Angeles who felt he should be here addressing the growing controversy.
Contributing to this story were staff writers Tami Adbollah, Andrew Blankstein, Martha Groves and Richard Winton.
Copyright 2007 Los Angeles Times
18 Comments so far
Show AllCheck-out the remarkable video of the attacks
Video: 5-1-07 LAPD Assaults Immigration Reform Demonstrators
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdNkXJMH9A
also see below:
http://sfgate.com/cgibin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/05/05/state/n095216D64.DTL
LAPD officers involved in melee were from elite unit
By Andrew Glazer
Associated Press Saturday, May 5, 2007
I am a peaceful person… but if I was in the crowd of protesters and saw a group starting violence, I believe I would have to layout anybody starting violence.
This way we could find out just WHO it is that wants to make everybody else look bad.
This also happened in the 60s
These police are taking their jobs too seriously. The protesters are supposed to be the serious ones. These officers should realize (and their trainers) that a hot head will get you into trouble. What is so hard about demanding respect in a polite way. Crowd control is getting worse in this country, more violent by the police. So where does the right to gather come in? If the police act in a respectful manor during protests, the protesters would most likely give the troublemakers to the police to not have their names and freedoms trampled. Nobody likes dangerous people. Demonstrations are a place for children and old people too. That is how our country is free. Wake up police, be free too! Come protest with us! Its our Right!
What the heck, L.A. taxpayers have deep pockets, right?
We love paying for these types of things.
We don't need to fix roads, schools, the air, the water, etc., etc.!
Geesh!
I was at the 2000 DNC Convention Rally and left just before the LAPD onslaught there, passing long lines of Metro officers in riot gear on the way to the train. The fact that it happened again after we paid for that poor use of police tactics makes this even more outrageous. There must be accountability by public officials for such actions and a better liaison created between organizers and the police.
and so it goes.......
SAME AS IT EVER WAS!
The LAPD has ALWAYS been like that - out of control.
I grew up in LA - (spent 30 years in that sh*t hole)
The ONLY time I have EVER seen a person beaten unconscious by a gang of men with clubs... it was LAPD beating some poor citizen they had picked out of a crowd and (literally) beat the crap out of him, because they could.
Because they 'can.' Because they can get away with it.
I had a good friend from school who joined the LAPD - he attended the academy and eventually was assigned to work in East LA. After about 18 months on the job he quit - went back to school and became a lawyer... Why? He said after about a year w/ the LAPD he realized they were simply 'the biggest GANG in town.'
He explained it to me: THE primary problem is the cop attitude: they think EVERYONE (and ANYone) who is not wearing a blue uniform is one of 'The Bad Guys' & that's the language they use... 'The Bad Guys'
A jay-walker or some guy who drops a candy wrapper on the street are 'bad guys'. If you look at one of them 'the wrong way... you are immediately classified as 'a bad guy' too!
I could never figure out WHERE they go to recruit some of those goons.
Thanks for the video link karenrp, it really brings it home. Of course the LAPD has bee caught before on tape doing the same stuff-being bullies and terrorist. But the LAPD are not alone. If you know a cop you know the mentality (I know of one exception), "I'm lord of the jungle, I deserve freebees, I can beat anyone that pisses me off". The first event like that I saw was at the Chicago Democratic Convention in the early 60s and I was naive enough to think "surly we will learn from this". Years later I was in downtown Seattle participating in the anti-WTO rally-same o same o.
Having said all that I will say that in these rallies you see people who should be arrested but overreaction by the police incite reaction by the crowd.
It is obvious that the agitators were assigned there by those who wanted to have the demonstration seem violent and who perhaps did not want the mayor visiting the leaders outside of the U.S. Hope the truth comes out.
Culture of Lawlessness.
It's that simple. These SWAT units in their anonymising darth-vader outfits belive deep down that laws and rules just don't apply to them. Protocols and codes of conduct be dammned.
1) Every darth-vader outfit should be *clearly marked* with the number of the officer using it.
2) All big SWAT actions (and as many smaller ones as possible) should be filmed by internal investigations.
Part of the problem of endemic police abuses could be addressed by including police service as one of the options for universal service-military-healthcare-education-etc.No one would serve as a cop for 30 years.Even if an individual is decent going into police work the nature of the work is difficult not to internalize. Even the necessary leadership skills to operate a department could be served by rotating say every five years into another area of public service-all retirement benefits transferable.
The repression of most police departments now is not only tolerated but encouraged by the elites because if you have humane officers they won't be likely to brutalize their fellow citizens. A plan such as I've outlined would ensure that the police never considered themselves far removed from all.
"I could never figure out WHERE they go to recruit some of those goons."
There are lots of frustrated ex- jocks and schoolyard bullies out there who are lining up. Not to mention the formerly bullied who want revenge. In fact, I think I read somewhere that many recruits actually have criminal records themselves.
I also think that these cops see so much crime and violence out there, that it turns some of them into criminals themselves. Or they just start to see themselves as soldiers in some sort of war.
You should see some of the cops out there. I swear some of them are 'roiding.
It's really a shame. Then people wonder why so many civilians refer to police officers as "pigs" and why their buildings and cops get shot at and why witnesses to crimes won't talk to them. They don't seem to see how these sorts of things just create more tension and hostility with the communities they are sworn to protect and serve.
I'm not one of those people who think that all cops are bad. I'd like to think that they aren't all looking to abuse people. But then I see things like this, and I'm not sure. Not to mention the police misconduct that has gone on in my city over the past 10-15 years.
Nonetheless, cops scare me. Maybe I shouldn't be, but anymore I am. And people wonder why I don't go to rallies. I'm not gonna be martyred by a taser, tear gas gun, or club, let alone a bullet.
Thank goodness this time it was a police department that can be held at least partly accountable for its actions. I don't think it's very hard to imagine in the USA today that soon enough, it will be groups such as Blackwater that will be hired to handle demonstrations. If that day does arrive, we are all in for some big problems. Just why are they presently building all these new prisons anyway? Surely it can't be for only illegal immigrants or the crime rate. I think there are darker forces at work here perparing for what the future of the land of the "Free and the Brave" holds for about 95% of the population.
Police officers are hardly trained, hardly literate, and hardly paid. However, the cause and effect of this little scene go much deeper. The "authorities" no doubt wanted future potential protesters to see just what may be in store for them if they chose this path. The only way to slow this behavior is to punish the people at the top. Until we do, they will always find a scapegoat as well as a thug or in this case a group of thugs to get their message out. Tax payer dollars will continue to be the remedy for this sort of atrocity. Police Chiefs and Mayors need to be out of a job. These are not bad apples, these are bad barrels.
Anybody remember the Ricco Prosecution of the LAPD and what came out of it? Short answer: Nothing. They are a law unto themselves and they can murder anyone with complete impunity unless the victim is white or rich....sound familiar?
As a protester, unless you are far-right, you are an Enemy of the State and a target of opportunity for anyone with a badge and a gun. We are all subjects of the IV Reich.
various thoughts,
1. how little media coverage there is.
2. this is not about the lapd, but the mental state, facsist mental state of all law in the u.s.a today.
3. how this country trains law enforcers today. to react with force just like bush did in iraq.
4. the selective granting and deniging(spelling) of the rights the u.s.a. claims to offer to the world.
5. the use of fear and intimidation for control. how one uniformed person can control ten people.
6. always blaming agitators when the very presence of police makes people nervous.
I watched the videos on tv with odd feelings. Horror, of course, but also almost resignation. So this is what we've become ?? In the past, I've taken part in my share of demonstrations..........all peaceful Even 20 years ago there were such things. Now???
And I watched with sadness 'cause I remember who my very best friend used to be......the cop on the beat. Where have you gone Joe Di Maggio???
I like the idea of a number on the riot gear.
Film of police beating peaceful protesters in the Civil Rights Movement brought the attention of the cause.
Video of police beating people during Viet-Nam gatherings brought attention to the cause. The world is watching.
We are such a violent society now, so used to constant violence pushed on us in all our MSM, I wonder if seeing peaceful dissenters today being beaten just divides viewers into choosing the side that seems to be the winner or looser.
"Everybody" wants to be on the winning side; unless you still have your humanity.
It is so important that the people demonstrating not allow violence or looting to start. Isolate agitators before it gets out of hand, they are probably paid hacks out to ruin your cause. Looters should not be allowed back in the crowd. Surround them and purge them out the way any living organism would rid itself of disease. It is so cool to be part of a large mass of people unified for justice.
There are women and children young and old in the crowd and able-bodied men and women should monitor the atmosphere like a professional bouncer in a bar. You don't need to use force; nobody in their right mind would try to pick a fight with sooo many people. Hand them off to their cronies; the nice police that are there to protect you.
Whether or not it makes the MSM the world is watching.
Recruiting goons
A certain percentage of us, unavoidably, are suited to become goons. They gravitate to coercive vocations which legitimize and channel the bullying behavior which is their primary inclination and talent: the military, law enforcement, prison guards, psychiatric attendants, mercenaries etc. Apart from that last group, all of those professions are sadly necessary and normally staffed by ethical people or at least people under ethical constraint. The ranks of these trades are shelters for the closet cowboys (and worse) of our society. Where else would they find work? Where else would society put them? They are violent people on a leash, and like attack dogs must never be left to exercise their own supervisory judgement.
Where do they find these guys? Thousands of them are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan as we speak. It's something we progressives should consider when we advocate bringing the troops home.