latimes--2020-06-03--Santa Ana man threw fireworks at police during protest, authorities say

Santa Ana police officers have arrested a man they say threw fireworks at authorities and brandished a handgun during a Sunday protest over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
Police observed a man throwing what was described as “ mortars ” at a line of officers and Orange County sheriff ’ s deputies , Santa Ana police spokesman Anthony Bertagna said .
Officers monitored the man — later identified as Jon Paul Worden , 32 — after spotting a handgun on his hip and then watching him show the weapon to other protesters .
The gun was hidden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and police watched as he lifted his shirt and brandished the firearm at other protesters .
Police did not apprehend Worden at the demonstration because of concerns about the safety of the crowd , Bertagna said .
“ Although the overwhelming majority of demonstrations have responsibly involved nonviolent participants , armed suspects such as in this case , [ compromise ] the safety of everyone involved , ” Santa Ana Police Chief David Valentin said .
“ Originally we had 1,500 , 1,700 peacefully marching , expressing their 1st Amendment rights , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wore on , some people began to throw rocks , bottles and fireworks at officers , and police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the crowd .
Police made 10 arrests at the protest , and two officers were transported and treated for injuries related to fireworks thrown at them , Bertagna said .
Officers followed Worden and a man later identified as his father after the protest .
Police tried to stop their vehicle and eventually called off a pursuit because of Worden ’ s erratic driving , according to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later found at Worden ’ s residence in the 2600 block of West Stanford Street .
After a Santa Ana Police Department helicopter spotted him leaving the back of the home , officers detained him .
A search of the house uncovered more than 600 pounds of illegal fireworks and mortars and a cache of weapons , including four AR-15 assault weapons .
In addition , thousands of rounds of ammunition , several high-capacity magazines and bulletproof and load-bearing tactical vests were found , police said .
Worden was arrested on suspicion of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , assaulting officers with a deadly weapon and possessing high-capacity magazines .
He was released from custody after posting $ 50,000 bond , Bertagna said Wednesday .
Worden ’ s father was also detained but released and not booked , authorities said .

Santa Ana police arrested Jon Paul Worden and found a cache of weapons and ammunition in his home.
Santa Ana police officers have arrested a man they say threw fireworks at authorities and brandished a handgun during a Sunday protest over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Police observed a man throwing what was described as “mortars” at a line of officers and Orange County sheriff’s deputies, Santa Ana police spokesman Anthony Bertagna said.
Officers monitored the man — later identified as Jon Paul Worden, 32 — after spotting a handgun on his hip and then watching him show the weapon to other protesters. The gun was hidden by the man’s shirt, and police watched as he lifted his shirt and brandished the firearm at other protesters.
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Police did not apprehend Worden at the demonstration because of concerns about the safety of the crowd, Bertagna said.
“Although the overwhelming majority of demonstrations have responsibly involved nonviolent participants, armed suspects such as in this case, [compromise] the safety of everyone involved,” Santa Ana Police Chief David Valentin said.
“Originally we had 1,500, 1,700 peacefully marching, expressing their 1st Amendment rights,” Bertagna said.
But as the protest wore on, some people began to throw rocks, bottles and fireworks at officers, and police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the crowd.
Police made 10 arrests at the protest, and two officers were transported and treated for injuries related to fireworks thrown at them, Bertagna said.
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Police say Jon Worden threw fireworks at police and brandished a firearm at a protest. (Santa Ana Police Dept.)
Officers followed Worden and a man later identified as his father after the protest. Police tried to stop their vehicle and eventually called off a pursuit because of Worden’s erratic driving, according to a news release said.
The vehicle was later found at Worden’s residence in the 2600 block of West Stanford Street. After a Santa Ana Police Department helicopter spotted him leaving the back of the home, officers detained him.
A search of the house uncovered more than 600 pounds of illegal fireworks and mortars and a cache of weapons, including four AR-15 assault weapons. In addition, thousands of rounds of ammunition, several high-capacity magazines and bulletproof and load-bearing tactical vests were found, police said.
Worden was arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm and ammunition after felony, assaulting officers with a deadly weapon and possessing high-capacity magazines. He was released from custody after posting $50,000 bond, Bertagna said Wednesday.
Worden’s father was also detained but released and not booked, authorities said.


latimes--2020-06-03--Newsom orders new California in-person voting rules for November election

Gov .
Gavin Newsom gave California counties permission on Wednesday to limit their in-person voting operations for the Nov. 3 election as protection against the spread of the coronavirus — but only if they also offer three days of early voting , a tradeoff some local officials said could be expensive and challenging .
The decision , detailed in an executive order , came almost one month after Newsom instructed California counties to mail each of the state ’ s 20.6 million voters an absentee ballot for the upcoming election .
In doing so , he noted that voting locations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters with disabilities and those seeking assistance in a language other than English .
But Newsom ’ s earlier executive order , issued May 8 , didn ’ t address where and when to set up voting sites , leaving elections officials in limbo on plans for the upcoming presidential election .
The cost to implement the latest guidelines could be substantial , exceeding the federal dollars already earmarked for election assistance during the pandemic and further straining county government budgets stretched thin by public health and safety spending .
Newsom ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state funds will be set aside , though elections funding could be boosted in the state budget the Legislature must send to his desk by June 15 .
“ Expanded vote-by-mail , coupled with ample in-person voting on and before Election Day , is the best formula for maintaining the accessibility , security , and safety of our election , ” Secretary of State Alex Padilla said in a written statement .
Though some large counties , including Los Angeles , already allow several options for early voting , the majority of California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Those counties still conduct elections under traditional rules , with in-person ballots cast on election day at neighborhood polling places — some of which are as small as a homeowner ’ s garage .
That could make safe physical distancing impossible in this fall ’ s election or lead to long lines in locations with little space for a crowd .
The order issued Wednesday allows those counties to provide a fraction of their normal in-person voting locations , focusing instead on larger facilities with voting devices safely spread out .
The sites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though a request made last month by elections officials to require schools to participate went unanswered .
“ We are committed to protecting the hard-fought right for Californians to make their voices heard this November , even in the face of a pandemic , ” Newsom said in a written statement .
The change presents two notable challenges for counties that have no experience with early voting .
First , they will have to operate locations for four consecutive days , requiring more hours on the job for some poll workers or the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers are seniors who may not participate this year given their heightened risk for COVID-19 infection .
The governor ’ s executive order on Wednesday raised the possibility of county employees being assigned to elections work .
Second , voting locations will have to be prepared to accommodate the thousands of voters who could show up over the four-day period , both those who choose not to vote by mail and new voters who can register as late as election day .
Not all of these voters may be eligible to use the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And because voters could likely choose any of a county ’ s limited voting locations , poll workers will need more than just an old-fashioned paper printout of voters who live nearby to check eligibility .
Not all counties are expected to use the new rules .
Kammi Foote , the registrar of voters in Inyo County , said the consolidation of polling places and extended hours seemed better suited to urban areas in the state .
“ In rural counties , the likelihood of a voter going to a different town is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ And expanding to four days is going to be extremely difficult.
” For 15 counties that adopted a 2016 state law swapping out neighborhood polling places for regional vote centers , voting operations will largely remain the same in the three days leading up to election day .
But those counties , including Los Angeles and Orange , will be allowed to temporarily skip rules requiring vote centers to be open up to 10 days before the election .
All counties will be required to provide drop boxes for ballots , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and available through the close of voting on election night .
Newsom ’ s original order to adjust the November election rules in light of the pandemic drew significant national attention , including criticism from President Trump and other Republican officials .
They insisted — wrongly — that the state would mail ballots to people who weren ’ t registered to vote , including names on inactive voter lists .
As a result , the directive issued on Wednesday includes a provision that clarifies that it “ is not intended , and shall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters in an inactive voter registration status shall receive vote-by-mail ballots.
” Still , Republican-led lawsuits have been filed over the governor ’ s mandate to mail every voter a ballot .
Legislation to codify that plan cleared the state Senate ’ s elections committee on Tuesday .
A second bill seeks to adopt many of the governor ’ s new rules on in-person voting that would let counties seek additional election changes from Padilla .
The author of that bill , state Sen. Tom Umberg ( D-Santa Ana ) , said Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than one safe option for voting this fall .
“ But I would suggest that we actually flatten the curve , and if you want to vote in person you do so prior to election day , ” Umberg said .

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order allows counties to provide fewer in-person voting locations if they also offer three days of early voting.
Gov. Gavin Newsom gave California counties permission on Wednesday to limit their in-person voting operations for the Nov. 3 election as protection against the spread of the coronavirus — but only if they also offer three days of early voting, a tradeoff some local officials said could be expensive and challenging.
The decision, detailed in an executive order, came almost one month after Newsom instructed California counties to mail each of the state’s 20.6 million voters an absentee ballot for the upcoming election. In doing so, he noted that voting locations would still be provided, primarily for voters with disabilities and those seeking assistance in a language other than English.
But Newsom’s earlier executive order, issued May 8, didn’t address where and when to set up voting sites, leaving elections officials in limbo on plans for the upcoming presidential election. The cost to implement the latest guidelines could be substantial, exceeding the federal dollars already earmarked for election assistance during the pandemic and further straining county government budgets stretched thin by public health and safety spending.
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Newsom’s order offers no information on whether additional state funds will be set aside, though elections funding could be boosted in the state budget the Legislature must send to his desk by June 15.
“Expanded vote-by-mail, coupled with ample in-person voting on and before Election Day, is the best formula for maintaining the accessibility, security, and safety of our election,” Secretary of State Alex Padilla said in a written statement.
Though some large counties, including Los Angeles, already allow several options for early voting, the majority of California’s 58 counties do not. Those counties still conduct elections under traditional rules, with in-person ballots cast on election day at neighborhood polling places — some of which are as small as a homeowner’s garage. That could make safe physical distancing impossible in this fall’s election or lead to long lines in locations with little space for a crowd.
The order issued Wednesday allows those counties to provide a fraction of their normal in-person voting locations, focusing instead on larger facilities with voting devices safely spread out. The sites could include school gymnasiums and auditoriums, though a request made last month by elections officials to require schools to participate went unanswered.
“We are committed to protecting the hard-fought right for Californians to make their voices heard this November, even in the face of a pandemic,” Newsom said in a written statement.
The change presents two notable challenges for counties that have no experience with early voting. First, they will have to operate locations for four consecutive days, requiring more hours on the job for some poll workers or the enlistment of additional volunteers. Many poll workers are seniors who may not participate this year given their heightened risk for COVID-19 infection. The governor’s executive order on Wednesday raised the possibility of county employees being assigned to elections work.
Second, voting locations will have to be prepared to accommodate the thousands of voters who could show up over the four-day period, both those who choose not to vote by mail and new voters who can register as late as election day. Not all of these voters may be eligible to use the same ballot, requiring additional supplies. And because voters could likely choose any of a county’s limited voting locations, poll workers will need more than just an old-fashioned paper printout of voters who live nearby to check eligibility.
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Not all counties are expected to use the new rules. Kammi Foote, the registrar of voters in Inyo County, said the consolidation of polling places and extended hours seemed better suited to urban areas in the state.
“In rural counties, the likelihood of a voter going to a different town is very small,” she said. “And expanding to four days is going to be extremely difficult.”
For 15 counties that adopted a 2016 state law swapping out neighborhood polling places for regional vote centers, voting operations will largely remain the same in the three days leading up to election day. But those counties, including Los Angeles and Orange, will be allowed to temporarily skip rules requiring vote centers to be open up to 10 days before the election.
Those counties choosing to offer early voting will also be required to provide drop boxes for ballots, to be in place beginning on Oct. 6 and available through the close of voting on election night.
Newsom’s original order to adjust the November election rules in light of the pandemic drew significant national attention, including criticism from President Trump and other Republican officials. They insisted — wrongly — that the state would mail ballots to people who weren’t registered to vote, including names on inactive voter lists.
As a result, the directive issued on Wednesday includes a provision that clarifies that it “is not intended, and shall not be construed, to mean that voters in an inactive voter registration status shall receive vote-by-mail ballots.”
Still, Republican-led lawsuits have been filed over the governor’s mandate to mail every voter a ballot. Legislation to codify that plan cleared the state Senate’s elections committee on Tuesday.
A second bill seeks to adopt many of the governor’s new rules on in-person voting that would let counties seek additional election changes from Padilla.
The author of that bill, state Sen. Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana), said Tuesday that it was important to provide Californians more than one safe option for voting this fall.
“But I would suggest that we actually flatten the curve, and if you want to vote in person you do so prior to election day,” Umberg said.


latimes--2020-06-03--LAPD Chief Michel Moore's comments on looters create political firestorm

As he commands the Los Angeles Police Department ’ s response to mass protests over the killing of George Floyd , LAPD Chief Michel Moore is also facing a growing political storm over comments he made Monday night — but quickly retracted — about looters .
The chief said looters across Southern California over the weekend were “ capitalizing ” on the death of Floyd .
“ We didn ’ t have protests last night — we had criminal acts , ” Moore said during a news conference with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Monday night .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death of this man , George Floyd — we had people capitalizing .
His death is on their hands as much as it is those officers.
” Moore apologized minutes later , saying he “ misspoke when I said his blood is on their hands ” and that he regretted “ that characterization.
” “ But I don ’ t regret , nor will I apologize , to those who are out there today committing violence , destroying lives and livelihoods and creating this destruction , ” Moore said .
“ His memory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better Los Angeles , a better United States and a better world.
” On Tuesday , protesters ’ chants rang out outside the LAPD ’ s glass headquarters : “ Fire Michel Moore !
Fire Michel Moore !
” And : “ Hey , hey , ho , ho !
Michel Moore has got to go !
” Garcetti on Tuesday night defended Moore , saying he was glad the chief had apologized .
“ I ’ m glad he quickly corrected it , and I ’ m glad that he further apologized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ 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.
” Moore ’ s comments were also the focus of much public comments during a Los Angeles Police Commission meeting Tuesday .
Jocelyn Tucker said she appreciated the apology , but the chief ’ s words were telling .
“ If that was your knee-jerk reaction , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job , ” she said .
State Sen. Holly Mitchell also responded to his comments in a statement .
“ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quick to condemn the killing of Floyd by Minneapolis police , and in the early days of the protests , gave demonstrators a wide berth .
Moore told the Police Commission that when he saw the video of police kneeling on Floyd ’ s neck , 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with peaceful protesters .
But while many demonstrators were not violent , looting began Saturday night and changed the dynamics .
“ When violence escalates , including assaults on officers , arson , widespread looting in the 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 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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.
” Many speakers also said they had witnessed LAPD officers shooting rubber bullets at protesters and blamed the officers for escalating tensions .
“ I ’ m terrified of the LAPD .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ David Spencer said .
On Tuesday , Garcetti said he was going to limit the use of rubber bullets .
“ 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 .
The mayor mentioned that an officer suffered a fractured skull during protests over the weekend and that officers needed to make peaceful protesting possible .
“ Those tactics will sometimes be out there , but it is my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can to not use those [ tactics ] at all especially if there ’ s peaceful protesters .
”

Richard Winton, Cindy Chang, Benjamin Oreskes

LAPD Chief Michel Moore addresses protesters through a bullhorn over the weekend in the Fairfax district.
As he commands the Los Angeles Police Department’s response to mass protests over the killing of George Floyd, LAPD Chief Michel Moore is also facing a growing political storm over comments he made Monday night — but quickly retracted — about looters.
The chief said looters across Southern California over the weekend were “capitalizing” on the death of Floyd.
“We didn’t have protests last night — we had criminal acts,” Moore said during a news conference with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Monday night. “We didn’t have people mourning the death of this man, George Floyd — we had people capitalizing. His death is on their hands as much as it is those officers.”
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Moore apologized minutes later, saying he “misspoke when I said his blood is on their hands” and that he regretted “that characterization.”
“But I don’t regret, nor will I apologize, to those who are out there today committing violence, destroying lives and livelihoods and creating this destruction,” Moore said. “His memory deserves reform. His memory deserves a better Los Angeles, a better United States and a better world.”
On Tuesday, protesters’ chants rang out outside the LAPD’s glass headquarters: “Fire Michel Moore! Fire Michel Moore!”
And: “Hey, hey, ho, ho! Michel Moore has got to go!”
Garcetti on Tuesday night defended Moore, saying he was glad the chief had apologized.
“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.”
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Moore’s comments were also the focus of much public comments during a Los Angeles Police Commission meeting Tuesday.
Jocelyn Tucker said she appreciated the apology, but the chief’s 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 in a statement.
“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.”
Moore was quick to condemn the killing of Floyd by Minneapolis police, and in the early days of the protests, gave demonstrators a wide berth.
Moore told the Police Commission that when he saw the video of police kneeling on Floyd’s neck, 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.”
California LAPD tactics get more aggressive as arrests soar With Los Angeles under nightly curfews and looting breaking out in neighborhoods across the city and county, arrests have surged into the thousands.
Moore said the LAPD originally hoped to work with peaceful protesters. But while many demonstrators were not violent, looting began Saturday night and changed the dynamics.
“When violence escalates, including assaults on officers, arson, widespread looting in the 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.”
Many speakers also said they had witnessed LAPD officers shooting rubber bullets at protesters and blamed the officers for escalating tensions.
“I’m terrified of the LAPD. You have shown your true colors,” David Spencer said.
On Tuesday, Garcetti said he was going to limit the use of rubber bullets.
“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.
The mayor mentioned that an officer suffered a fractured skull during protests over the weekend 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.”


latimes--2020-06-03--California's legal pot industry faces year of decline because of coronavirus, Newsom warns

California ’ s legal marijuana industry faces a year of declining sales as a result of the pandemic-induced recession despite an initial spike in consumer demand after dispensaries were deemed essential businesses , according to details outlined in Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s proposed budget .
Newsom projected in January that the state ’ s cannabis excise tax would bring in $ 479 million this year and $ 590 million in the fiscal year starting July 1 , but his revised budget now forecasts just $ 443 million this year and a decline to $ 435 million next year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and tobacco tend to be recession-resistant , the forecast assumes that cannabis businesses will be more negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic , ” the budget says .
“ Cannabis businesses have less access to banking services that could provide liquidity , have a younger consumer base likely to be disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 recession , and still must contend with competition from the black market.
” In an attempt to help the state ’ s legal pot industry weather a downturn , the Newsom administration has relaxed some restrictions on how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fees and extended the deadline for filing first quarter tax returns .
Industry leaders say they are bracing for economic turmoil caused by the coronavirus pandemic , which led Newsom more than two months ago to issue an order for California residents to stay at home to stem the disease ’ s spread .
“ It ’ s a pretty dire situation at this point , ” said Jerred Kiloh , owner of the Higher Path cannabis store in Sherman Oaks , and president of the United Cannabis Business Assn.
, which represents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illicit market is just going to have another leg up this year , ” he added .
“ When people have less disposable income they are going to look at the lowest cost option.
” The darker projections are a setback for a market championed by Newsom , who was the leading proponent of Proposition 64 , the 2016 ballot measure that legalized the sale of marijuana for recreational purposes in California .
Since the state began licensing growing and selling cannabis in 2018 , the legal industry has struggled to overcome impediments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California cities , high taxes and competition from a much larger illicit market that can offer lower prices .
But when Newsom issued his stay-at-home order that forced many businesses to close , he exempted marijuana sellers as “ essential.
” There was an immediate run on cannabis products as consumers stockpiled pot in anticipation of a possible future shortage amid concern pot shops might also be forced to close .
“ We initially saw a spike in sales that was attributed to panic buying , ” said Josh Drayton , a spokesman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who noted that sales have “ leveled out.
” Drayton said the future is “ very unpredictable ” but that he has not seen enough data to support the idea of a downturn , and others say they think sales will continue to increase .
BDSA , a firm that analyzes industry trends , still thinks California ’ s market will grow , from $ 2.9 billion last year to $ 3.6 billion this year .
Illicit sales totaled $ 8.8 billion in 2019 , according to Tom Adams , principal analyst of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BDSA .
“ But slowly and surely we expect [ legal sellers ] to chip away at that enormous illicit market , which only has after-tax price as a competitive advantage , ” Adams said .
California retailers including Kiloh say the governor ’ s estimate of a decline in cannabis tax revenue is consistent with what they see in the severe , longer term damage the pandemic has inflicted on the state economy .
While the number of individual purchases has climbed , the volume of products purchased is going down , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state ’ s unemployment rate this year will be 18 % , and Kiloh said one of the hardest hit groups is young people , including college students , who represent the largest demographic of cannabis customers .
Some 60 % of workers ages 16 to 24 have a high risk of unemployment compared with 42 % of workers ages 45 to 54 , according to a report last month by the Los Angeles nonprofit research group Economic Roundtable .
While the state has begun reopening many parts of the state economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predicts that the cannabis industry will continue to struggle .
That conclusion is based on assumptions “ that recognize an economically fragile consumer base , a persistent illicit market and the continuing challenge the industry faces in accessing traditional banking liquidity solutions , ” said Nicole Elliott , the governor ’ s senior advisor on cannabis .
The industry has also been hurt by a large drop in visitors from outside the state .
“ Especially in places like San Francisco , San Diego and Los Angeles , 30 % of our business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ When you see a 30 % reduction in tourism , that ’ s big.
” The impact of declining sales would be devastating for an industry that already faces unique challenges , Drayton said .
“ As with all businesses , if we do see a decline in sales we can anticipate layoffs , closures and an increased lack of access to regulated , tested , and taxed cannabis , ” he said .
Elliott said the state has begun taking steps to help the industry weather tough times .
State agencies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and June can receive 60-day deferrals of their license fee payments , which can run into six figures .
“ The license fee deferrals are intended to provide immediate financial assistance to state cannabis licensees impacted by COVID-19 , ” said a statement by the state Bureau of Cannabis Control .
Kiloh noted that the state action only delays the collection of license fees and that cannabis firms still have to come up with the money eventually , even as they struggle in a recession .
State officials said the deferral was offered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been excluded from federal or banking-dependent assistance for small businesses because cannabis remains a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law .
State agencies have also relaxed rules requiring sales in secured buildings so that pot shops can provide curbside pickup of purchases .
Other rules that can be temporarily waived for businesses that apply include a requirement for a signature from customers when receiving deliveries , allowing retailers to accept expired drivers licenses after the DMV temporarily shuttered field offices due to the pandemic , and permitting the sale of non-cannabis products @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanitizer , that previously could not be sold in pot shops .
The state tax agency has also offered payment plans for cannabis businesses struggling to pay sales and use taxes , and extended the deadline by which most operators must file their first-quarter 2020 tax returns .
Elliott also said that if cannabis businesses can find an eligible lender , they may access the $ 50 million in the IBank ’ s Disaster Relief Loan Guarantee Program and a similar amount from the Small Business Loan Guarantee Program proposed in the governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Still , the industry is lobbying Congress to access some of the much larger pool of federal financial assistance being offered to other small businesses hurt by the pandemic .
Without federal help , Drayton said , “ Our businesses will continue to deal with the same hardships as other small businesses without access to financial relief programs nor the financial tools afforded to other industries .
”

Sean McDermott, left, owner of the Grove cannabis shop in La Mesa, looks over one of the store’s products with employee Larry Fennell.
California’s legal marijuana industry faces a year of declining sales as a result of the pandemic-induced recession despite an initial spike in consumer demand after dispensaries were deemed essential businesses, according to details outlined in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget.
Newsom projected in January that the state’s cannabis excise tax would bring in $479 million this year and $590 million in the fiscal year starting July 1, but his revised budget now forecasts just $443 million this year and a decline to $435 million next year.
“While similar products like alcohol and tobacco tend to be recession-resistant, the forecast assumes that cannabis businesses will be more negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” the budget says. “Cannabis businesses have less access to banking services that could provide liquidity, have a younger consumer base likely to be disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 recession, and still must contend with competition from the black market.”
In an attempt to help the state’s legal pot industry weather a downturn, the Newsom administration has relaxed some restrictions on how cannabis firms operate, deferred license renewal fees and extended the deadline for filing first quarter tax returns.
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Industry leaders say they are bracing for economic turmoil caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which led Newsom more than two months ago to issue an order for California residents to stay at home to stem the disease’s spread.
“It’s a pretty dire situation at this point,” said Jerred Kiloh, owner of the Higher Path cannabis store in Sherman Oaks, and president of the United Cannabis Business Assn., which represents many Los Angeles-based retailers.
“The illicit market is just going to have another leg up this year,” he added. “When people have less disposable income they are going to look at the lowest cost option.”
The darker projections are a setback for a market championed by Newsom, who was the leading proponent of Proposition 64, the 2016 ballot measure that legalized the sale of marijuana for recreational purposes in California.
Since the state began licensing growing and selling cannabis in 2018, the legal industry has struggled to overcome impediments that include bans on sales by most California cities, high taxes and competition from a much larger illicit market that can offer lower prices.
But when Newsom issued his stay-at-home order that forced many businesses to close, he exempted marijuana sellers as “essential.”
There was an immediate run on cannabis products as consumers stockpiled pot in anticipation of a possible future shortage amid concern pot shops might also be forced to close.
“We initially saw a spike in sales that was attributed to panic buying,” said Josh Drayton, a spokesman for the California Cannabis Industry Assn., who noted that sales have “leveled out.”
Drayton said the future is “very unpredictable” but that he has not seen enough data to support the idea of a downturn, and others say they think sales will continue to increase.
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BDSA, a firm that analyzes industry trends, still thinks California’s market will grow, from $2.9 billion last year to $3.6 billion this year.
Illicit sales totaled $8.8 billion in 2019, according to Tom Adams, principal analyst of the financial research and consulting division of BDSA.
“But slowly and surely we expect [legal sellers] to chip away at that enormous illicit market, which only has after-tax price as a competitive advantage,” Adams said.
California retailers including Kiloh say the governor’s estimate of a decline in cannabis tax revenue is consistent with what they see in the severe, longer term damage the pandemic has inflicted on the state economy.
While the number of individual purchases has climbed, the volume of products purchased is going down, Kiloh said.
Newsom has estimated that the state’s unemployment rate this year will be 18%, and Kiloh said one of the hardest hit groups is young people, including college students, who represent the largest demographic of cannabis customers.
Some 60% of workers ages 16 to 24 have a high risk of unemployment compared with 42% of workers ages 45 to 54, according to a report last month by the Los Angeles nonprofit research group Economic Roundtable.
While the state has begun reopening many parts of the state economy, the governor’s budget proposal predicts that the cannabis industry will continue to struggle. That conclusion is based on assumptions “that recognize an economically fragile consumer base, a persistent illicit market and the continuing challenge the industry faces in accessing traditional banking liquidity solutions,” said Nicole Elliott, the governor’s senior advisor on cannabis.
The industry has also been hurt by a large drop in visitors from outside the state.
“Especially in places like San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles, 30% of our business is tourism,” Kiloh said. “When you see a 30% reduction in tourism, that’s big.”
The impact of declining sales would be devastating for an industry that already faces unique challenges, Drayton said.
“As with all businesses, if we do see a decline in sales we can anticipate layoffs, closures and an increased lack of access to regulated, tested, and taxed cannabis,” he said.
Elliott said the state has begun taking steps to help the industry weather tough times. State agencies recently announced that licenses expiring in May and June can receive 60-day deferrals of their license fee payments, which can run into six figures.
“The license fee deferrals are intended to provide immediate financial assistance to state cannabis licensees impacted by COVID-19,” said a statement by the state Bureau of Cannabis Control.
Kiloh noted that the state action only delays the collection of license fees and that cannabis firms still have to come up with the money eventually, even as they struggle in a recession.
State officials said the deferral was offered because the cannabis industry has so far been excluded from federal or banking-dependent assistance for small businesses because cannabis remains a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law.
State agencies have also relaxed rules requiring sales in secured buildings so that pot shops can provide curbside pickup of purchases.
Other rules that can be temporarily waived for businesses that apply include a requirement for a signature from customers when receiving deliveries, allowing retailers to accept expired drivers licenses after the DMV temporarily shuttered field offices due to the pandemic, and permitting the sale of non-cannabis products that are virus related, including hand sanitizer, that previously could not be sold in pot shops.
The state tax agency has also offered payment plans for cannabis businesses struggling to pay sales and use taxes, and extended the deadline by which most operators must file their first-quarter 2020 tax returns.
Elliott also said that if cannabis businesses can find an eligible lender, they may access the $50 million in the IBank’s Disaster Relief Loan Guarantee Program and a similar amount from the Small Business Loan Guarantee Program proposed in the governor’s budget for next year.
Still, the industry is lobbying Congress to access some of the much larger pool of federal financial assistance being offered to other small businesses hurt by the pandemic.
Without federal help, Drayton said, “Our businesses will continue to deal with the same hardships as other small businesses without access to financial relief programs nor the financial tools afforded to other industries.”


latimes--2020-06-03--Protests planned for Newport Beach after tense standoff at South Coast Plaza

At least four protests were scheduled Wednesday in Newport Beach after similar demonstrations were held at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa as well as in Anaheim , Brea and Santa Ana in the previous days .
On Monday , there was a series of tense standoffs between police and protesters outside South Coast Plaza .
Protesters originally met at Bear Street and Sunflower Avenue across from the upscale shopping mall about 8 p.m. to demonstrate against racism and Minneapolis police officers ’ involvement in the May 25 death of , an unarmed black man .
The crowd gathered in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in place by city officials after looting and rioting shook neighboring and over the weekend .
A few incidents of looting occurred in Santa Ana , but demonstrations were largely peaceful .
In Costa Mesa , protesters chanted , “ Hands up , don ’ t shoot !
” and held signs reading , “ Help I can ’ t Breathe ” and “ No one is free until all of us are free.
” The demonstration began peacefully , with many saying they hoped for a protest devoid of violence .
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s not us against cops , it ’ s us against racists , ” said Adam Robinson , 21 , of Costa Mesa .
Social media posts show the first planned event Wednesday in Newport Beach is at noon at MacArthur Boulevard and East Coast Highway , at the northern end of Corona del Mar .
Another protest is scheduled at 2 p.m. at Newport Pier .
Two others are set for 5 p.m. , one on the pedestrian bridge over San Miguel Drive at Civic Center Park near City Hall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A more specific location for the Back Bay demonstration was not provided .
All of the demonstrations are being promoted as peaceful protests .
The one on the Civic Center Park bridge is billed as “ family friendly , ” for “ raising anti-racist kids.
” Newport Beach police are aware of all four demonstrations and had not planned any street closures in advance Tuesday , said department spokeswoman Heather Rangel .
The city also had not preemptively called for any curfews .
The damage to some businesses in Santa Ana sparked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destroyed for their game and not the cause , ” said Alexander Rodriguez , 25 , who stood outside a Smart & Final on Edinger Avenue with smashed-in windows Monday .
“ They don ’ t care how the world sees us.
” “ It puts us in a bad position , ” said 40-year-old machinist Antonio Ortiz , who remained in his truck .
“ What did we win from all this ?
” “ I tell my kids all the time about using their voice , ” said Santa Ana High @ @ @ @ @ @ @ picked trash out of bushes alongside her son .
“ But it needs to be in a constructive way.
” At O ’ Reilly Auto Parts , store manager Miguel Briceño spoke through the crack of a boarded-up door .
“ They don ’ t listen to our silent protests , ” the 38-year-old said , “ so maybe they ’ ll listen to this.
” In Los Angeles on Tuesday , protests centered in Hollywood and downtown were largely peaceful compared with with earlier demonstrations that devolved into the destruction and looting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , mostly for violating curfew when protesters refused to leave .
But initial reports showed far less looting and vandalism than in recent days .

Gustavo Arellano, Ben Brazil, Hillary Davis

There was a series of standoffs between protesters and police at a rally at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa late Monday night.
At least four protests were scheduled Wednesday in Newport Beach after similar demonstrations were held at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa as well as in Anaheim, Brea and Santa Ana in the previous days.
On Monday, there was a series of tense standoffs between police and protesters outside South Coast Plaza.
Protesters originally met at Bear Street and Sunflower Avenue across from the upscale shopping mall about 8 p.m. to demonstrate against racism and Minneapolis police officers’ involvement in the May 25 death of George Floyd , an unarmed black man.
The crowd gathered in defiance of a second overnight curfew put in place by city officials after looting and rioting shook neighboring Huntington Beach and Santa Ana over the weekend. A few incidents of looting occurred in Santa Ana, but demonstrations were largely peaceful.
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In Costa Mesa, protesters chanted, “Hands up, don’t shoot!” and held signs reading, “Help I can’t Breathe” and “No one is free until all of us are free.”
The demonstration began peacefully, with many saying they hoped for a protest devoid of violence. Some aimed for solidarity with police.
“It’s not us against cops, it’s us against racists,” said Adam Robinson, 21, of Costa Mesa.
Social media posts show the first planned event Wednesday in Newport Beach is at noon at MacArthur Boulevard and East Coast Highway, at the northern end of Corona del Mar.
Another protest is scheduled at 2 p.m. at Newport Pier. Two others are set for 5 p.m., one on the pedestrian bridge over San Miguel Drive at Civic Center Park near City Hall, and another at the Back Bay. A more specific location for the Back Bay demonstration was not provided.
All of the demonstrations are being promoted as peaceful protests. The one on the Civic Center Park bridge is billed as “family friendly,” for “raising anti-racist kids.”
Newport Beach police are aware of all four demonstrations and had not planned any street closures in advance Tuesday, said department spokeswoman Heather Rangel. The city also had not preemptively called for any curfews.
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The damage to some businesses in Santa Ana sparked debate in the community.
“They destroyed for their game and not the cause,” said Alexander Rodriguez, 25, who stood outside a Smart & Final on Edinger Avenue with smashed-in windows Monday. “They don’t care how the world sees us.”
“It puts us in a bad position,” said 40-year-old machinist Antonio Ortiz, who remained in his truck. “What did we win from all this?”
“I tell my kids all the time about using their voice,” said Santa Ana High School history teacher Ann Huizar. She picked trash out of bushes alongside her son. “But it needs to be in a constructive way.”
At O’Reilly Auto Parts, store manager Miguel Briceño spoke through the crack of a boarded-up door.
“They don’t listen to our silent protests,” the 38-year-old said, “so maybe they’ll listen to this.”
In Los Angeles on Tuesday, protests centered in Hollywood and downtown were largely peaceful compared with 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.
Brazil and Davis write for Times Community News.


latimes--2020-06-03--'Defund LAPD' becomes a rallying cry at protests. Unrest has intensified the debate

When Los Angeles was plunged into a budget crisis earlier this year , progressive activists demanded that the City Council slash spending at the Police Department , saying it ’ s wrong to boost funding for officers while cutting other urgently needed services .
The debate over police spending at City Hall has only intensified after several days of protests against police brutality , the LAPD ’ s response to those demonstrations and the looting that sometimes followed .
Activists with Black Lives Matter , Ground Game LA and other grassroots groups say incidents in recent days where the officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reinforce the need to defund the LAPD .
Those events “ sensitized people to what is really happening — and what we have been experiencing all our lives , ” said Akili , an organizer with Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles , who goes by only his last name .
“ This crisis that we are facing now , with police violence , has got people thinking , ‘ Is this what we want ?
’ ” Akili touted an alternative spending plan for City Hall , dubbed the People ’ s Budget , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the LAPD ’ s funding .
But other community leaders , and at least some elected officials , say the recent outbreak in looting , vandalism and arson shows precisely why the the city needs the number of officers it has .
“ Ten thousand officers were barely able to keep the peace , ” said Councilman Paul Koretz , whose Westside district includes Beverly Boulevard , Melrose Avenue and other business districts where looting occurred .
“ Imagine if we didn ’ t have the response that we did.
” Mayor Eric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year provides a 7 % spending increase for the LAPD , including a package of raises and bonuses for rank-and-file officers .
The LAPD budget also includes a $ 34-million increase in sworn overtime , much of which would go toward additional patrols at the L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority , one Garcetti aide said .
The City Council , which normally reviews and approves the mayor ’ s budget each year , allowed Garcetti ’ s spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1 to go into effect on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have also promised to make changes to his budget in the coming weeks to address a major crunch triggered by the shutdowns that have accompanied the coronavirus outbreak .
On Wednesday , Council President Nury Martinez and three of her colleagues introduced a plan to ask city staffers to find $ 100 million to $ 150 million in cuts at the LAPD , reinvesting those savings in disadvantaged communities and communities of color .
Such a move could reduce the size of the LAPD budget by up to 8 % , potentially reversing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming budget year .
“ If we are going to finally end the sin of racism and all of its illogical , dehumanizing and sometimes deadly consequences , including in our police department , then we have to provide real solutions for real people who need our assistance , ” Martinez said in a statement .
Garcetti ’ s budget plan currently calls for police spending to consume 53.8 % of the city ’ s “ unrestricted ” general fund revenue — taxes that are not earmarked for special purposes or certain fees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makes up 17.6 % of the city ’ s overall $ 10.5-billion budget , a figure that does not include police pensions and healthcare , according to city budget officials .
In recent days , Garcetti said he had kept the number of LAPD officers roughly the same during his tenure while increasing spending on youth development programs .
But the mayor has also argued that cities run into trouble when they cut their police departments .
“ The more that they ’ re underfunded , the worse things can happen , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside the mayor ’ s residence , carrying signs and chanting , “ Defund the police.
” Whitney Peterson , 35 , said that , to her , the chant was not calling to abolish law enforcement but to limit it and steer its funding elsewhere .
“ We have schools and lower-income communities struggling .
It ’ s hard to swallow .
These communities are not being protected and that needs to change , ” she said .
The amount of police spending in L.A. has long been a source of frustration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lives Matter-Los Angeles teamed up with other grassroots organizations to survey Angelenos about their budget priorities and draft their People ’ s Budget .
Under their alternative spending plan for the coming year , police would receive only 5.7 % of the city ’ s general fund — a reduction of nearly 90 % compared with the mayor ’ s spending plan .
Ground Game LA , one of the groups involved in the People ’ s Budget LA coalition , said 9,000 of the LAPD ’ s 10,000 officers should be replaced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health counselors , gang intervention workers and others who could address pressing social needs .
“ I don ’ t think there ’ s any way to get a 90 % reduction without layoffs , and that would be OK , ” said Bill Przylucki , executive director of Ground Game LA .
“ But if they lay them all off and then hoard the money , that ’ s not a solution .
We need to reinvest those dollars in all the right programs.
” Przylucki said the LAPD had shown repeatedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capable of keeping the peace in a way that de-escalates confrontation — and that the skirmishes of the past week only reinforced that lesson .
A coalition of labor and advocacy groups joined in Wednesday , urging Garcetti to cut the LAPD budget by at least $ 250 million .
Neighborhood councils have chimed in as well : The Silver Lake Neighborhood Council voted Monday to urge the city to redirect money from the LAPD to social services , rent relief and other programs .
Julia Forgie , who sits on the Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action , said at a meeting this week that she was worried Garcetti would use recent events to bolster support for his budget .
“ It ’ s important that we sort of reframe the conversation preemptively , to make sure that [ city officials ] understand that these events don ’ t indicate that we need more funding for police , ” she said .
Lee Williams , board chairman of the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce , voiced alarm at the idea of cutting the LAPD .
If the department has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times will go up , community policing programs will suffer , and the neighborhood will be less safe overall .
“ That would be crushing for San Pedro , ” said Williams , a San Pedro resident himself .
Los Angeles Police Protective League President Craig Lally , whose union represents rank-and-file officers , said defunding the LAPD would leave neighborhoods vulnerable to crime and serve as a “ dream come true for gang members and criminals.
” Such cuts would mean slower responses to 911 calls , stalled investigations and fewer officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backup , he said .
If the People ’ s Budget proposed by activists becomes a reality , “ the last several nights of mayhem in Los Angeles will be the new normal , ” he said .
So far , council members have shown little appetite for cutting the LAPD as dramatically as outlined in the People ’ s Budget .
But several said that they were open to reductions .
Councilman David Ryu , whose district stretches from Sherman Oaks to the Miracle Mile , said “ everything is on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Councilman Mike Bonin has suggested asking the police union to postpone raises .
Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson , who represents parts of South Los Angeles , said it ’ s hard for him to imagine that anyone following recent events would conclude that “ a lack of police is our problem.
” Asked how many officers the LAPD should have , Harris-Dawson responded : “ I don ’ t think there ’ s a right number .
I ’ m a person who looks at outcomes.
” Reducing the LAPD budget , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the upcoming budget discussions .
“ We have to respond to the activists on the one side , who raise a very legitimate point , and we have to respond to reality ” — that city officials will likely need to make more cuts to balance the budget , he said .

Emily Alpert Reyes, David Zahniser, Dakota Smith

When Los Angeles was plunged into a budget crisis earlier this year, progressive activists demanded that the City Council slash spending at the Police Department, saying it’s wrong to boost funding for officers while cutting other urgently needed services.
The debate over police spending at City Hall has only intensified after several days of protests against police brutality, the LAPD’s response to those demonstrations and the looting that sometimes followed.
Activists with Black Lives Matter, Ground Game LA and other grassroots groups say incidents in recent days where officers have used aggressive tactics including projectiles and batons only reinforce the need to defund the LAPD.
“This crisis that we are facing now, with police violence, has got people thinking, ‘Is this what we want?’” said Akili, an organizer with Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles, who goes by only his last name.
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Akili touted an alternative spending plan for City Hall, dubbed the People’s Budget, that would cut the vast majority of the LAPD’s funding. But other community leaders, and at least some elected officials, say the recent outbreak in looting, vandalism and arson shows precisely why the city needs the number of officers it has.
“Ten thousand officers were barely able to keep the peace,” said Councilman Paul Koretz, whose Westside district includes Beverly Boulevard, Melrose Avenue and other business districts where looting occurred. “Imagine if we didn’t have the response that we did.”
Mayor Eric Garcetti had originally proposed a 7% spending increase for the LAPD, including a lucrative package of raises and bonuses for rank-and-file officers. But Wednesday, a day after thousands of protesters chanted “defund the police” outside his Windsor Square home, Garcetti said he had changed course, deciding now is not the time to increase the department budget.
Garcetti said his administration would look for $250 million in cuts from city departments, including the LAPD, and steer the funds to invest in job programs, health initiatives and other services supporting the black community and other communities of color. As part of those reductions, the LAPD would see cuts of $100 million to $150 million, he said.
Council President Nury Martinez and several of her colleagues proposed the same reductions for the LAPD, which could eliminate the increase planned in Garcetti’s budget.
“While a complete overhaul of the city’s budget will take time, we can begin to slowly dismantle those systems that are designed to harm people of color,” Martinez said. “A preliminary cut to the LAPD budget will not solve everything, but it’s a step in the right direction.”
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Progressive activists said those actions do not go far enough. Meanwhile, leaders of the LAPD’s biggest union were furious with Martinez’s choice of words, saying they were “offensive” and dehumanized police officers.
The City Council, which normally reviews and approves the mayor’s budget each year, had allowed Garcetti’s citywide spending plan to go into effect on Monday without a vote.
But council members also promised to make changes to his budget in the coming weeks to address a major crunch triggered by the shutdowns that have accompanied the coronavirus outbreak.
Garcetti’s budget, first proposed in April, called for police spending to consume 53.8% of the city’s “unrestricted” general fund revenue — taxes that are not earmarked for special purposes or certain fees, fines and grants. The LAPD makes up 17.6% of the city’s overall $10.5-billion budget, a figure that does not include police pensions and healthcare, according to city budget officials.
Protesters gather outside L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti’s house in Windsor Square on Tuesday. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
The amount of police spending in L.A. has long been a source of frustration for activists. This year, Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles teamed up with other grassroots organizations to survey Angelenos about their budget priorities and draft their People’s Budget.
Under their alternative spending plan for the coming year, police would receive only 5.7% of the city’s general fund — a reduction of nearly 90% compared with the mayor’s budget.
Ground Game LA, one of the groups involved in the People’s Budget LA coalition, said 9,000 of the LAPD’s 10,000 officers should be replaced with tenants’ rights workers, mental health counselors, gang intervention workers and others who could address pressing social needs.
“I don’t think there’s any way to get a 90% reduction without layoffs, and that would be OK,” said Bill Przylucki, executive director of Ground Game LA. “But if they lay them all off and then hoard the money, that’s not a solution. We need to reinvest those dollars in all the right programs.”
Przylucki said the LAPD had shown repeatedly over the years that it was not capable of keeping the peace in a way that de-escalates confrontation — and that the skirmishes of the past week only reinforced that lesson.
A coalition of labor and advocacy groups have pushed their own plan, urging Garcetti to cut the LAPD budget by at least $250 million. Neighborhood councils have chimed in as well.
On Monday, the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council to urge the city to redirect money from the LAPD to social services, rent relief and other programs. Julia Forgie, who sits on the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council, which took similar action, said at a meeting this week that she was worried Garcetti would use recent events to bolster support for his budget.
“It’s important that we sort of reframe the conversation preemptively, to make sure that [city officials] understand that these events don’t indicate that we need more funding for police,” she said.
Lee Williams, board chairman of the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce, voiced alarm at the idea of cutting the LAPD. If the department has fewer officers, he said, response times will go up, community policing programs will suffer, and the neighborhood will be less safe overall.
“That would be crushing for San Pedro,” said Williams, a San Pedro resident himself.
Los Angeles Police Protective League President Craig Lally, whose union represents rank-and-file officers, said defunding the LAPD would leave neighborhoods vulnerable to crime and serve as a “dream come true for gang members and criminals.” Such cuts would mean slower responses to 911 calls, stalled investigations and fewer officers able to assist when fellow officers need backup, he said.
If the People’s Budget proposed by activists becomes a reality, “the last several nights of mayhem in Los Angeles will be the new normal,” he said.
Council members have shown little appetite for cutting the LAPD as dramatically as outlined in the People’s Budget. But several said in recent days that they could not shield police officers from cuts when other employees were facing reductions.
Councilman Mike Bonin, who represents coastal neighborhoods, suggested asking the police union to postpone raises. Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson, who represents parts of South Los Angeles, said it’s hard for him to imagine that anyone following recent events would conclude that “a lack of police is our problem.”
Asked how many officers the LAPD should have, Harris-Dawson responded: “I don’t think there’s a right number. I’m a person who looks at outcomes.”
Reducing the LAPD budget, he said, has to be part of the upcoming budget discussions. “We have to respond to the activists on the one side, who raise a very legitimate point, and we have to respond to reality” — that city officials will likely need to make more cuts to balance the budget, he said.
Times staff writer Matt Hamilton contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-03--'A good army': L.A. protesters from diverse backgrounds converge on streets

Their voices rose as about a dozen LAPD cars passed by heading down Vine Street in Hollywood on Tuesday .
Thousands took to the street in Hollywood and later in downtown Los Angeles in what appeared to be the biggest protests in the city since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week .
The marches lasted for hours , with hundreds being arrested at night for violating curfew orders .
Along with the anger over police brutality , many protesters wanted to make clear they came in peace .
Over the last few days , looting had followed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the protests to steal .
But there was far less looting Tuesday , according to initial reports .
Here are some of the voices from Tuesday : Among the crowd in Hollywood was 25-year-old Heaven Bouldin .
“ I ’ ve been protesting for the last 10 years .
I ’ m tired , I ’ m tired , I ’ m tired , ” she said .
“ My people have been getting killed for the last 200 years .
We ’ re in 2020 , and we still can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ... Somebody has to do something .
“ It ’ s ridiculous that 1,000 protesters have been arrested , but it ’ s taken so long to arrest the four people .
[ involved in Floyd ’ s death ] ...
It should be all four , not one , ” Bouldin said , referring to Derrick Chauvin , the Minneapolis police officer who pinned Floyd to the ground with a knee to his neck .
Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder .
Bouldin was in Hollywood protesting for several hours Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ F— your curfew .
Stop killing black people.
” She wasn ’ t there when police shot rubber bullets into the crowd but heard about it afterward .
“ People are willing to risk their lives right now , and it ’ s scary , ” she said .
“ But people are tired .
My people are tired ... and I get it.
” She ’ s been peacefully protesting in her neighborhood too .
On Monday night , she and her boyfriend held signs up past curfew .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s safe for yourself .
In order to make a change , we have to stay above six feet , we have to stay alive .
They ’ re setting these curfews so that they can arrest us , so that they can kill us .
“ I encourage everyone else to try and do this as safely as possible.
” In downtown Los Angeles , several protesters carried packets of water , granola bars and clementines .
Lauren Skillen , 26 , of Los Angeles , and her sister Taylor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do something to help the protest efforts .
Lauren ’ s office , a production company , let everyone off work for Blackout Tuesday .
The sisters asked for donations on social media and collected $ 160 in two hours .
They went to two stores and bought Gatorade , water , bandages , alcohol wipes and tissues .
After assembling 60 care packages in Ziplock bags , they headed downtown .
“ Sometimes it feels hollow to be another body — I know that ’ s not right thinking — but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something , ” she said .
On the steps of L.A. City Hall on Tuesday , protesters urged each other to stay back from a barricade placed between them and rows of police and National Guard troops .
A black woman with a megaphone stood before the crowd and the Guard to show gratitude for both .
She asked people to look around and thank people of different races who were with them .
“ We have Caucasian people here , we have Asian people here , we have Hispanic people here , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans here .
We have non-citizens here .
… We need to thank everyone for standing united because , guess what ?
We are standing together.
” Nearby , Raynard Sterling , a nurse practitioner and former combat medic , stood in a white coat and teal surgical mask , taking in the scene .
“ I think individuals like me , African Americans that have seen this happen routinely and even in other states , in urban America , we ’ re angry , ” said Sterling , 52 .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re also hurt for [ Floyd ] and his family , but we ’ re very angry.
” Many parents brought their children to experience this moment in history .
Khalil Bass , 30 , who is black , brought his 6-month-old son .
“ 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 .
When Bass was a football player in high school and college , he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teammates around and officers saw a car full of men of color , he said .
Bass also played football in Canada and said the police there are remarkably different .
“ When you come home , it ’ s that feeling like you did something wrong when you know you didn ’ t , ” he said .
Bass was laid off from his job as a trainer at a gym in Beverly Hills in mid-March .
He said it seems like people have more time to pay attention and read the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working amid the pandemic .
“ There ’ s a feeling of being a part of history , ” he said .
“ Everyone feels like we can make a change , and more people are jumping on the bandwagon .
This is the first time it is not all black people at a protest.
” Wearing a short-sleeve shirt covered with photos of cats and a pink-hued , leopard-print mask , 8-year-old Gianna Garcia said people needed to know that the protesters were strong and powerful .
“ It ’ s going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
Sitting atop a slow-moving black Jetta on Spring Street with her legs dangling through the sunroof , Gianna held her small , clenched fist aloft .
She clutched a sign reading : # ChargeAllFour .
Her mother , Maureen Maldonado , was in the back seat , holding another sign with the words “ I can ’ t breathe.
” Maldonado , a Latina , said that she and her daughter had been protesting for four days .
Coronavirus had “ removed all types of childcare ” from the 38-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she believed that her daughter needed to be here .
“ At least for me , the only change I can make is that I shape my daughter the right way , ” Maldonado said .
After rounds of chanting , the demonstrators outside Getty House — the mayor ’ s residence — went silent as a person led hundreds in breathing and yoga .
“ Inhale fully through your nose , ” a person instructed , as the crowd did light stretching .
“ Exhale fully through your nose.
” The demonstrators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the helicopter above and the instructions to breath and press their palms together .
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 .
“ People are safe and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go on , ” he said , gesturing to the crowd gathered with signs .

Brittny Mejia, Julia Wick, Matt Hamilton, Jaclyn Cosgrove, Dorany Pineda, Alejandra Reyes-Velarde, Liam Dillon

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)
“This is a peaceful protest.”
Their voices rose as about a dozen LAPD cars passed by heading down Vine Street in Hollywood on Tuesday.
Thousands took to the street in Hollywood and later in downtown Los Angeles in what appeared to be the biggest protests in the city since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week.
The marches lasted for hours, with hundreds being arrested at night for violating curfew orders.
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Along with the anger over police brutality, many protesters wanted to make clear they came in peace. Over the last few days, looting had followed some marches, with opportunists taking advantage of the protests to steal. But there was far less looting Tuesday, according to initial reports.
Here are some of the voices from Tuesday:
‘I’m tired, I’m tired’
Among the crowd in Hollywood was 25-year-old Heaven Bouldin.
“I’ve been protesting for the last 10 years. I’m tired, I’m tired, I’m tired,” she 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.
“It’s ridiculous that 1,000 protesters have been arrested, but it’s taken so long to arrest the four people . [involved in Floyd’s death]... It should be all four, not one,” Bouldin said, referring to Derrick Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who pinned Floyd to the ground with a knee to his neck. Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder.
Bouldin was in Hollywood protesting for several hours Tuesday. She held a sign that read, “F— your curfew. Stop killing black people.”
She wasn’t there when police shot rubber bullets into the crowd but heard about it afterward.
“People are willing to risk their lives right now, and it’s scary,” she said. “But people are tired. My people are tired ... and I get it.”
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She’s been peacefully protesting in her neighborhood too. On Monday night, she and her boyfriend held signs up past curfew.
“I’m all for doing what’s safe for yourself. In order to make a change, we have to stay above six feet, we have to stay alive. They’re setting these curfews so that they can arrest us, so that they can kill us.
“I encourage everyone else to try and do this as safely as possible.”
Care packages
In downtown Los Angeles, several protesters carried packets of water, granola bars and clementines.
Lauren Skillen, 26, of Los Angeles, and her sister Taylor, 28, woke up Tuesday and wanted to do something to help the protest efforts.
Lauren’s office, a production company, let everyone off work for Blackout Tuesday.
The sisters asked for donations on social media and collected $160 in two hours. They went to two stores and bought Gatorade, water, bandages, alcohol wipes and tissues. After assembling 60 care packages in Ziplock bags, they headed downtown.
“Sometimes it feels hollow to be another body — I know that’s not right thinking — but I wanted to be able to do something,” she said.
California Watch: Protesters in Pershing Square demand justice Columnist LZ Granderson spoke with protesters in downtown Los Angeles and found a readiness toward goodwill and solidarity.
‘We have Americans here’
On the steps of L.A. City Hall on Tuesday, protesters urged each other to stay back from a barricade placed between them and rows of police and National Guard troops.
A black woman with a megaphone stood before the crowd and the Guard to show gratitude for both. She asked people to look around and thank people of different races who were with them.
“We have Caucasian people here, we have Asian people here, we have Hispanic people here,” she said. “We have Americans here. We have non-citizens here. … We need to thank everyone for standing united because, guess what? We are standing together.”
Nearby, Raynard Sterling, a nurse practitioner and former combat medic, stood in a white coat and teal surgical mask, taking in the scene.
“I think individuals like me, African Americans that have seen this happen routinely and even in other states, in urban America, we’re angry,” said Sterling, 52. “The underlying emotion is anger. We’re also hurt for [Floyd] and his family, but we’re very angry.”
‘Being a part of history’
Many parents brought their children to experience this moment in history. Khalil Bass, 30, who is black, brought his 6-month-old son.
“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.
When Bass was a football player in high school and college, he was repeatedly pulled over as he drove his teammates around and officers saw a car full of men of color, he said. Bass also played football in Canada and said the police there are remarkably different.
“When you come home, it’s that feeling like you did something wrong when you know you didn’t,” he said.
Bass was laid off from his job as a trainer at a gym in Beverly Hills in mid-March. He said it seems like people have more time to pay attention and read the news because so many millions are not working amid the pandemic.
“There’s a feeling of being a part of history,” he said. “Everyone feels like we can make a change, and more people are jumping on the bandwagon. This is the first time it is not all black people at a protest.”
California L.A. Pride announces Black Lives Matter solidarity protest march for June 14 This year’s L.A. Pride will be a peaceful protest march in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, organizers announced. It will take place June 14 starting at Hollywood and Highland.
‘A good army’
Wearing a short-sleeve shirt covered with photos of cats and a pink-hued, leopard-print mask, 8-year-old Gianna Garcia said people needed to know that the protesters were strong and powerful.
“It’s going to be a good army,” she said.
Sitting atop a slow-moving black Jetta on Spring Street with her legs dangling through the sunroof, Gianna held her small, clenched fist aloft. She clutched a sign reading: #ChargeAllFour.
Her mother, Maureen Maldonado, was in the back seat, holding another sign with the words “I can’t breathe.”
Maldonado, a Latina, 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 believed that her daughter needed to be here.
“At least for me, the only change I can make is that I shape my daughter the right way,” Maldonado said.
Yoga break
After rounds of chanting, the demonstrators outside Getty House — the mayor’s residence — went silent as a person led hundreds in breathing and yoga.
“Inhale fully through your nose,” a person instructed, as the crowd did light stretching. “Exhale fully through your nose.”
The demonstrators were quiet except for the whir of the helicopter above and the instructions to breath and press their palms together. 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.
“People are safe and peaceful and consistent — because this has to go on,” he said, gesturing to the crowd gathered with signs.


latimes--2020-06-03--2 wounded, 3 arrested after South L.A. shooting triggers police pursuit

Two people were wounded and three others were arrested after a shooting led to a brief police pursuit in South Los Angeles early Wednesday .
Officers responded to Broadway and Manchester Avenue shortly after midnight after hearing gunshots .
At the same time , authorities received calls about a shooting in the area , said Officer Rosario Cervantes , a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department .
When officers arrived , authorities said they witnessed a shooting .
At least one officer opened fire , though it was not clear whether the gunfire struck anyone , Cervantes said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to open fire .
The officers then began pursuing a fleeing vehicle .
Two suspects , who have not been identified , were taken into custody after they bailed from the vehicle during the pursuit , police said .
The chase ended when the vehicle crashed near Slauson Avenue and San Pedro Street .
The driver , who has not been identified , was arrested , Cervantes said .
Two people suffering from gunshot wounds were taken to a hospital for treatment .
It was not clear whether they were wounded by police @ @ @ @ @ @

Two people were wounded and three others were arrested after a shooting led to a brief police pursuit in South Los Angeles early Wednesday.
Officers responded to Broadway and Manchester Avenue shortly after midnight after hearing gunshots. At the same time, authorities received calls about a shooting in the area, said Officer Rosario Cervantes, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department.
When officers arrived, authorities said they witnessed a shooting. At least one officer opened fire, though it was not clear whether the gunfire struck anyone, Cervantes said.
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It was not clear what prompted police to open fire.
The officers then began pursuing a fleeing vehicle. Two suspects, who have not been identified, were taken into custody after they bailed from the vehicle during the pursuit, police said.
The chase ended when the vehicle crashed near Slauson Avenue and San Pedro Street. The driver, who has not been identified, was arrested, Cervantes said.
Two people suffering from gunshot wounds were taken to a hospital for treatment. It was not clear whether they were wounded by police or in the initial shooting.