latimes--2020-06-03--Protests demanding racial justice gain momentum across L.A.

Protests over police brutality and continued across Southern California on Tuesday , marking the fifth day demonstrators have taken to the streets to demand racial justice .
The protests , which centered in Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles , were largely peaceful in comparison with earlier demonstrations that devolved into the destruction and looting of businesses .
But confrontations with police persisted .
And for the third night , L.A. County extended its sweeping curfew in an attempt to quell civil unrest .
Several dozens protesters were arrested in downtown after refusing to leave after the 6 p.m. curfew .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Vine Street late Tuesday morning .
The throng marched through the streets , approaching a line of several dozen officers holding batons .
“ Let us walk , ” the protesters yelled .
Chants of “ I can ’ t breathe , ” among Floyd ’ s final choked words , echoed throughout the throng of demonstrators .
Aijshia Moody , 30 , held a cardboard sign that read , “ Am I next ?
” Her brother is 14 years old and has many times endured racial profiling in their hometown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He can ’ t even get on his skateboard , ” she said , adding that she ’ s dealt with racism throughout her life .
“ That ’ s why I ’ m here.
” A crowd surrounded police near Ivar Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard in the early afternoon , after law enforcement received a radio call about armed looters , authorities said .
Protesters began throwing bottles and sticks in response to a growing police presence .
Officers then fired rubber bullets .
As police pushed the crowd down Ivar , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pickup .
The driver did not want to stop or put her keys on the dashboard as police tried to pass by , officers said .
She was quickly detained .
Authorities had taken about 2,500 people into custody from Friday to Tuesday morning after a mix of peaceful protests and property destruction rocked downtown , the Fairfax district , Van Nuys and Hollywood , LAPD Chief Michel Moore said .
Booking records reviewed by The Times show the vast majority of those arrested in L.A. County on looting , vandalism and burglary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refute perceptions that “ outside agitators ” were fueling unrest .
Heaven Bouldin , 25 , said “ it ’ s ridiculous ” that so many protesters have been arrested when three Minneapolis officers who were present when Floyd died have yet to be held accountable .
“ I ’ ve been protesting for the last 10 years .
I ’ m tired , I ’ m tired , I ’ m tired , ” Bouldin said .
“ My people have been getting killed for the last 200 years .
We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t bring an end to this ... .
Somebody has to do something.
” Derek Chauvin , the white police officer who used his knee to hold Floyd on the ground by the neck , was fired last week and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in Floyd ’ s death .
The other officers at the scene when Floyd died — Thomas Lane , Tou Thao and J Alexander Kueng — are being investigated for their roles .
About 1 in 1,000 black men and boys in the U.S. can expect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to a 2019 analysis by Rutgers University researchers .
Protesters have demanded that society at large , and particularly those in power , acknowledge and take action against such manifestations of systemic oppression .
Walking alongside a crush of protesters in Hollywood , community organizer Pete White briefly stopped in front of a Chase bank branch to snap a photo of a scrawled message : “ Chase yo dreams.
” “ State violence brings me out here today , ” said White , a South L.A. resident who turned 49 on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ justice , he added .
“ How do you get justice ?
By making sure you defund the police and take all of those resources and put it in schooling , put it in services , in housing , in universal healthcare , ” White said .
“ We ’ re saying we don ’ t need another commission , another study or implicit bias training .
We ’ ve been there and the same thing keeps happening .
Again and again.
” At the downtown L.A. protests , many parents brought their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Khalil Bass , 30 , and his wife brought their 6-month-old son .
Bass , a football player in high school and college , said he was repeatedly pulled over in Santa Clarita when he would drive his teammates somewhere and the police saw a car full of men of color .
“ I don ’ t want him when he gets his driver ’ s license to be pulled over for no reason and have guns drawn on him , ” Bass said of his son .
Wearing a short-sleeve shirt covered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that people needed to know that the protesters were strong and powerful .
The 8-year-old was perched atop a slow-moving black Jetta with her legs dangling through the sunroof , holding one small clenched fist aloft — high above the sea of protesters stretching as far as the eye could see in either direction on Spring Street .
In her other hand , a white foam board sign that said , “ # Charge All Four.
” Her mom , Maureen Maldonado , was in the backseat , holding a list of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too long to fit on a single piece of cardboard .
Maldonado said that she and her daughter had been protesting for four days .
Coronavirus had “ removed all types of childcare ” from the 38-year-old office manager ’ s life , but she also believed that her daughter should be at the protests .
“ At least for me , the only change I can make is that I shape my daughter the right way , ” Maldonado said .
Just after 1 p.m. in Hollywood , dozens of activists chanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After several minutes , at least two Guardsmen complied .
The crowd cheered .
Other protesters encountered a line of police officers and began chanting , “ Walk with us , ” and “ Let us walk.
” The group was trying to reach another crowd of demonstrators farther up Hollywood Boulevard , past Cherokee .
The were met with a line of at least 20 LAPD officers who wouldn ’ t let them pass .
As the group neared the line , their hands up , police began raising their batons to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a white flower in an officer ’ s pocket .
The officer threw it to the ground .
Times staff writers Hannah Fry , Richard Winton , James Queally , Matt Ormseth , Laura J. Nelson , Gustavo Arellano , Seema Mehta , Taryn Luna , Luke Money , Alene Tchekmedyian , Jaclyn Cosgrove , Anita Chabria , Laura Newberry and Sarah Parvini contributed to this report .

Brittny Mejia, Dorany Pineda, Alejandra Reyes-Velarde, Julia Wick

Several hundred protesters take a knee and hold their fists in the air during a moment of silence to honor George Floyd during a peaceful protest march from Manhattan Beach to Hermosa Beach. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti walks out to address protesters and clergy members outside LAPD headquarters on Tuesday. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
LAPD Cmdr. Gerald Woodyard takes a knee with clergy members from the Los Angeles area as they participate in a march and demonstration outside LAPD headquarters in Los Angeles. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
Janie Hill,15, from Lawndale, receives a hug from a friend, following an emotional discussion with a Manhattan Beach Police officer, at the conclusion of a protest in Manhattan Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
Several hundred protesters gather to demand justice for George Floyd at the Manhattan Beach Pier Plaza Tuesday. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
Mira Ercingoz,16, from Palos Verdes, center in red hat, holds a poster with an image of George Floyd alongside protesters in Manhattan Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
A young woman reacts to a group chant, while gathered with a couple hundred people to protest the death of George Floyd and in support of Black Lives Matter, near the Manhattan Beach Pier. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
Jessica Jordan takes a knee as she joins other protesters at Sunset & Vine in Hollywood on Tuesday. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
Protestors gather outside Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Hancock Park house as they continue to demonstrate against police brutality. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
Terrence Burney, 36, left, and Commander of the LAPD Operation West Bureau Cory Palka, right, talk together peacefully in front of Getty House in Hancock Park. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
A woman stands next to an image of George Floyd as hundreds participate in a march against the in-custody death of Floyd in Venice. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Several hundred protesters take a knee and hold their fists in the air during a moment of silence to honor George Floyd during a peaceful protest march from Manhattan Beach to Hermosa Beach. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
Protesters shoot hoops while taking a break from marching against the death of George Floyd by police on Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice on Tuesday. The basketball hoop was attached to the front of a bus that followed the protest for a while. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Members of the California National Guard flash peace signs after protesters had marched by in support of Black Lives Matter in Venice. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
“Hands up. Don’t shoot,” say hundreds participating in a march against the of George Floyd on Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice onTuesday. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Hundreds of protesters march throughout downtown ending with many arrested for curfew violations. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Hussain Sharif, left, Mari Drake, and Thomas Rosado chant as they ride along with hundreds of protesters at a downtown demonstration. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Marcus Owen, yells out chants for George Floyd as hundreds of protesters gather outside City Hall in a daylong protest. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Makenzie Anderson, 2, rides on her father, Shawn’s shoulders as they join hundreds of protesters marching throughout downtown. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Bando Kev prays along Hollywood Blvd. in front of the National Guard and near TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
Protestors rally on the steps Anaheim City Hall steps against last week’s in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Protestors rally on the steps Anaheim City Hall steps against last week’s in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Protestors rally on the steps Anaheim City Hall steps against last week’s in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Protestors rally on the steps Anaheim City Hall steps against last week’s in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Protesters march through West Hollywood to demand justice for the killing of George Floyd during march on Wednesday. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Protesters march through West Hollywood to demand justice for the killing of George Floyd during march on Wednesday. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Hundreds of demonstrators block traffic as they march down both sides of Balboa Blvd. to protest against racism in Newport Beach. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
In a sign of peace, protesters reach out to Riverside County Sheriff deputies, who were there to enforce an 8pm curfew during a demonstration to protest the death of George Floyd’s in Moreno Valley. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Riverside County Sheriff Lt Chris Durham tries to calm nerves after hundreds of demonstrators that marched to the police station protest the death of George Floyd in Moreno Valley. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
A huge crowd gathers in downtown Los Angeles to protest the death of George Floyd and in support of Black Lives Matter. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)
Paul Villalobos, 28, from Oakland, joins other demonstrators as they protest on Spring St. in downtown Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
Mustafa-Ali, 27, from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, joins other demonstrators as they protest on Spring St. in downtown Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
A L.A. Sheriff’s deputy watches as protester Annik Chung holds a sign while cheering on marchers along La Brea Ave. in Hollywood. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Protester Vailing high-fives National Guardsmen as they march through Hollywood to demand justice for the killing of George Floyd in Hollywood. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Stephen Chang, 32, left, of Silver Lake, with an American flag draped over his head, joins other demonstrators at the intersection of Spring and Temple streets in downtown Los Angeles, as they protest against L.A. Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey and also demand justice in the death of George Floyd. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
Crowds gather in downtown L.A. to protest the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. At 9 p.m., for exactly 8 minutes and 46 seconds, protesters shone lights into the sky. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
Gustavo R. Ramirez of Pomona kneels in front of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. statue in Riverside. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
A protester drapes himself with a flag during a demonstration in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
LAPD Chief Michel Moore, left, talks with community leaders outside police headquarters after a candlelight vigil for George Floyd on Friday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Zoe Perkins, 4, of Glendale and her mother brought flowers to the Hall of Justice in downtown Los Angeles to protest the death of George Floyd. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Katyana DeCampos, a citizen of France visiting California, marched with a sign with the words “Anti Racism,” joining nearly 1,000 people gathered to protest the death of George Floyd and in support of Black Lives Matter, in downtown Los Angeles. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
Mek Bitul held up a sign with the words, “This Is The Tipping Point!!!” in front of City Hall, joining nearly 1,000 people gathered to protest the death of George Floyd and in support of Black Lives Matter, in downtown Los Angeles. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
A protester lies on the ground under his horse with his hands behind his back as demonstrators including some on horseback rally in front of LA City Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson’s office in Los Angeles Saturday. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
A National Guardsman holds a rose given to him by a protester along Fairfax Ave. during a march Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
A protester yells in front of a Black Lives Matter mural with the names of victims on Fairfax Ave. during a march Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
Los Angeles Police Deputy Chief Regina Scott takes knee next to Johnathan Jasper, brother of slain teen Anthony Weber, during a rally in front of LA City Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson’s office Saturday. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
A woman tries to get between Black Lives Matter protesters and pro-Trump counter protesters during a demonstration at the intersection of Main Street and Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach on Saturday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
A family member of Breonna Taylor, right, is hugged by another woman after speaking to protesters in Beverly Hills Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
Elijah Estrada, 6, holds up his fist for 8:46, the length of time George Floyd was held down by Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, at the conclusion of a peace ride and walk with the Compton Cowboys at Compton City Hall on Sunday. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
Houston Rockets star Russell Westbrook speaks to the crowd of protesters and the Compton Cowboys at the end of a peace walk at Compton City Hall on Sunday. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
The Compton Cowboys ride horseback down South Tamarind Avenue, joining thousand of protesters Sunday during the Compton peace ride, which ended at City Hall. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
Protesters march, raising fists and signs in the air, on La Brea Avenue in Hollywood on Sunday. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Protesters hold up signs at the All Black Lives Matter march, which was organized by Black LGBTQ leaders and organizations in place of a previously planned event by the group behind LA Pride. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Jason De Puy of West Hollywood wears a mask that reads “Black Trans Lives Matter” as people fill Hollywood Boulevard during a solidarity march called All Black Lives Matter on Sunday, June 14. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
Thousands hold up signs and march in the All Black Lives Matter solidarity protest on Hollywood Boulevard. The procession started at Hollywood and Highland and moved into West Hollywood. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
A protester waves a rainbow flag on Sunset Boulevard during the All Black Lives Matter march on Sunday. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
People participate in the All Black Lives Matter march in West Hollywood on Sunday, June 14. Thousands of demonstrators marched for racial justice and LGBTQ rights. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
Deborah Jay Winams cries after singing a song at a Black Lives Matter Los Angeles rally to call for justice in the fatal shooting of Kenneth Ross Jr. by Gardena police in 2018. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
A protester dances on top of Donald Trump’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame during a demonstration by members of Refuse Fascism who are calling an end to the Trump administration on June 20, 2020. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
As protests over police brutality and the death of George Floyd stretched into a sixth day, Los Angeles officials said Wednesday that they will look to cut $100 million to $150 million from the city’s police budget as part of a broader effort to reinvest more dollars into the black community.
In all, Mayor Eric Garcetti pledged that the city would “identify $250 million in cuts so we can invest in jobs, in health, in education and in healing,” especially in the city’s black community “as well as communities of color and women and people who have been left behind.”
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Those cuts, he said, would be “to every department, including the Police Department, because we all have to be part of this solution together. We all have to step up and say, ‘What can we sacrifice?’”
Eileen Decker, president of the Los Angeles Police Commission, said that effort includes identifying $100 million to $150 million in cuts from the Police Department — something City Council President Nury Martinez and other council members had called for earlier in the day. The LAPD’s total annual budget is $1.86 billion.
Garcetti also said the city will impose a moratorium on placing people in a statewide database for identifying and tracking gang members — which reform advocates had lobbied for — and will require officers to intervene when they see inappropriate use of force and report misconduct.
The mayor also said he would support the creation of a special prosecutor to review officer misconduct cases, another demand of activists.
The announcements came as demonstrators filled the streets outside City Hall and nearby Grand Park. Many chanted “Black lives matter” and “What’s the problem? The whole damn system!” as LAPD helicopters orbited overhead.
News of Garcetti’s announcement was met with mixed reaction among the demonstrators outside.
Carter Gregory, 26, said it was a good first step. “I think he’s listening and needs to keep going,” he said.
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Al Calderon, 26, said more should be done at the top. “The D.A. should be held accountable for her lack of leadership and care for the people that we lost,” he said of Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey,
Though Wednesday’s demonstrations have so far been peaceful affairs, more than 60 people now face criminal charges in Los Angeles County stemming from their alleged roles in the looting and violent clashes that marred protests this week , authorities announced.
Many of the charges filed against the 61 defendants are for alleged looting, according to the L.A. County district attorney’s office, but some people also face counts of burglary, robbery, identity theft, receiving stolen property, possession of a destructive device and assault and/or battery upon a peace officer.
“I support the peaceful organized protests that already have brought needed attention to racial inequality throughout our society, including in the criminal justice system,” Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey said in a statement. “I also have a constitutional and ethical duty to protect the public and prosecute people who loot and vandalize our community.”
Los Angeles County also extended its sweeping curfew for a fourth day.
County officials opted to begin the curfew at 9 p.m., three hours later than previous nights, although Sheriff Alex Villanueva said his deputies would not begin enforcement until 10 p.m. — meaning that residents in areas patrolled by sheriff’s deputies could be outside until then.
In all areas, however, the curfew ends at 5 a.m. Thursday, and does not apply to law enforcement, first responders, people traveling to and from work and unsheltered individuals.
Villanueva said early Wednesday that officials were assessing whether to continue the curfew for another day, noting “big improvements from previous days” related to the protests.
County Supervisor Janice Hahn disagreed with extending the curfew. She said curfews may have been warranted on Sunday and Monday nights, but “now it seems like they are being used to arrest peaceful protesters.”
“I don’t think they are needed anymore,” she wrote on Twitter.
Garcetti said that, “barring a bad night” Wednesday, the overnight curfew will be lifted in the city Thursday.
On Wednesday, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Torrance and Culver City extended curfews in their cities for another day. The Santa Monica and Culver City curfews will be enforced from 6 p.m. until 6 a.m. Thursday. The curfew in Torrance will be enforced from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Thursday.
In Beverly Hills, the city is imposing two curfews. The first, in the city’s business districts, will begin at 1 p.m. and last until 6 a.m. Thursday. The citywide curfew will begin at 4 p.m. and last until 6 a.m. Thursday.
The countywide curfew has sparked widespread criticism from protesters who see the action as an attempt to quell criticism of law enforcement. On Tuesday, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter to Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger requesting that she rescind or restrict the curfew order.
ACLU senior counsel Ahilan Arulanantham wrote in the letter that the U.S. Constitution does not permit the county to order such a sweeping restriction on free speech and travel to address “a few localized attacks on property.”
“We recognize that in the last few days some individuals have damaged and stolen property in areas where many others have engaged in peaceful protests, but that unlawful conduct cannot justify a state of emergency in the entire county that effectively places over 10 million people under house arrest for twelve hours every evening and morning,” Arulanantham wrote.
L.A. County wasn’t alone. Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said a curfew would probably remain in effect in the capital through Sunday.
“We’re keeping it for a few days longer just to keep the community, including the protesters, safe,” he said. “If we continue to see peaceful demonstrations then we can start fresh next week.”
Though there has been little unrest since stealing and vandalism hit Sacramento’s downtown area and some suburbs on Sunday night, authorities have not indicated they plan to remove the order, and 500 National Guard troops remain in the city and county to protect critical sites.
More than 100 protesters gathered in front of Anaheim City Hall on Wednesday morning for what was billed as a peaceful sit-in to honor Floyd.
Shortly before 11 a.m., the group laid down silently on the steps of the civic center for eight minutes to memorialize the amount of time the officer had his knee on Floyd’s neck.
In Los Angeles County, more than a thousand peaceful protesters filled the streets outside Los Angeles City Hall early Wednesday evening, while earlier in the day, more than a thousand protesters, many holding signs reading “Black Lives Matter,” converged on the intersection of La Cienega and Santa Monica boulevards in West Hollywood.
Cars driving by honked in support as protesters chanted Floyd’s name. Eventually, the crowd made its way into the street and knelt down, blocking traffic and chanting “I can’t breathe.”
Nick Atkinson repeatedly yelled at sheriff’s deputies about how they should be wearing masks and taking a knee and should be held accountable for their actions.
He said he has lived in Los Angeles for 20 years and wants to make it clear that killing black men and women is wrong.
“Where are your masks? Why aren’t you wearing your masks? You’re all paid to serve and protect us,” he yelled.
As marchers made their way through Hollywood, the protest took on a festive atmosphere with many people exchanging hugs or handing out water, masks and hand sanitizer.
A moment of silence at Hollywood and Highland for those who had been killed. pic.twitter.com/gSk7p7L5gp — Benjamin Oreskes🦅 (@boreskes) June 3, 2020
In Orange County, several hundred people had gathered along MacArthur Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach by 1 p.m. for the first of several planned demonstrations in the city.
Simran Gaglani, 23, of Irvine was among the crowd that gathered near Fashion Island to decry the death of Floyd and denounce police brutality against people of color. Despite Orange County’s history as a haven for conservative politics in California and its embrace of law-and-order politicians, Gaglani said the demonstration highlighted what she believes is a progressive shift in the region’s political trajectory.
“It’s a new generation,” Gaglani said.
Fashion Island’s entrances on Wednesday were blocked with plastic barricades. Security guards stood sentry behind them. A line of Newport Beach police officers watched as protesters marched up and down the sidewalks of Pacific Coast Highway.
Two counterprotesters, waving American flags and a “Thin Blue Line” banner, were surrounded by demonstrators chanting, “Black lives matter.”
For Gale Oliver Jr., a pastor at the Greater Light Family Church in Santa Ana, a protest against racism and police brutality in one of Orange County’s wealthiest enclaves was a sign of the times.
“It’s a blessing that this is going on in Newport Beach,” Oliver, who is black, said. “I mean, this is going on in Newport Beach? I guess America is finally listening.”
Oliver said pastors in Santa Ana began meeting regularly with Orange County law enforcement officials about five years ago in hopes of ending “policing from the point of view that they’re under attack.” He said he’s seen progress, but more needs to be done.
“Two men have said, ‘I can’t breathe.’ One said it eight times, one said it 11 times,” Oliver said, referring to the deaths of Floyd and Eric Garner. “‘I can’t breathe’ — what that really means is there’s things that will suffocate you. Racism will suffocate you. Hate will suffocate you.”
Kyle Scallon turned out Wednesday to protest not just Floyd’s death, but also a discriminatory approach he believes law enforcement in Orange County has practiced for too long. Driving in his hometown of Mission Viejo and elsewhere in the county, Scallon, 21, said he has been pulled over by officers intent on questioning his girlfriend, who is Creole.
“I’m here because I just want cops to realize not everyone’s bad,” he said, standing with a group of protesters on the corner of MacArthur and Pacific Coast Highway. “It’s become the system, but they need to realize not everyone they meet is bad.”
While the protests in Newport were calm, a television camera captured a scary scene on Balboa Boulevard when a vehicle zipped through a crowd of demonstrators — colliding with a bicyclist.
No one was injured and the driver stopped and is cooperating with the investigation, Newport Beach Police Department spokeswoman Heather Rangel said. This doesn’t appear to have been a deliberate action, she added.
Two other protests were scheduled in Newport later in the evening, one on the pedestrian bridge over San Miguel Drive at Civic Center Park near City Hall, and another at the Back Bay.
Past demonstrations have been met with a large police presence, and officials have raised concerns about looting and vandalism in their communities.
About 25 National Guard service members will deploy to protect the Westfield mall in Culver City on Wednesday afternoon following several nights of people attempting to gain access to the shopping area to vandalize and loot, City Manager John Nachbar said.
“Using significant resources, the Culver City Police Department and local law enforcement partners have been successful in fighting off these criminal attempts, including using methods such as using buses to block mall parking lot entrances,” Nachbar wrote in a letter to the community. “In the meantime, other criminals have burglarized or attempted to burglarize other retail stores around Culver City.”
Ten retail stores have been burglarized in the past several days, and other threats have been made to shops in Culver City, including stores at the mall and the city’s two Target locations, Nachbar wrote.
“These threats have come through social media, law enforcement intelligence, community members, other neighboring law enforcement agencies, and mall management,” he wrote.
Elsewhere in the county, reports of looting and vandalism appeared to be down compared with previous days. However, peaceful protests showed no signs of ending.
Demonstrations on Tuesday, which centered in Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles, were largely peaceful compared with earlier demonstrations that devolved into the destruction and looting of businesses.
Hundreds more were arrested, mostly for violating curfew when protesters refused to leave. But initial reports showed far less looting and vandalism than in recent days.
Still, confrontations with police continued. Several dozen protesters were arrested downtown after refusing to leave after the 6 p.m. curfew.
On Tuesday, hundreds gathered at Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street to march through the streets in honor of Floyd. Eventually, the throng approached a line of several dozen officers holding batons.
Jessica Jordan takes a knee as she joins other protesters at Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
“Let us walk,” the protesters yelled. Chants of “I can’t breathe,” among Floyd’s final choked words, echoed throughout the throng of demonstrators.
Aijshia Moody, 30, held a cardboard sign that read, “Am I next?” Her brother is 14 years old and has many times endured racial profiling in their hometown of Pacoima, she said.
“He can’t even get on his skateboard,” she said, adding that she’s dealt with racism throughout her life. “That’s why I’m here.”
A crowd surrounded police near Ivar Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard in the early afternoon, after law enforcement received a radio call about armed looters, authorities said. Protesters began throwing bottles and sticks in response to a growing police presence. Officers then fired rubber bullets.
As police pushed the crowd down Ivar, they confronted two women in a red pickup. The driver did not want to stop or put her keys on the dashboard as police tried to pass by, officers said. She was quickly detained.
Authorities had taken about 2,500 people into custody from Friday to Tuesday morning after a mix of peaceful protests and property destruction rocked downtown, the Fairfax district, Van Nuys and Hollywood, LAPD Chief Michel Moore said.
Booking records reviewed by The Times show the vast majority of those arrested in L.A. County on looting, vandalism and burglary charges are county residents, seeming to refute perceptions that “outside agitators” were fueling unrest.
Heaven Bouldin, 25, said “it’s ridiculous” that so many protesters have been arrested when three Minneapolis officers who were present when Floyd died have yet to be held accountable.
“I’ve been protesting for the last 10 years. I’m tired, I’m tired, I’m tired,” Bouldin said. “My people have been getting killed for the last 200 years. We’re in 2020 and we still can’t bring an end to this.... Somebody has to do something.”
Derek Chauvin, the white police officer who used his knee to hold Floyd on the ground by the neck, was fired last week and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in Floyd’s death. The other officers at the scene when Floyd died — Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J Alexander Kueng — are being investigated for their roles.
About 1 in 1,000 black men and boys in the U.S. can expect to die at the hands of police, according to a 2019 analysis by Rutgers University researchers.
Protesters have demanded that society at large, and particularly those in power, acknowledge and take action against such manifestations of systemic oppression.
Walking alongside a crush of protesters in Hollywood, community organizer Pete White briefly stopped in front of a Chase bank branch to snap a photo of a scrawled message: “Chase yo dreams.”
“State violence brings me out here today,” said White, a South L.A. resident who turned 49 on Tuesday.
There is no peace without justice, he added.
Marcus Owen, with bullhorn, leads a moment of silence for George Floyd as hundreds of protesters gather outside L.A. City Hall. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
“How do you get justice? By making sure you defund the police and take all of those resources and put it in schooling, put it in services, in housing, in universal healthcare,” White said. “We’re saying we don’t need another commission, another study or implicit bias training. We’ve been there and the same thing keeps happening. Again and again.”
At the downtown L.A. protests, many parents brought their children to experience the historic moment.
Khalil Bass, 30, and his wife brought their 6-month-old son.
Bass, a football player in high school and college, said he was repeatedly pulled over in Santa Clarita when he would drive his teammates somewhere and the police saw a car full of men of color.
“I don’t want him when he gets his driver’s license to be pulled over for no reason and have guns drawn on him,” Bass said of his son.
Wearing a short-sleeve shirt covered with photos of cats, Gianna Garcia said that people needed to know that the protesters were strong and powerful.
The 8-year-old was perched atop a slow-moving black Jetta with her legs dangling through the sunroof, holding one small clenched fist aloft — high above the sea of protesters stretching as far as the eye could see in either direction on Spring Street. In her other hand, a white foam board sign said, “#Charge All Four.”
Her mom, Maureen Maldonado, was in the backseat, holding a list of black people killed by police officers, too long to fit on a single piece of cardboard.
Maldonado said that she and her daughter had been protesting for four days. Coronavirus had “removed all types of childcare” from the 38-year-old office manager’s life, but she also believed that her daughter should be at the protests.
“At least for me, the only change I can make is that I shape my daughter the right way,” Maldonado said.
Just after 1 p.m. in Hollywood, dozens of activists chanted “Take a knee” at members of the National Guard. After several minutes, at least two Guardsmen complied. The crowd cheered.
Other protesters encountered a line of police officers and began chanting, “Walk with us,” and “Let us walk.” The group was trying to reach another crowd of demonstrators farther up Hollywood Boulevard, past Cherokee.
The marchers were met with a line of at least 20 LAPD officers who wouldn’t let them pass. As the group neared the line, their hands up, police began raising their batons to hold them back.
One protester placed a white flower in an officer’s pocket. The officer threw it to the ground.
Times staff writers Benjamin Oreskes, Matthew Ormseth, James Queally, Laura J. Nelson, Gustavo Arellano, Alene Tchekmedyian, Jaclyn Cosgrove, Anita Chabria, Laura Newberry, Sarah Parvini and Kevin Rector contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-03--UCLA protests LAPD using Jackie Robinson stadium for protest arrest processing

Some at UCLA protested what they called the university ’ s “ collaboration ” with LAPD in allowing the use of the university ’ s Jackie Robinson Stadium to process protesters arrested for curfew violations during the uprising sparked by the police killing of George Floyd .
In a letter , dozens of faculty members said police deliberately crowded protesters arrested in downtown Los Angeles and Westwood into sheriff ’ s buses and brought them to the stadium , where the university ’ s baseball team plays under a lease with the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs .
The letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disregarded other CDC , city and county measures to curb COVID-19 contagion .
“ The cruel irony that this took place at a location used as a COVID-19 testing site is not lost on those arrested or on us , ” said the professors , who demanded the university end use of the stadium by police .
The professors who signed the letter include Ananya Roy , professor of urban planning and social welfare and director of the UCLA Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy ; Kelly Lytle Hernánde , director of UCLA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African American Studies and a MacArthur Fellowship recipient ; and Cheryl Harris , professor of civil rights and civil liberties at the UCLA law school .
UCLA said in a statement : “ We ’ re troubled by accounts of Jackie Robinson stadium being used as a “ field jail.
” This was done without UCLA ’ s knowledge or permission .
As lessee of the stadium , we informed local agencies that UCLA will NOT grant permission should there be a request like this in the future .
”

Some at UCLA protested what they called the university’s “collaboration” with LAPD in allowing the use of the university’s Jackie Robinson Stadium to process protesters arrested for curfew violations during the uprising sparked by the police killing of George Floyd.
In a letter, dozens of faculty members said police deliberately crowded protesters arrested in downtown Los Angeles and Westwood into sheriff’s buses and brought them to the stadium, where the university’s baseball team plays under a lease with the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs.
The letter says officers did not wear masks and disregarded other CDC, city and county measures to curb COVID-19 contagion.
“The cruel irony that this took place at a location used as a COVID-19 testing site is not lost on those arrested or on us,” said the professors, who demanded the university end use of the stadium by police. The professors who signed the letter include Ananya Roy, professor of urban planning and social welfare and director of the UCLA Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy; Kelly Lytle Hernánde , director of UCLA’s Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies and a MacArthur Fellowship recipient; and Cheryl Harris, professor of civil rights and civil liberties at the UCLA law school.
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UCLA said in a statement: “We’re troubled by accounts of Jackie Robinson stadium being used as a “field jail.” This was done without UCLA’s knowledge or permission. As lessee of the stadium, we informed local agencies that UCLA will NOT grant permission should there be a request like this in the future.”


latimes--2020-06-03--USC will reopen for fall semester with online and in-person classes, more distancing in dorms

USC will bring students back to campus for the fall semester amid the coronavirus crisis with several safety measures that include both online and in-person classes , more spacing in dorms and testing for COVID-19 , President Carol L. Folt announced Tuesday night .
The highly anticipated decision was certain to hearten many students , many of whom found online learning alienating , and their families who balked at paying USC ’ s $ 58,000 annual tuition and fees for classes on computers .
Some students — like others throughout the country — were considering taking a gap year if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The coronavirus pandemic forced campuses nationwide to send most students home and shift to online learning in March .
“ We all are eager to return to campus life this fall and committed to making this decision with a great deal of care and planning , ” Folt said in her message to the campus community .
USC is one of the first major universities in California to announce concrete reopening plans .
Last month , the 23-campus California State University system said it would conduct mostly online classes for fall semester .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ announce plans for its 10 campuses this month .
Officials at UC and at other colleges around the state have said they hope to offer a hybrid of in-person and online classes , with reduced density in dorms and dining halls .
Folt said the fall semester would begin a week early , on Aug. 17 , and end by Thanksgiving with no fall break .
The earlier schedule is aimed at minimizing the spread of the virus as the flu season starts .
Welcome activities for incoming students will begin online the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smaller in-person events .
• Almost every in-person class will also be offered online to provide more flexibility to students and faculty to choose .
Some courses will be a mix of online large lectures with in-person discussions and labs .
Some courses , such as dance , may be fully in person while others could be fully online .
• Residence halls will reopen but the number of students per room will be reduced .
On-campus dining facilities will also be modified to reduce density and contact with take-out dining options expanded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other campus spaces are being reconfigured to accommodate physical distancing requirements .
Pedestrian walkways will be marked to limit congestion .
• USC staff will frequently clean and sanitize buildings , classes , and public spaces according to strict protocols and health and safety guidelines .
• Testing and contact tracing will be expanded and enhanced to include all returning staff , faculty and students .
The university will release more information about student testing soon , Folt said .
• USC will require everyone to wear masks on campus and in classrooms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand that these plans remain contingent on several factors , including the continued spread of COVID-19 , and the health orders from state and local authorities , ” Folt said in the email .
“ So , things could change , but we are excited to move forward and to have [ the students ] back.
” Those who return to campus will first be required to complete educational training sessions and agree in writing to follow the campus and public health policies and guidelines .
Violation of the policies will lead to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to succeed , our entire community must be part of the solution — Trojans caring for Trojans and for our neighbors , ” Folt wrote .
The fall plan , dubbed Project Restart , was led by Provost Charles Zukoski , and involved hundreds of people working around the clock crafting plans , developing scenarios and contingencies to account for changing circumstances , Folt said .
The campus plans to release more information about move-in dates housing and registration .
Decisions on when to restart concerts , performances and athletic programs are pending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidance of government officials , Pac-12 Conference and NCAA rules , and the university on when and how athletes can return to campus , Folt said .
“ Our health and safety procedures will be guided by the L.A. County Department of Health , and our own internal Health Policy leadership team , and will be focused on safeguarding individuals and the community , ” she said .
“ As in all activities , the health and safety of our students and staff will always be our top priority .
”

USC will bring students back to campus for the fall semester amid the coronavirus crisis with several safety measures that include both online and in-person classes, more spacing in dorms and testing for COVID-19, President Carol L. Folt announced Tuesday night.
The highly anticipated decision was certain to hearten many students, many of whom found online learning alienating, and their families who balked at paying USC’s $58,000 annual tuition and fees for classes on computers. Some students — like others throughout the country — were considering taking a gap year if USC did not resume in-person classes. The coronavirus pandemic forced campuses nationwide to send most students home and shift to online learning in March.
“We all are eager to return to campus life this fall and committed to making this decision with a great deal of care and planning,” Folt said in her message to the campus community.
USC is one of the first major universities in California to announce concrete reopening plans. Last month, the 23-campus California State University system said it would conduct mostly online classes for fall semester. The University of California is expected to announce plans for its 10 campuses this month. Officials at UC and at other colleges around the state have said they hope to offer a hybrid of in-person and online classes, with reduced density in dorms and dining halls.
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Folt said the fall semester would begin a week early, on Aug. 17, and end by Thanksgiving with no fall break. The earlier schedule is aimed at minimizing the spread of the virus as the flu season starts. Welcome activities for incoming students will begin online the week of Aug. 10, possibly with smaller in-person events.
The fall plan includes:
Almost every in-person class will also be offered online to provide more flexibility to students and faculty to choose. Some courses will be a mix of online large lectures with in-person discussions and labs. Some courses, such as dance, may be fully in person while others could be fully online.
Residence halls will reopen but the number of students per room will be reduced. On-campus dining facilities will also be modified to reduce density and contact with take-out dining options expanded.
Classrooms, offices, and other campus spaces are being reconfigured to accommodate physical distancing requirements. Pedestrian walkways will be marked to limit congestion.
USC staff will frequently clean and sanitize buildings, classes, and public spaces according to strict protocols and health and safety guidelines.
Testing and contact tracing will be expanded and enhanced to include all returning staff, faculty and students. The university will release more information about student testing soon, Folt said.
USC will require everyone to wear masks on campus and in classrooms and maintain physical distancing.
“Please understand that these plans remain contingent on several factors, including the continued spread of COVID-19, and the health orders from state and local authorities,” Folt said in the email. “So, things could change, but we are excited to move forward and to have [the students] back.”
Those who return to campus will first be required to complete educational training sessions and agree in writing to follow the campus and public health policies and guidelines. Violation of the policies will lead to disciplinary actions.
“For our plan to succeed, our entire community must be part of the solution — Trojans caring for Trojans and for our neighbors,” Folt wrote.
The fall plan, dubbed Project Restart, was led by Provost Charles Zukoski, and involved hundreds of people working around the clock crafting plans, developing scenarios and contingencies to account for changing circumstances, Folt said.
The campus plans to release more information about move-in dates housing and registration. Decisions on when to restart concerts, performances and athletic programs are pending. USC athletics will follow both the guidance of government officials, Pac-12 Conference and NCAA rules, and the university on when and how athletes can return to campus, Folt said.
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“Our health and safety procedures will be guided by the L.A. County Department of Health, and our own internal Health Policy leadership team, and will be focused on safeguarding individuals and the community,” she said. “As in all activities, the health and safety of our students and staff will always be our top priority.”


latimes--2020-06-03--Earthquake: 3.9 quake registered near Barstow, Calif.

A magnitude 3.9 earthquake was reported Tuesday evening at 9:36 p.m. Pacific time 23 miles from Barstow , Calif. , according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
The earthquake occurred 25 miles from California City , Calif. , 35 miles from Ridgecrest , Calif. , 40 miles from Apple Valley , Calif. and 40 miles from Adelanto , Calif..
In the past 10 days , there have been two earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby .
An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada , according to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occurred at a depth of 0.9 miles .
Did you feel this earthquake ?
Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS .
Even if you didn ’ t feel this small earthquake , you never know when the Big One is going to strike .
Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit .
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot , a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS .
A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learning more about the system , visit our list of frequently asked questions .

A magnitude 3.9 earthquake was reported Tuesday evening at 9:36 p.m. Pacific time 23 miles from Barstow, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake occurred 25 miles from California City, Calif., 35 miles from Ridgecrest, Calif., 40 miles from Apple Valley, Calif. and 40 miles from Adelanto, Calif..
In the past 10 days, there have been two earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.
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An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 0.9 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Even if you didn’t feel this small earthquake, you never know when the Big One is going to strike. Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit.
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.


latimes--2020-06-02--LAPD will limit use of rubber bullets on protesters, Garcetti says

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said he has directed the LAPD to “ minimize ” its use of rubber bullets when dealing with peaceful protesters .
“ I think that we ’ ve seen less of any of those tactics and I hope that we can see the most minimal if not zero of those tactics , ” he said .
He mentioned that an officer suffered a fractured skull and that officers needed to make peaceful protesting possible .
“ Those tactics will sometimes be out there , but it is my direction to minimize those and if we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] at all especially if there ’ s peaceful protesters.
” Garcetti defended LAPD Chief Michel Moore after Moore made comments equating looters to the cops who were there when George Floyd died in Minneapolis .
These remarks have sparked calls for the Moore to step down .
The Police Commission meeting , which started at 9:30 a.m. , was still going on when the mayor ’ s presser started , and Moore was still there , listening to hundreds of speakers call for his resignation .
Garcetti said he was glad that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were made Monday , and stated emphatically that he believed it was wrong to compare looting to the killing of an unarmed man .
“ I ’ m glad he quickly corrected it , and I ’ m glad that he further apologized , as well , ” Garcetti said .
I want to be very , very clear about that .
If I believed for a moment that the chief believed that in his heart , he would no longer be our chief of police .
I can ’ t say that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier in the day had taken a knee with protesters outside City Hall , also gave the microphone over to a 16-year-old African American man that day .
Davion Pilgrin described some of the challenges of living in South Los Angeles and being racially profiled and stopped by police .
He said he doesn ’ t want to see what happened to Floyd happen to any of his seven siblings .
“ While I think we should keep protesting and demanding change , there is no need to loot and tear things down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he hoped to be a lawyer some day and that his own kids could go to college .
The mayor took the extreme step of asking for the National Guard to be brought to Los Angeles , evoking bloody memories of 1992 for many in this city .
He said that as of this evening about 1,000 Guardsmen were on the streets but noted that there would be no patrols in South Los Angeles .
The protests Tuesday heartened him , he said , and he was glad to see they had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That came as other cities saw major confrontations between law enforcement and protesters .
Garcetti reserved some of his strongest criticism for President Trump .
He didn ’ t mention him by name but said there needed to be more national leadership “ to bring this moment to a calmer place.
” “ The political pyromania of this moment that we see coming out of Washington right now , ” he said .
“ It ’ s not only not bringing us together , it is fanning the fuel of this fire .
@

A protestor runs for safety after being shot with a rubber projectile from LAPD officers at 3rd St. and Fairfax Ave. in Los Angeles Saturday May, 30th.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said he has directed the LAPD to “minimize” its use of rubber bullets when dealing with peaceful protesters.
“I think that we’ve seen less of any of those tactics and I hope that we can see the most minimal if not zero of those tactics,” he said.
He mentioned that an officer suffered a fractured skull and that officers needed to make peaceful protesting possible.
“Those tactics will sometimes be out there, but it is my direction to minimize those and if we can to not use those [tactics] at all especially if there’s peaceful protesters.”
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Garcetti defended LAPD Chief Michel Moore after Moore made comments equating looters to the cops who were there when George Floyd died in Minneapolis.
These remarks have sparked calls for the Moore to step down. The Police Commission meeting, which started at 9:30 a.m., was still going on when the mayor’s presser started, and Moore was still there, listening to hundreds of speakers call for his resignation.
Garcetti said he was glad that Moore quickly corrected his remarks, which were made Monday, and stated emphatically that he believed it was wrong to compare looting to the killing of an unarmed man.
“I’m glad he quickly corrected it, and I’m glad that he further apologized, as well,” Garcetti said. I want to be very, very clear about that. If I believed for a moment that the chief believed that in his heart, he would no longer be our chief of police. I can’t say that any stronger.”
The mayor, who earlier in the day had taken a knee with protesters outside City Hall, also gave the microphone over to a 16-year-old African American man that day.
Davion Pilgrin described some of the challenges of living in South Los Angeles and being racially profiled and stopped by police. He said he doesn’t want to see what happened to Floyd happen to any of his seven siblings.
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“While I think we should keep protesting and demanding change, there is no need to loot and tear things down,” he said — later adding that he hoped to be a lawyer some day and that his own kids could go to college.
The mayor took the extreme step of asking for the National Guard to be brought to Los Angeles, evoking bloody memories of 1992 for many in this city. He said that as of this evening about 1,000 Guardsmen were on the streets but noted that there would be no patrols in South Los Angeles.
The protests Tuesday heartened him, he said, and he was glad to see they had mostly gone off without any violence. That came as other cities saw major confrontations between law enforcement and protesters.
Garcetti reserved some of his strongest criticism for President Trump. He didn’t mention him by name but said there needed to be more national leadership “to bring this moment to a calmer place.”
“The political pyromania of this moment that we see coming out of Washington right now,” he said. “It’s not only not bringing us together, it is fanning the fuel of this fire.”


latimes--2020-06-02--Thousands of protesters converge on Mayor Garcetti's residence, demand change

As police helicopters rumbled overhead , thousands of people gathered outside Mayor Eric Garcetti ’ s residence and chanted in vigorous opposition to his response so far to citywide protests .
Yet there was still time for a bit of self-care as they demanded justice for George Floyd and the many other black people killed at the hands of police .
In true Los Angeles fashion , the crowd performed some breathing and yoga .
“ Inhale fully through your nose , ” a person instructed , as the crowd did light stretching .
“ Exhale fully through your nose.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ past curfew chanted “ George Floyd ” and “ defund police !
” before moving south , where they were arrested for being out after 6 p.m. To Whitney Peterson , 35 , of Los Angeles , the chant was not a call for abolishing law enforcement but limiting it and steering resources elsewhere .
“ These communities are not being protected — and that needs to change , ” she said .
Peterson said she she was protesting out of frustration : “ It ’ s hard seeing police brutality over and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m here to fight for that change.
” Derrika Mayweather , 27 , of downtown Los Angeles said she came “ because black people deserve to be treated fairly .
I ’ m sick of my sisters and brothers dying of unnecessary murder.
” She added : “ I ’ m hoping that these protests and all the momentum will change.
” The choice of venue — outside the mayor ’ s official residence , in one of L.A. ’ s toniest neighborhoods , was powerful to several protesters .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the steps they take are very thought-out , ” Mayweather said .
“ It was a good idea to bring the issues to the front door.
” She planned to leave at 6 p.m. to abide by the curfew .
“ It ’ s very peaceful .
There ’ s no looting .
Everyone is making their presence known and that ’ s what I love.
” One of the demonstrators , who gave only his first name , Fernando , said he chose to join the protest outside the mayor ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s personal to everyone , and the people running this city and this country need to know this , ” he said .
“ This is my second protest today , and the consistency is what I appreciate.
” Gesturing to a crowd gathered with signs , he added : “ People are safe and peaceful and consistent — because this has to go on.
” The protest eventually moved on to Wilshire Boulevard , shutting down traffic .
After marching through Hancock Park , a leafy neighborhood of multimillion-dollar mansions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
After a brief standoff with a phalanx of officers on Wilshire Boulevard , the demonstrators turned onto a side street but were eventually hemmed in on 8th Street by police .
There , officers began arresting more than 100 demonstrators , cuffing them with plastic bands and — after several hours — escorting them onto buses .

As police helicopters rumbled overhead, thousands of people gathered outside Mayor Eric Garcetti’s residence and chanted in vigorous opposition to his response so far to citywide protests.
Yet there was still time for a bit of self-care as they demanded justice for George Floyd and the many other black people killed at the hands of police.
In true Los Angeles fashion, the crowd performed some breathing and yoga.
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“Inhale fully through your nose,” a person instructed, as the crowd did light stretching. “Exhale fully through your nose.”
The dozens of protestors who remained past curfew chanted “George Floyd” and “defund police!” before moving south, where they were arrested for being out after 6 p.m.
Yoga, breathing and stretching exercises at the protest outside the @MayorOfLA protest. Quiet except for instructions to inhale, and the steady whirr of police the helicopter above. Earlier someone was burning sage. pic.twitter.com/mzqpxU3vcC — Matt Hamilton (@MattHjourno) June 3, 2020
To Whitney Peterson, 35, of Los Angeles, the chant was not a call for abolishing law enforcement but limiting it and steering resources elsewhere.
“These communities are not being protected — and that needs to change,” she said.
Peterson said she she was protesting out of frustration: “It’s hard seeing police brutality over and over again and nothing changing, and I’m here to fight for that change.”
Derrika Mayweather, 27, of downtown Los Angeles said she came “because black people deserve to be treated fairly. I’m sick of my sisters and brothers dying of unnecessary murder.”
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She added: “I’m hoping that these protests and all the momentum will change.”
The choice of venue — outside the mayor’s official residence, in one of L.A.’s toniest neighborhoods, was powerful to several protesters.
“Black Lives Matter started this, and the steps they take are very thought-out,” Mayweather said. “It was a good idea to bring the issues to the front door.”
She planned to leave at 6 p.m. to abide by the curfew.
“It’s very peaceful. There’s no looting. Everyone is making their presence known and that’s what I love.”
One of the demonstrators, who gave only his first name, Fernando, said he chose to join the protest outside the mayor’s house to send a message.
“It’s personal to everyone, and the people running this city and this country need to know this,” he said. “This is my second protest today, and the consistency is what I appreciate.”
Gesturing to a crowd gathered with signs, he added: “People are safe and peaceful and consistent — because this has to go on.”
The protest eventually moved on to Wilshire Boulevard, shutting down traffic. After marching through Hancock Park, a leafy neighborhood of multimillion-dollar mansions, the cheers turned toward economic inequity.
“Tax the rich!” several protesters jeered.
After a brief standoff with a phalanx of officers on Wilshire Boulevard, the demonstrators turned onto a side street but were eventually hemmed in on 8th Street by police. There, officers began arresting more than 100 demonstrators, cuffing them with plastic bands and — after several hours — escorting them onto buses.


latimes--2020-06-02--Watch: Protesters in Pershing Square demand justice

Living downtown has many conveniences — close to Staples Center , close to Dodger Stadium , close to USC and the neighboring Banc of California Stadium .
However , over the last week downtown has morphed from an entertainment hub to a pinched nerve , with the slightest of movements bringing pain .
Already gutted by a pandemic that has turned L.A. Live into L.A. ’ s ghost town , a once-bustling district is engaged in an awkward pas de deux with the National Guard , which has made the Convention Center a hub .
An abundance of fish-out-of-water camouflage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all-too-familiar ghetto bird hovering at night .
Blocks are adorned with boarded-up storefronts and armored vehicles patrolling the streets , members of the military watching you closely as you make your way to the nearby Ralphs .
Clearly , they are there to prevent the chaos of the nights before ; however , it still feels as if we ’ ve been occupied .
I might be allowed to walk to the grocery store , but I don ’ t have the freedom to go anywhere I want .
Because of all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lose track of how we got here — the Minneapolis police killed George Floyd and the horrifying moment was caught on tape .
The looting and riots and fires make for great TV , but they should not be conflated with the message of the protesters , who took to these downtown streets because the circumstances surrounding Floyd ’ s death are closer to America ’ s norm than an anomaly .
They are demanding change .
They are demanding justice .
They are demanding that America fulfill her promise .
And , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elsewhere , they are demanding it peacefully .

Living downtown has many conveniences — close to Staples Center, close to Dodger Stadium, close to USC and the neighboring Banc of California Stadium. However, over the last week downtown has morphed from an entertainment hub to a pinched nerve, with the slightest of movements bringing pain.
Already gutted by a pandemic that has turned L.A. Live into L.A.’s ghost town, a once-bustling district is engaged in an awkward pas de deux with the National Guard, which has made the Convention Center a hub. An abundance of fish-out-of-water camouflage can be seen by day, the all-too-familiar ghetto bird hovering at night. Blocks are adorned with boarded-up storefronts and armored vehicles patrolling the streets, members of the military watching you closely as you make your way to the nearby Ralphs. Clearly, they are there to prevent the chaos of the nights before; however, it still feels as if we’ve been occupied. I might be allowed to walk to the grocery store, but I don’t have the freedom to go anywhere I want.
Because of all of this, it’s easy to lose track of how we got here — the Minneapolis police killed George Floyd and the horrifying moment was caught on tape. The looting and riots and fires make for great TV, but they should not be conflated with the message of the protesters, who took to these downtown streets because the circumstances surrounding Floyd’s death are closer to America’s norm than an anomaly. They are demanding change. They are demanding justice. They are demanding that America fulfill her promise.
Say his name
George Floyd
Say his name
George Floyd
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Say her name
Breonna Taylor
Say her name
Breonna Taylor
Those were just some of the chants heard again Tuesday afternoon as hundreds weaved their way through and around relatively empty streets. They walked through the middle of Main Street during rush hour, with little traffic to interrupt their march. The vehicles that were present were largely fellow protestors passing out free bottles of water and squirts of hand sanitizer or honking their horns in support.
As 6 p.m.neared and the city-wide curfew approached, a group locked arms and declared “we will not be moved”. And despite officers with bullhorns reminding the crowd they were subject to arrest for not leaving City Hall, when 6:30 came and went, neither side had budged.
This is what democracy looks like
This is what democracy looks like
Then later. . .
Take a knee.
Take a knee.
No member of the law enforcement did take a knee but there was no escalation. No rioting or looting. A faint hint of the burning sage perfumed the air, not tear gas. Cooler heads prevailed. Perhaps the justice these protestors are demanding will follow.


latimes--2020-06-02--Scott Peterson asks court to overturn murder conviction and death sentence

A lawyer for Scott Peterson , convicted in 2004 of murdering his wife , Laci , and their unborn son , told the California Supreme Court on Tuesday that he was denied a fair trial because of massive publicity and a slew of legal errors made at trial .
During a hearing on his appeal , Cliff Gardner , Peterson ’ s lawyer , started his argument by noting that 12 prospective jurors were discharged after stating on written questionnaires that they opposed the death penalty but would be willing to impose it .
The prosecution has conceded that if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of those potential jurors was improperly excused , the court would have to overturn Peterson ’ s 2005 death sentence .
Since his sentence , Peterson has been incarcerated at San Quentin prison ’ s death row .
Laci Peterson , 27 , four weeks shy of giving birth , disappeared on Christmas Eve in 2002 .
Scott Peterson told police he had left their Modesto home at 9:30 a.m. that day and driven to a marina in Berkeley .
He said he went fishing in his new boat , returned home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , telling her that his wife was missing .
Nearly four months later , Laci ’ s remains and the body of her unborn son , with its umbilical cord still attached , washed up on a rocky shore on San Francisco Bay .
A passerby walking a dog found them a few miles from where Scott Peterson said he gone fishing .
Gardner argued during Tuesday ’ s hearing that the trial court also improperly allowed two jurors to climb into the 14-foot aluminum boat that police said Peterson used to dispose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Francisco Bay .
The two jurors rocked it as it sat in a trailer to test its stability .
The trial judge erred again , Gardner said , when he insisted the prosecution be present if the defense were to take the boat out into San Francisco Bay to determine whether it would have capsized if Peterson had thrown over his wife ’ s anchored body overboard .
“ The right to effective assistance of counsel includes the right to investigate your case in confidence , ” argued Gardner , who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After the judge insisted on the prosecution ’ s presence for the experiment , Peterson ’ s defense dropped the request .
Peterson ’ s trial was moved from Modesto , where he and Laci lived , to San Mateo County after a judge determined he could not get a fair trial in Modesto .
After seeing the juror questionnaires in San Mateo County , Peterson ’ s defense filed another motion to move the trial to a different county .
That motion was denied .
Gardner argued it should have been granted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jurors showed that almost half had already decided what the verdict should be , and of those , more than 98 % of them believed Peterson was guilty .
He said pretrial media coverage was massive and included information on evidence that was deemed inadmissible .
A San Francisco radio station bought a billboard in San Mateo County , showing Peterson in a jail suit , and asking people to vote on whether he was “ man ” or a “ monster.
” “ In light of that extensive publicity , ” Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this case have been tried ?
” Gardner conceded prospective jurors in all counties would have heard about the case but said surveys showed that fewer prospective jurors in the state ’ s larger counties , including Los Angeles , had made up their minds about Peterson ’ s guilt .
Liu was one of four justices who asked Gardner questions .
None of the seven justices asked a lawyer representing the prosecution a single question , and none indicated how the court was likely to rule .
Gardner asked the court to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death sentence .
Deputy Atty .
Gen. Donna M. Provenzano , representing the prosecution , countered that the law required the court to overturn only the death sentence if a prospective juror had been improperly dismissed .
“ The prosecution marshaled and presented a mountain of evidence that pointed the finger of guilt squarely at Scott Peterson for the murder of his wife and their child , ” she told the court .
She argued there was “ no credible claim ” that the any of the 12 jurors who decided Peterson ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The judge ’ s requirement that the prosecution attend any demonstration involving Peterson ’ s boat was warranted because if the vessel had capsized , “ a critical piece of evidence ” would have been lost , she said .
She also defended the judge ’ s decision to allow two jurors into the boat while it sat on a trailer .
The judge admonished the jurors , she said , to keep in mind that the stability of the boat would have been much different out in open water .
After Laci @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to find her .
Family and friends set up a command center at a downtown hotel and passed out 25,000 fliers to scores of volunteers .
They appeared on shop windows and utility poles as far away as Los Angeles , Salt Lake City and Mexico .
Eventually , Amber Frey , a massage therapist who lived in Fresno , contacted the police .
She and Peterson were dating .
He had told her his wife had died , she said .
She secretly recorded calls with him for the police .
Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He had bleached his hair and goatee and had $ 15,000 in cash and camping gear at the time .
Prosecutors told the jury that Peterson strangled or smothered his wife either on the night of Dec. 23 , 2002 , the following morning .
He wrapped her corpse in a blue tarp and put her the back of his truck , got his boat , drove to Berkeley and dumped the body , weighted by anchors , in the bay , they said .
Mark Geragos , who defended Peterson at trial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by strangers , who dumped her in the bay to frame her husband .
The state Supreme Court will decide the appeal within a few months .
The court will get another chance to examine the case when it decides a separate habeas corpus challenge , which is based on evidence that was not presented at trial .
If Peterson loses that challenge , he can bring his case to federal court .

A lawyer for Scott Peterson, convicted in 2004 of murdering his wife, Laci, and their unborn son, told the California Supreme Court on Tuesday that he was denied a fair trial because of massive publicity and a slew of legal errors made at trial.
During a hearing on his appeal, Cliff Gardner, Peterson’s lawyer, started his argument by noting that 12 prospective jurors were discharged after stating on written questionnaires that they opposed the death penalty but would be willing to impose it.
The prosecution has conceded that if the state high court finds that any one of those potential jurors was improperly excused, the court would have to overturn Peterson’s 2005 death sentence. Since his sentence, Peterson has been incarcerated at San Quentin prison’s death row.
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Laci Peterson, 27, four weeks shy of giving birth, disappeared on Christmas Eve in 2002. Scott Peterson told police he had left their Modesto home at 9:30 a.m. that day and driven to a marina in Berkeley. He said he went fishing in his new boat, returned home late that afternoon and called his mother-in-law, telling her that his wife was missing.
Nearly four months later, Laci’s remains and the body of her unborn son, with its umbilical cord still attached, washed up on a rocky shore on San Francisco Bay. A passerby walking a dog found them a few miles from where Scott Peterson said he gone fishing.
Gardner argued during Tuesday’s hearing that the trial court also improperly allowed two jurors to climb into the 14-foot aluminum boat that police said Peterson used to dispose of his wife’s body in San Francisco Bay. The two jurors rocked it as it sat in a trailer to test its stability.
The trial judge erred again, Gardner said, when he insisted the prosecution be present if the defense were to take the boat out into San Francisco Bay to determine whether it would have capsized if Peterson had thrown over his wife’s anchored body overboard.
“The right to effective assistance of counsel includes the right to investigate your case in confidence,” argued Gardner, who has successfully represented other death row inmates.
After the judge insisted on the prosecution’s presence for the experiment, Peterson’s defense dropped the request.
Peterson’s trial was moved from Modesto, where he and Laci lived, to San Mateo County after a judge determined he could not get a fair trial in Modesto. After seeing the juror questionnaires in San Mateo County, Peterson’s defense filed another motion to move the trial to a different county. That motion was denied.
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Gardner argued it should have been granted because the written questionnaires of 1,000 potential jurors showed that almost half had already decided what the verdict should be, and of those, more than 98% of them believed Peterson was guilty.
He said pretrial media coverage was massive and included information on evidence that was deemed inadmissible. A San Francisco radio station bought a billboard in San Mateo County, showing Peterson in a jail suit, and asking people to vote on whether he was “man” or a “monster.”
“In light of that extensive publicity,” Justice Goodwin Liu asked, “where should this case have been tried?”
Gardner conceded prospective jurors in all counties would have heard about the case but said surveys showed that fewer prospective jurors in the state’s larger counties, including Los Angeles, had made up their minds about Peterson’s guilt.
Liu was one of four justices who asked Gardner questions. None of the seven justices asked a lawyer representing the prosecution a single question, and none indicated how the court was likely to rule. Gardner asked the court to overturn both Peterson’s conviction and death sentence.
Deputy Atty. Gen. Donna M. Provenzano, representing the prosecution, countered that the law required the court to overturn only the death sentence if a prospective juror had been improperly dismissed.
“The prosecution marshaled and presented a mountain of evidence that pointed the finger of guilt squarely at Scott Peterson for the murder of his wife and their child,” she told the court.
She argued there was “no credible claim” that the any of the 12 jurors who decided Peterson’s fate were unfair or partial.
The judge’s requirement that the prosecution attend any demonstration involving Peterson’s boat was warranted because if the vessel had capsized, “a critical piece of evidence” would have been lost, she said.
She also defended the judge’s decision to allow two jurors into the boat while it sat on a trailer. The judge admonished the jurors, she said, to keep in mind that the stability of the boat would have been much different out in open water.
After Laci disappeared, a massive search was mounted to find her. Family and friends set up a command center at a downtown hotel and passed out 25,000 fliers to scores of volunteers. They appeared on shop windows and utility poles as far away as Los Angeles, Salt Lake City and Mexico.
Eventually, Amber Frey, a massage therapist who lived in Fresno, contacted the police. She and Peterson were dating. He had told her his wife had died, she said. She secretly recorded calls with him for the police.
Police arrested Peterson in San Diego County. He had bleached his hair and goatee and had $15,000 in cash and camping gear at the time.
Prosecutors told the jury that Peterson strangled or smothered his wife either on the night of Dec. 23, 2002, the following morning. He wrapped her corpse in a blue tarp and put her the back of his truck, got his boat, drove to Berkeley and dumped the body, weighted by anchors, in the bay, they said.
Mark Geragos, who defended Peterson at trial, countered that Laci was probably kidnapped by strangers, who dumped her in the bay to frame her husband.
The state Supreme Court will decide the appeal within a few months. The court will get another chance to examine the case when it decides a separate habeas corpus challenge, which is based on evidence that was not presented at trial. If Peterson loses that challenge, he can bring his case to federal court.


latimes--2020-06-02--California's black lawmakers urge support for bills to address systemic inequality

As protests over the death of George Floyd continued across the state , black lawmakers gathered Tuesday at the state Capitol to urge the passage of legislation that would address affirmative action , voting rights and begin a process to consider reparations in California for the institution of slavery .
Leaders of the California Legislative Black Caucus described a century-long battle in Sacramento to correct injustice and issued a call for others to join them during an at times emotional news conference .
“ While we fight for the solution , we know that the solution lies in the changing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t look like us to , for once , take the banner up and fight the battle that is so essential , ” said Assemblywoman Shirley Weber ( D-San Diego ) , who leads the caucus .
“ We have fought it .
We have given our lives .
We have given all that we have .
We have given the moral conscience to this nation about what is right and what is just , and at the same time as we do all of that , we still find ourselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The lawmakers reflected on the events in Minneapolis that triggered nationwide protests over the last week and warned that without change , the U.S. will soon find itself once again mourning the death of an African American in police custody .
Just last year , the caucus helped enact Assembly Bill 392 , a landmark law to curb the use of deadly force that was inspired in part by protests in Sacramento over a decision to not charge the police officers who shot and killed Stephon Clark , an unarmed black man , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Fannie Lou Hamer : We ’ re sick and tired of being sick and tired , ” state Sen. Steven Bradford ( D-Gardena ) said .
“ We have seen , night after night , the protests throughout this state and this nation by people who are sick and tired of the status quo .
We ’ re sick and tired of seeing unarmed black men and women killed by police .
We ’ re sick and tired of seeing these officers not being held accountable for their actions.
” Among legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ACA 5 , a closely watched proposal that would begin a process to repeal Proposition 209 .
The 1996 ballot measure prohibited discrimination or preferential treatment by public institutions on the basis of race , sex , color , ethnicity , or national origin in employment , education or contracting .
Opponents of the original ban on affirmative action in California point to data on gender and ethnic disparity in civil service , lower representations of African Americans and Latinos in public universities and similar inequities in state contracts .
If passed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters to repeal the law .
Another constitutional amendment and top issue of the caucus , ACA 6 , would restore voting rights to felons serving parole .
California law prohibits felons from voting during their parole but allows them to cast ballots if they are on probation .
Supporters of the bill argue that many people don ’ t know the difference between probation and parole , resulting in eligible voters who do not register out of fear of breaking the law .
Assemblyman Kevin McCarty ( D-Sacramento ) , who brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failed to pass in 2019 , said existing law disproportionately affects black voters .
“ This is a relic of Jim Crow laws , ” McCarty said at the news conference Tuesday .
“ And it ’ s time to get rid of this policy as many states [ in the country ] have already done so.
” The caucus also highlighted AB 3121 as a key proposal .
The bill would create an eight-member task force to study the impacts of slavery in California and develop proposals for potential reparations .
Also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate and Assembly three appointees each and asks the governor to fill two slots , ultimately selecting a bipartisan mix of lawmakers and representatives of major civil society and reparations organizations to serve .
Among the group ’ s duties would be to recommend a form of compensation and who would be eligible .
“ The issue we face for over 400 years is the enslavement , the mistreatment and often the efforts of genocide of the African in this country , ” Weber said Tuesday .
“ That is a fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the California Legislative Black Caucus : — SB 144 , from Sen. Holly Mitchell ( D-Los Angeles ) , ends the collection of many administrative fees imposed against people in the criminal justice system .
— AB 1460 , from Weber , would make the completion of a three-unit ethnic studies course an undergraduate requirement in the California State University system beginning with graduates in the 2024-25 academic year .
— AB 1835 , from Weber , seeks to prevent local education agencies or charter schools from using unspent state education dollars intended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students for other purposes in a subsequent school year .
— AB 1950 , from Assemblywoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove ( D-Los Angeles ) , limits probation to a maximum of one year for misdemeanor offenses and two years for felony offenses .
— AB 1994 , from Assemblyman Chris Holden ( D-Pasadena ) , expands access to health-care services to juveniles upon release from a public institution .
— AB 2019 , from Holden , increases access to community college courses for students in juvenile court schools and alternative schools .
— AB 2054 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pilot program to improve emergency response services for vulnerable populations .
— AB 2405 , from Assemblywoman Autumn Burke ( D-Marina del Rey ) , establishes a right to housing for children and families in California effective Jan. 1 , 2026 .

Assemblywoman Shirley Weber: “This pandemic of hate has spread across the nation to every small city in America.”
Assemblywoman Shirley Weber: “This pandemic of hate has spread across the nation to every small city in America.”
As protests over the death of George Floyd continued across the state, black lawmakers gathered Tuesday at the state Capitol to urge the passage of legislation that would address affirmative action, voting rights and begin a process to consider reparations in California for the institution of slavery.
Leaders of the California Legislative Black Caucus described a century-long battle in Sacramento to correct injustice and issued a call for others to join them during an at times emotional news conference.
“While we fight for the solution, we know that the solution lies in the changing of this nation and for those who don’t look like us to, for once, take the banner up and fight the battle that is so essential,” said Assemblywoman Shirley Weber (D-San Diego), who leads the caucus. “We have fought it. We have given our lives. We have given all that we have. We have given the moral conscience to this nation about what is right and what is just, and at the same time as we do all of that, we still find ourselves the last one in the door.”
The lawmakers reflected on the events in Minneapolis that triggered nationwide protests over the last week and warned that without change, the U.S. will soon find itself once again mourning the death of an African American in police custody. Just last year, the caucus helped enact Assembly Bill 392, a landmark law to curb the use of deadly force that was inspired in part by protests in Sacramento over a decision to not charge the police officers who shot and killed Stephon Clark, an unarmed black man, in 2018.
“In the words of Fannie Lou Hamer: We’re sick and tired of being sick and tired,” state Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) said. “We have seen, night after night, the protests throughout this state and this nation by people who are sick and tired of the status quo. We’re sick and tired of seeing unarmed black men and women killed by police. We’re sick and tired of seeing these officers not being held accountable for their actions.”
Among legislation the caucus is prioritizing this year is ACA 5, a closely watched proposal that would begin a process to repeal Proposition 209. The 1996 ballot measure prohibited discrimination or preferential treatment by public institutions on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in employment, education or contracting.
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Opponents of the original ban on affirmative action in California point to data on gender and ethnic disparity in civil service, lower representations of African Americans and Latinos in public universities and similar inequities in state contracts. If passed by the Legislature, ACA 5 would ask voters to repeal the law.
Another constitutional amendment and top issue of the caucus, ACA 6, would restore voting rights to felons serving parole. California law prohibits felons from voting during their parole but allows them to cast ballots if they are on probation. Supporters of the bill argue that many people don’t know the difference between probation and parole, resulting in eligible voters who do not register out of fear of breaking the law.
Assemblyman Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), who brought back ACA 6 this year after it failed to pass in 2019, said existing law disproportionately affects black voters.
“This is a relic of Jim Crow laws,” McCarty said at the news conference Tuesday. “And it’s time to get rid of this policy as many states [in the country] have already done so.”
The caucus also highlighted AB 3121 as a key proposal. The bill would create an eight-member task force to study the impacts of slavery in California and develop proposals for potential reparations.
Also introduced by Weber, the bill gives the Senate and Assembly three appointees each and asks the governor to fill two slots, ultimately selecting a bipartisan mix of lawmakers and representatives of major civil society and reparations organizations to serve. Among the group’s duties would be to recommend a form of compensation and who would be eligible.
“The issue we face for over 400 years is the enslavement, the mistreatment and often the efforts of genocide of the African in this country,” Weber said Tuesday. “That is a fact of life.”
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Other proposals supported by the California Legislative Black Caucus:
— SB 144, from Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles), ends the collection of many administrative fees imposed against people in the criminal justice system.
— AB 1460, from Weber, would make the completion of a three-unit ethnic studies course an undergraduate requirement in the California State University system beginning with graduates in the 2024-25 academic year.
— AB 1835, from Weber, seeks to prevent local education agencies or charter schools from using unspent state education dollars intended to increase and improve services for low-income students for other purposes in a subsequent school year.
— AB 1950, from Assemblywoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles), limits probation to a maximum of one year for misdemeanor offenses and two years for felony offenses.
— AB 1994, from Assemblyman Chris Holden (D-Pasadena), expands access to health-care services to juveniles upon release from a public institution.
— AB 2019, from Holden, increases access to community college courses for students in juvenile court schools and alternative schools.
— AB 2054, from Kamlager, creates a grant pilot program to improve emergency response services for vulnerable populations.
— AB 2405, from Assemblywoman Autumn Burke (D-Marina del Rey), establishes a right to housing for children and families in California effective Jan. 1, 2026.


latimes--2020-06-02--L.A. Police Commission and Chief Moore hear from outraged residents

The Los Angeles Police Commission on Tuesday got an update on the police response to days of protests — but also faced deep anger from residents about the Los Angeles Police Department ’ s handling of the situation .
Many people were initially shut out of an L.A. Police Commission meeting because the Zoom meeting had been limited to 500 participants .
After the settings were adjusted to allow more to attend , many speakers called on Police Chief Michel Moore to resign because of his remark that looters were as responsible for George Floyd ’ s death as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walked back the remark and apologized for it .
Jocelyn Tucker said she appreciated the apology , but his words were telling .
“ If that was your knee-jerk reaction , you ’ re not in the right job , ” she said .
State Sen. Holly Mitchell also responded to his comments .
“ I want you to know that we have every right to be outraged and that our voices deserve to be heard and not hijacked by outside agitators nor by a police chief who infers that our actions can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ witnessed and experienced , ” she wrote in a statement .
“ These type of distractions want to turn this discussion away from the main point — which is ending structural racism.
” Many speakers also said they had witnessed LAPD officers shooting rubber bullets at protesters and blamed the officers for escalating the tensions .
“ I ’ m terrified of the LAPD .
You have shown your true colors , ” David Spencer said .
After about 80 people spoke , hundreds still were still in line for a turn to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling for Moore ’ s resignation , as the chief listened , when Mayor Eric Garcetti began public remarks on Facebook Live at 6 p.m .
Asked whether he still has confidence in Moore , Garcetti said he has known the chief for decades and that the apology was sufficient .
“ If I believed for a moment that the chief believed that in his heart , he would no longer be the chief , ” Garcetti said .
Garcetti also said he has instructed the LAPD to minimize the use of rubber @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can , to not use them at all.
” Moore told the police commission that when he saw the video of police killing Floyd , he and others at the LAPD “ were greatly disturbed by it and troubled by the images and we sought to communicate clearly — those images we witnessed along with the rest of America , they were horrible .
It was disgusting and without justification.
” Moore said the LAPD originally hoped to work with peaceful protesters .
But while many demonstrators were peaceful , looting began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ When violence escalates , including assaults on officers , arson , widespread looting in Fairfax area Saturday , and we see officers sustain injuries , the loss of property , the department needs to resort to a stronger message , ” he said .
“ We increased our deployment .
We began blocking protesters , communicating with protests .
We began to convey to them the need for peace .
...
But we could not allow the safety of our officers or the public to be jeopardized.
” Moore said he is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As to allegations of officer misconduct , he said , “ I want to assure you we will investigate each complaint , and I promise to hold accountable anyone who violates our policy or commits other misconduct .
”

The Los Angeles Police Commission on Tuesday got an update on the police response to days of protests — but also faced deep anger from residents about the Los Angeles Police Department’s handling of the situation.
Many people were initially shut out of an L.A. Police Commission meeting because the Zoom meeting had been limited to 500 participants.
After the settings were adjusted to allow more to attend, many speakers called on Police Chief Michel Moore to resign because of his remark that looters were as responsible for George Floyd’s death as the Minneapolis police officers were.
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Moore later walked back the remark and apologized for it.
Jocelyn Tucker said she appreciated the apology, but his words were telling.
“If that was your knee-jerk reaction, you’re not in the right job,” she said.
State Sen. Holly Mitchell also responded to his comments.
“I want you to know that we have every right to be outraged and that our voices deserve to be heard and not hijacked by outside agitators nor by a police chief who infers that our actions can be compared to the murders we have witnessed and experienced,” she wrote in a statement. “These type of distractions want to turn this discussion away from the main point — which is ending structural racism.”
Many speakers also said they had witnessed LAPD officers shooting rubber bullets at protesters and blamed the officers for escalating the tensions.
“I’m terrified of the LAPD. You have shown your true colors,” David Spencer said.
After about 80 people spoke, hundreds still were still in line for a turn to address the commission. Speakers were still calling for Moore’s resignation, as the chief listened, when Mayor Eric Garcetti began public remarks on Facebook Live at 6 p.m.
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Asked whether he still has confidence in Moore, Garcetti said he has known the chief for decades and that the apology was sufficient.
“If I believed for a moment that the chief believed that in his heart, he would no longer be the chief,” Garcetti said.
Garcetti also said he has instructed the LAPD to minimize the use of rubber bullets and batons, and “if we can, to not use them at all.”
Moore told the police commission that when he saw the video of police killing Floyd, he and others at the LAPD “were greatly disturbed by it and troubled by the images and we sought to communicate clearly — those images we witnessed along with the rest of America, they were horrible. It was disgusting and without justification.”
Moore said the LAPD originally hoped to work with peaceful protesters. But while many demonstrators were peaceful, looting began Saturday night and changed the dynamics.
“When violence escalates, including assaults on officers, arson, widespread looting in Fairfax area Saturday, and we see officers sustain injuries, the loss of property, the department needs to resort to a stronger message,” he said. “We increased our deployment. We began blocking protesters, communicating with protests. We began to convey to them the need for peace. ... But we could not allow the safety of our officers or the public to be jeopardized.”
Moore said he is continuing to evaluate the department and strategies. As to allegations of officer misconduct, he said, “I want to assure you we will investigate each complaint, and I promise to hold accountable anyone who violates our policy or commits other misconduct.”