latimes--2020-06-05--Police agencies are banning a controversial neck hold after George Floyd's death

Law enforcement agencies and elected officials across the country moved quickly this week to ban officers from using a controversial neck hold , responding to nationwide outrage over the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer who knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom and members of the California Legislature ’ s black and Latino caucuses called for a statewide ban on carotid holds , which involve using an arm to put pressure on the sides of a person ’ s neck to restrict blood flow .
The move followed widespread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law enforcement agencies in California — including the San Diego police and sheriff ’ s departments — to announce in recent days that they would stop officers from using carotid neck restraints .
“ We all witnessed this execution , ” said Assemblyman Mike Gipson ( D-Carson ) , the lead author of a bill introduced Friday that would ban the use of the holds throughout California .
“ This was far beyond the existing law that authorizes a peace officer to use reasonable force to effect the arrest , to prevent escape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restraint is markedly different from the video-recorded actions of the Minneapolis police officer charged with murder in Floyd ’ s death .
But the image of the 46-year-old black man losing consciousness with an officer ’ s knee pressed into his neck has generated renewed criticism of police tactics such as the carotid hold .
The city of Minneapolis agreed Friday to ban the use of all chokeholds , including neck restraints , as part of a settlement with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights .
The carotid restraint , also known as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has a troubled history .
The Los Angeles Police Commission severely restricted its use in 1982 after the deaths of a dozen black men and then-LAPD Chief Daryl Gates ’ notorious comment that African Americans were dying because the “ veins or arteries of blacks do not open up as fast as they do in normal people.
” Other law enforcement agencies , however , continued to allow the holds with fewer restrictions .
A Times analysis of California Department of Justice data found that law enforcement around the state reported officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neck restraints from 2016 through 2018 , the most recent years for which data are available .
Two people were killed and 91 were left unconscious .
Black people , who compose about 6.5 % of California ’ s population , made up 23 % of people injured by neck restraints .
White people accounted for 33 % of the incidents and Latinos 38 % .
The analysis counted incidents in which carotid holds were listed in the data as the most severe type of force used .
The San Diego County Sheriff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 21 carotid restraints that resulted in serious injury , according to The Times ’ data analysis .
“ In light of community concerns and after consultation with many elected officials throughout the country , I am stopping the use of the carotid restraint by my deputies effective immediately , ” San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said in a statement on Wednesday .
San Diego ’ s city police had resisted calls to ban carotid holds as recently as last year , saying the technique was used safely hundreds of times and can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they escalate .
But Police Chief David Nisleit said this week that he would stop the use of the neck holds immediately .
Police departments in Santa Cruz , Watsonville , Oceanside , Coronado and La Mesa have announced similar bans .
In Sacramento , Mayor Darrell Steinberg has called for a review on whether to ban the controversial restraint .
Shane Harris , president of the advocacy group the People ’ s Alliance for Justice , said local departments made the “ morally right ” decision to halt use of the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can no longer use this kind of restraint to cut off the artery at any length anymore , ” Harris said .
“ But I think that we have a lot more work to do on reforming sheriff and police departments across the state of California .
I think that we ’ re at a turning point in America , where we ’ re going to go one way toward progress or go the other way toward regress.
” Los Angeles County Supervisors Janice Hahn and Mark Ridley-Thomas have introduced a motion urging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police agencies in the county to reform their use-of-force policies , including by restricting or prohibiting the use of carotid holds , chokeholds and strangleholds .
The motion will be discussed Tuesday at the Board of Supervisors ’ meeting .
When employing a carotid hold , an officer puts pressure on the carotid arteries to slow or block blood flow .
If applied correctly , the person can fall unconscious .
But it can also lead to injury or death .
In 2016 , a Bakersfield police officer used a carotid hold to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later died from blunt-force trauma and a neck compression due to the hold , according to a coroner ’ s report .
Vilorio had reportedly threatened his girlfriend with a machete that day .
Officer Timothy McIrvin responded to Vilorio ’ s apartment , saw the man was armed and applied a carotid hold on him for 10 to 15 seconds until he lost consciousness , according to departmental review of the incident .
Another officer soon realized Vilorio was not breathing and performed CPR until paramedics arrived .
Vilorio died at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s use of the carotid hold was deemed within department policy , according to a report from the agency ’ s Critical Incident Review Board .
Bakersfield Police Sgt .
Nathan McCauley said this week that the department is reviewing its policy on the carotid hold and its effectiveness .
The department ’ s website shows officers employed the hold 22 times from 2016 through 2018 .
Some law enforcement officers have long argued the dangers of using the carotid hold are overblown and defend the technique as safe if used properly .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ result in officers resorting to more dangerous methods to subdue a resisting suspect , such as using batons or firearms .
According to The Times ’ analysis of statewide data , officers were assaulted in 74 % of the carotid incidents reported to the state .
In 94 % of all incidents , the person restrained was unarmed .
Ed Obayashi , a Plumas County sheriff ’ s deputy and use-of-force advisor to the California Assn .
of Police Training Officers , said police departments for years have shifted away from using the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a chokehold in which pressure is applied to the windpipe .
“ The whole point is to render someone unconscious and not cut off their airway , but it could potentially result in that , ” Obayashi said .
“ You still have your arm around someone ’ s neck.
” The overall number of carotid restraints resulting in serious injury is low considering the millions of police interactions that occur each year in California , he said .
Officers are trained how to use other options , such as Tasers or pepper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rural areas without a partner and need to be able to use a carotid neck restraint if they feel their lives are in danger .
“ I know cases where deputies have had to fight for their lives and they were by themselves .
We won ’ t take away that option from them given the solitary nature of policing in these counties , ” he said .
In the Minneapolis case , Officer Derek Chauvin used his knee to apply pressure to Floyd ’ s neck for more than eight minutes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he pleaded , “ I can ’ t breathe.
” His words echoed the last pleas of Eric Garner , an unarmed black man who was killed in 2014 when a New York police officer placed him in a chokehold .
Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder , and three other Minneapolis officers have been charged with lesser offenses .
Robert Weisberg , a professor at Stanford Law School , said there is now “ unquestionably a serious public perception problem ” regarding the use of neck holds , but he stressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not in line with what officers in California are trained to do .
“ It was a damn knee on the guy ’ s neck , ” Weisberg said .
“ It was really just a sadistic way of keeping him on the ground.
” The state justice department requires agencies to report only cases in which carotid holds resulted in serious injury or death .
In Los Angeles County , the Long Beach Police Department led all agencies with 12 reported incidents during the three-year period , according to the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and San Bernardino police logged six .
The L.A. County Sheriff ’ s Department reported two incidents that resulted in serious injury and the Los Angeles Police Department one incident , the data show .
Sheriff ’ s Lt. John Satterfield said his department ’ s policy classifies carotid holds as a high-risk technique .
Since 2010 , deputies have used the hold 193 times with no deaths , he said .
Neck holds have long been banned or restricted by the LAPD .
In 1982 , Gates , the chief , banned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer uses his forearm to apply pressure directly against the windpipe , after a 24-year-old black motorist sued in an effort to forbid the move .
Weeks later , the city ’ s Police Commission voted to limit the use of the carotid hold after the death of James Mincey Jr. , a 20-year-old black man who was put in a carotid hold after leading officers on a high-speed car chase .
His death was the 16th over seven years that was attributed to the carotid restraint , The Times reported in 1993 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 450,000 settlement to Mincey ’ s father .
The LAPD still allows officers to use a carotid restraint , but restricts it to situations where deadly force is justified .
The technique is seldom used , LAPD records show .
It has been used a total of seven times since 2015 , according to the department ’ s 2019 use-of-force report .
Times staff writer Patrick McGreevy and Teri Figueroa of the San Diego Union-Tribune contributed to this report .

After the death of George Floyd, a Minneapolis man killed in police custody, more than a dozen police agencies in California said this week that they are banning the use of carotid neck restraints.
Law enforcement agencies and elected officials across the country moved quickly this week to ban officers from using a controversial neck hold, responding to nationwide outrage over the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer who knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and members of the California Legislature’s black and Latino caucuses called for a statewide ban on carotid holds, which involve putting pressure on the sides of a person’s neck to restrict blood flow.
The move followed widespread protests that prompted more than a dozen law enforcement agencies in California — including the San Diego police and sheriff’s departments — to announce in recent days that they would stop officers from using carotid neck restraints.
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“We all witnessed this execution,” said Assemblyman Mike Gipson (D-Carson), the lead author of a bill introduced Friday that would ban the use of the holds throughout California. “This was far beyond the existing law that authorizes a peace officer to use reasonable force to effect the arrest, to prevent escape or to overcome resistance.”
The carotid restraint technique taught to police involves an officer using an arm and is markedly different from the video-recorded actions of the Minneapolis police officer charged with murder in Floyd’s death. But the image of the 46-year-old black man losing consciousness with an officer’s knee pressed into his neck has generated renewed criticism of police tactics such as the carotid hold.
The city of Minneapolis agreed Friday to ban the use of all chokeholds, including neck restraints, as part of a settlement with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights.
The carotid restraint, also known as a sleeper hold or a blood choke, has a troubled history.
The Los Angeles Police Commission severely restricted its use in 1982 after the deaths of a dozen black men and then-LAPD Chief Daryl Gates’ notorious comment that African Americans were dying because the “veins or arteries of blacks do not open up as fast as they do in normal people.”
Other law enforcement agencies, however, continued to allow the holds with fewer restrictions.
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A Times analysis of California Department of Justice data found that law enforcement around the state reported officers seriously injuring 103 people while using carotid neck restraints from 2016 through 2018, the most recent years for which data are available.
Two people were killed and 91 were left unconscious. Black people, who compose about 6.5% of California’s population, made up 23% of people injured by neck restraints. White people accounted for 33% of the incidents and Latinos 38%.
The analysis counted incidents in which carotid holds were listed in the data as the most severe type of force used.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department led the state with 21 carotid restraints that resulted in serious injury, according to The Times’ data analysis.
“In light of community concerns and after consultation with many elected officials throughout the country, I am stopping the use of the carotid restraint by my deputies effective immediately,” San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said in a statement on Wednesday.
San Diego’s city police had resisted calls to ban carotid holds as recently as last year, saying the technique was used safely hundreds of times and can help end potentially dangerous encounters quickly before they escalate.
But Police Chief David Nisleit said this week that he would stop the use of the neck holds immediately.
Police departments in Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Oceanside, Coronado and La Mesa have announced similar bans. In Sacramento, Mayor Darrell Steinberg has called for a review on whether to ban the controversial restraint.
Shane Harris, president of the advocacy group the People’s Alliance for Justice, said local departments made the “morally right” decision to halt use of the “dangerous” carotid hold.
“We can no longer use this kind of restraint to cut off the artery at any length anymore,” Harris said. “But I think that we have a lot more work to do on reforming sheriff and police departments across the state of California. I think that we’re at a turning point in America, where we’re going to go one way toward progress or go the other way toward regress.”
Los Angeles County Supervisors Janice Hahn and Mark Ridley-Thomas have introduced a motion urging the Sheriff’s Department and 46 police agencies in the county to reform their use-of-force policies, including by restricting or prohibiting the use of carotid holds, chokeholds and strangleholds. The motion will be discussed Tuesday at the Board of Supervisors’ meeting.
When employing a carotid hold, an officer puts pressure on the carotid arteries to slow or block blood flow. If applied correctly, the person can fall unconscious. But it can also lead to injury or death.
In 2016, a Bakersfield police officer used a carotid hold to subdue 63-year-old Jose Cesar Vilorio, who later died from blunt-force trauma and a neck compression due to the hold, according to a coroner’s report.
Vilorio had reportedly threatened his girlfriend with a machete that day. Officer Timothy McIrvin responded to Vilorio’s apartment, saw the man was armed and applied a carotid hold on him for 10 to 15 seconds until he lost consciousness, according to departmental review of the incident. Another officer soon realized Vilorio was not breathing and performed CPR until paramedics arrived. Vilorio died at a hospital the next day.
McIrvin’s use of the carotid hold was deemed within department policy, according to a report from the agency’s Critical Incident Review Board.
Bakersfield Police Sgt. Nathan McCauley said this week that the department is reviewing its policy on the carotid hold and its effectiveness. The department’s website shows officers employed the hold 22 times from 2016 through 2018.
Some law enforcement officers have long argued the dangers of using the carotid hold are overblown and defend the technique as safe if used properly. They say that banning it altogether could result in officers resorting to more dangerous methods to subdue a resisting suspect, such as using batons or firearms.
According to The Times’ analysis of statewide data, officers were assaulted in 74% of the carotid incidents reported to the state. In 94% of all incidents, the person restrained was unarmed.
Ed Obayashi, a Plumas County sheriff’s deputy and use-of-force advisor to the California Assn. of Police Training Officers, said police departments for years have shifted away from using the carotid technique, which is different from a chokehold in which pressure is applied to the windpipe.
“The whole point is to render someone unconscious and not cut off their airway, but it could potentially result in that,” Obayashi said. “You still have your arm around someone’s neck.”
The overall number of carotid restraints resulting in serious injury is low considering the millions of police interactions that occur each year in California, he said. Officers are trained how to use other options, such as Tasers or pepper spray.
Obayashi said many deputies patrol rural areas without a partner and need to be able to use a carotid neck restraint if they feel their lives are in danger.
“I know cases where deputies have had to fight for their lives and they were by themselves. We won’t take away that option from them given the solitary nature of policing in these counties,” he said.
In the Minneapolis case, Officer Derek Chauvin used his knee to apply pressure to Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes. As Floyd lay on the ground, he pleaded, “I can’t breathe.” His words echoed the last pleas of Eric Garner, an unarmed black man who was killed in 2014 when a New York police officer placed him in a chokehold.
Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder, and three other Minneapolis officers have been charged with lesser offenses.
Robert Weisberg, a professor at Stanford Law School, said there is now “unquestionably a serious public perception problem” regarding the use of neck holds, but he stressed that the technique used by Minneapolis police is not in line with what officers in California are trained to do.
“It was a damn knee on the guy’s neck,” Weisberg said. “It was really just a sadistic way of keeping him on the ground.”
The state justice department requires agencies to report only cases in which carotid holds resulted in serious injury or death. In Los Angeles County, the Long Beach Police Department led all agencies with 12 reported incidents during the three-year period, according to the state data. Riverside police reported 17 incidents and San Bernardino police logged six.
The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department reported two incidents that resulted in serious injury and the Los Angeles Police Department one incident, the data show.
Sheriff’s Lt. John Satterfield said his department’s policy classifies carotid holds as a high-risk technique. Since 2010, deputies have used the hold 193 times with no deaths, he said.
Neck holds have long been banned or restricted by the LAPD. In 1982, Gates, the chief, banned the bar-arm chokehold, in which an officer uses his forearm to apply pressure directly against the windpipe, after a 24-year-old black motorist sued in an effort to forbid the move.
Weeks later, the city’s Police Commission voted to limit the use of the carotid hold after the death of James Mincey Jr., a 20-year-old black man who was put in a carotid hold after leading officers on a high-speed car chase. His death was the 16th over seven years that was attributed to the carotid restraint, The Times reported in 1993 when the City Council agreed to pay a $450,000 settlement to Mincey’s father.
The LAPD still allows officers to use a carotid restraint, but restricts it to situations where deadly force is justified. The technique is seldom used, LAPD records show. It has been used a total of seven times since 2015, according to the department’s 2019 use-of-force report.
Times staff writer Patrick McGreevy and Teri Figueroa of the San Diego Union-Tribune contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-05--Amid peaceful protests, LAPD's vigil is drowned out by demonstrators chanting 'defund the police'

Amid protests against police brutality sparked by the death of George Floyd , Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore ’ s “ community solidarity ” vigil Friday evening at LAPD headquarters was met by a large crowd demanding reforms to end police violence and racism against black Americans .
Hundreds of peaceful demonstrators marched from the steps of City Hall a block away , waving signs , playing drums and chanting outside the heavily guarded LAPD building .
The protesters ’ chants of “ no justice , no peace ” and “ defund the police ” rose above the small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faith leaders and others who had gathered behind metal barricades and in front of the building ’ s main entrance .
“ We ’ re here because we want police reform , ” Morris Griffin of Inglewood told the crowd at the steps of City Hall before the protest moved over to LAPD headquarters .
“ We ’ re sick and tired of seeing these atrocities happening to black people.
” The protesters arrived as Moore , who recently came under fire for comments he made about looters , spoke for about four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whose killing in Minneapolis more than a week ago was the impetus for nationwide protests .
“ In the days after that event , after that murder , after that tragedy , after watching the horrific scene and hearing his pleas , and the lack of compassion and humanity of just simply recognizing another individual , tore at the very heart of what policing stands for , ” Moore said .
“ Tore at the very essence of our duty to protect , to serve , to treat each individual as just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death “ served as a reawakening ” about state violence , racism and inequality and committed “ to join the entire world in an effort to find justice for all.
” He had invited community members to join him at the vigil , which was organized by police and described as being “ in support of community solidarity , open minds , open hearts , responsible dialogue , social healing.
” After the hourlong vigil , Moore spent about 20 minutes speaking to protesters across a metal barricade .
He turned back toward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their voices and loudly criticized him and his department for using force against peaceful demonstrators .
Some held up cellphone videos of attacks by LAPD officers on protesters in recent days and demanded answers as to why the officers had struck those people with batons and used pepper spray .
Speaking to reporters afterward , Moore said it was important to have conversations with critics but did not address the protesters ’ demands , instead praising police officers “ who have been out there for days and weeks doing important and critical work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles.
” “ Tonight was about them seeing the whole of community ... stand behind them and believe in them , ” Moore said .
“ Not make them saints , not make them perfect .
But to help renew that they play a critical role as peacekeepers.
” Days after Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said he supported budget cuts for the LAPD , he introduced the executive director of the city ’ s recently created Department of Civil and Human Rights on Friday during a news conference .
Capri Maddox , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles Board of Public Works , will lead an office tasked with enforcing the city ’ s civil and human rights ordinance and investigating claims of discrimination and unequal treatment in housing , employment , education and commerce .
She was appointed to the post in February .
“ We do know one thing : Unfortunately , your skin color speaks before you do in America , and this is something we need to get beyond , ” Maddox said , pointing out that she has had “ the talk ” with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because he is black .
“ This isn ’ t easy work , but there ’ s nothing more important .
And I ’ ll appreciate the support of people calling me and telling me they want to serve , and we ’ re here to serve with you.
” Describing racism as an “ old enemy ” and as a virus , Garcetti urged Angelenos to look within themselves for change , not just at others .
“ We must not find the enemies amongst us ; we must find the enemies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spreaders.
” He also took a moment to criticize episodes of excessive force by police that have been captured on video during protests in recent weeks .
However , he defended the positive contributions that individual officers and law enforcement investigations have made , such as breaking up human trafficking rings .
Both Garcetti ’ s and Maddox ‘ s comments came at the end of a day when thousands of demonstrators gathered on streets and in front of municipal buildings across Southern California .
Hundreds of people protested on the beach in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downtown Los Angeles and Northridge , while doctors and nurses who have been on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak stepped out of their facilities in Culver City and elsewhere to hold up signs of support and observe a moment of silence in honor of Floyd .
Several more demonstrations are planned throughout the weekend .
On Friday , video footage showed some 300 people gathering on the beach under cloudy skies , then walking north toward Santa Monica in what was billed as a “ pier to pier ” protest .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ underway in downtown Los Angeles and Long Beach .
Madison Garrett , a 21-year-old college student , arrived early for a protest at Santa Monica City Hall , her third demonstration this week .
A post circulating on social media said the event was organized by alumni of Santa Monica High School , where she graduated in 2017 .
Garrett said the recent protests have shown people doing what they need to do to be heard .
“ Basically we ’ ve been going through this for hundreds of years , systematic oppression @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boiling point of being unheard , silence doesn ’ t work anymore , ” she said .
She criticized media coverage that she said has focused on rioting and looting .
“ They ’ re not showing the police gassing innocent people , ” she said .
“ They ’ re not showing you the singing and dancing on the street.
” Garrett said there ’ s been a sense of camaraderie among protesters .
She ’ s offered to give people rides home and has seen people passing out water and snacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ socially distanced at a protest , she said , noting that the coronavirus is still “ definitely at the back of my mind.
” But she ’ s trying to be safe — she was wearing a surgical mask with “ I can ’ t breathe ” written in black marker — and said protesting is worth breaking quarantine .
“ I saw someone else say that you ’ re either going to get killed by a police officer or you ’ re going to get killed by COVID , and it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you choose , ” she said .
In Manhattan Beach , more than 100 people showed up with balloons , cupcakes , flowers and signs to honor Breonna Taylor ’ s birthday .
Taylor , who would have been 27 , was shot in March in her Louisville , Ky. , apartment by a police officer .
“ She was just getting started , ” read one sign .
“ HBD BREONNA TAYLOR RIP , ” read another .
Jasmine Gates , 24 , organized the event at Bruce ’ s Beach — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ haven for black people denied entry to Manhattan Beach — because she “ saw that a lot of black women that I know were addressing that Breonna Taylor ’ s name wasn ’ t said , along with a lot of other black women.
” Gates said Taylor ’ s story was so heartbreaking because it could have been anyone in the audience .
“ Society thinks that we ’ re so strong that even when we die , we ’ re supposed to have some sort of strength , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday touched on the health risks inherent to the mass demonstrations .
L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said risk of exposure exists in any large gathering , “ whether on the boardwalk in Venice or joining a protest against racism.
” The county anticipates an increase in cases in the coming weeks because of the protests and the reopening of businesses and other aspects of public life .
Ferrer said that anyone who has been in a large crowd , in close contact for at least 15 minutes with people not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for at least two weeks to see if COVID-19 symptoms develop .
She said people should remember that the coronavirus “ has a long incubation period ” and that “ if you do get tested right away after exposure , you ’ re likely to test negative ” because the viral load could still be low .
“ Testing negative does not mean you can not become infected later in the incubation period , ” Ferrer said , and it is still advised to stay away from others for 14 days .
Dr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County Department of Health Services , said it was “ inspiring on many levels ” to see the protests .
She said the county did not issue a mandate to close COVID-19 testing facilities amid the demonstrations but allowed each site to make its own decision whether to close or adjust hours .
As a result , officials saw the volume of testing “ decline slightly ” over the last week because of closures and “ a higher-than-usual no-show rate at sites across the county , ” she said .
Back in Santa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Kevin McKeown , and interim City Manager Lane Dilg attempted to address protesters at City Hall , where they were met with questions about tear gas used on protesters in the city Sunday and calls to cut the police budget .
“ We will look at the actions of Sunday ; we will determine what we can do to keep our community safe and facilitate peaceful protest , ” Dilg said .
“ You called in the National Guard !
” one protester shouted .
Another asked why the streets were shut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do you want to hear the answers ?
” McKeown asked .
A passerby , Chanel Nicole Miller , 19 , took on the role of emcee during the exchange .
She said she was on her way to work as a line cook when she stopped by the demonstration .
She said she stepped forward when she heard officials talking .
“ When the mayor got up there and started cursing , getting red , yelling , showing his ignorance and pain that he didn ’ t know how to express , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something , ” she said .
Miller stood up and described her experience as a resident of the city and the discrimination she ’ s faced as a black woman .
She said she felt as if the crowd wanted her to speak up .
She criticized officials for failing to answer questions , or acknowledging that the city used excessive force against protesters on Sunday .
Police Chief Cynthia Renaud said the list of names of people who died at the hands of police don ’ t seem to end , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I believe in the peace ; I believe in the community I serve , ” she said .
Then she , the mayor and others took a knee in solidarity with the protesters .
The act was viewed with skepticism by some in the crowd .
In Los Angeles , demonstrators marched through downtown streets with what appeared to be a police escort , with motorcycle officers on both sides of the lead marchers slowly rolling along with them as car horns echoed off the buildings .
While Floyd ’ s death has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin held him down by the neck with his knee for nearly nine minutes , even after he became unresponsive — his is not the only one that protesters can point to as motivation to call for change .
Taylor was killed by Louisville police who stormed her home in the middle of the night on a “ no-knock ” warrant March 13 , and it took the public release of video for authorities to arrest and charge the men who shot Ahmaud Arbery earlier this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and city law enforcement also have storied histories of corruption and brutality , which at one point led to federal oversight .
Only recently were police misconduct cases in California made available to the public , but examples of questionable practices against blacks and other minorities remain .
Amid the continued unrest , Gov .
Gavin Newsom called for statewide guidelines governing law enforcement ’ s use of force to control crowds at protests .
Currently , municipalities have varying rules when it comes to deploying methods such as tear gas , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters across the state .
“ It ’ s clear to me we need to standardize those approaches , ” he said .
Newsom said he also planned to sign a law directing the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to immediately stop training law enforcement to perform carotid holds on suspects .
“ That has no place any longer in 21st century practices , ” he said .
Garcetti called for police to minimize the use of rubber bullets earlier this week as a result of widespread criticism of police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and across the country showing officers firing them at nonthreatening demonstrators and journalists .
After days of aggressively enforced curfews , Los Angeles lifted them on Thursday .
With curfews lifted , Los Angeles and other Southern California cities saw largely peaceful protests Thursday night as demonstrations continued with few reports of any problems .
Demonstrations on Friday popped up in Santa Clarita , Lakewood and in Orange County cities such as Irvine and Fountain Valley .
Police said they needed a curfew earlier this week in various cities and across Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on looting that occurred in a few spots , including downtown , Van Nuys , Hollywood , Long Beach , Santa Monica and the Fairfax district .
But there have not been any major reports of stealing in several days .
L.A. County Supervisors are set to vote Tuesday on a bill to develop rules for protests , requiring social separation and other actions to protect demonstrators from COVID-19 which has infected more than 60,000 and killed more than 2,500 in the county .
The motion directs the Department of Public Health , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other local law enforcement agencies in the county , to immediately issue guidance on health and safety measures regarding issuing citations , transporting and detaining protesters , using face masks , deciding when to implement physical distancing and when to use tear gas .
Times staff writers Hannah Fry , Priscella Vega , Ben Oreskes and Matthew Ormseth , as well as City News Service , contributed to this report .

Alex Wigglesworth, Arit John, Leila Miller, Tony Barboza, Andrew Turner

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)
Amid protests against police brutality sparked by the death of George Floyd, Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore’s “community solidarity” vigil Friday evening at LAPD headquarters was met by a large crowd demanding reforms to end police violence and racism against black Americans.
Hundreds of peaceful demonstrators marched from the steps of City Hall a block away, waving signs, playing drums and chanting outside the heavily guarded LAPD building.
The protesters’ chants of “no justice, no peace” and “defund the police” rose above the small and subdued gathering of police officers, faith leaders and others who had gathered behind metal barricades and in front of the building’s main entrance.
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“We’re here because we want police reform,” Morris Griffin of Inglewood told the crowd at the steps of City Hall before the protest moved over to LAPD headquarters. “We’re sick and tired of seeing these atrocities happening to black people.”
The protesters arrived as Moore, who recently came under fire for comments he made about looters, spoke for about four minutes next to a portrait of Floyd, whose killing in Minneapolis more than a week ago was the impetus for nationwide protests.
“In the days after that event, after that murder, after that tragedy, after watching the horrific scene and hearing his pleas, and the lack of compassion and humanity of just simply recognizing another individual, tore at the very heart of what policing stands for,” Moore said. “Tore at the very essence of our duty to protect, to serve, to treat each individual as just that.”
Moore said Floyd’s death “served as a reawakening” about state violence, racism and inequality and committed “to join the entire world in an effort to find justice for all.”
He had invited community members to join him at the vigil, which was organized by police and described as being “in support of community solidarity, open minds, open hearts, responsible dialogue, social healing.”
After the hourlong vigil, Moore spent about 20 minutes speaking to protesters across a metal barricade. He turned back toward headquarters after people in the crowd raised their voices and loudly criticized him and his department for using force against peaceful demonstrators. Some held up cellphone videos of attacks by LAPD officers on protesters in recent days and demanded answers as to why the officers had struck those people with batons and used pepper spray.
Speaking to reporters afterward, Moore said it was important to have conversations with critics but did not address the protesters’ demands, instead praising police officers “who have been out there for days and weeks doing important and critical work to provide for the safety throughout Los Angeles.”
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“Tonight was about them seeing the whole of community ... stand behind them and believe in them,” Moore said. “Not make them saints, not make them perfect. But to help renew that they play a critical role as peacekeepers.”
Days after Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said he supported budget cuts for the LAPD, he introduced the executive director of the city’s recently created Department of Civil and Human Rights on Friday during a news conference.
Capri Maddox, an attorney and former president of the Los Angeles Board of Public Works, will lead an office tasked with enforcing the city’s civil and human rights ordinance and investigating claims of discrimination and unequal treatment in housing, employment, education and commerce. She was appointed to the post in February.
“We do know one thing: Unfortunately, your skin color speaks before you do in America, and this is something we need to get beyond,” Maddox said, pointing out that she has had “the talk” with her teenage son about relations with police because he is black. “This isn’t easy work, but there’s nothing more important. And I’ll appreciate the support of people calling me and telling me they want to serve, and we’re here to serve with you.”
Describing racism as an “old enemy” and as a virus, Garcetti urged Angelenos to look within themselves for change, not just at others. “We must not find the enemies amongst us; we must find the enemies within us ... We are all silent spreaders.”
He also took a moment to criticize episodes of excessive force by police that have been captured on video during protests in recent weeks. However, he defended the positive contributions that individual officers and law enforcement investigations have made, such as breaking up human trafficking rings.
Both Garcetti’s and Maddox‘s comments came at the end of a day when thousands of demonstrators gathered on streets and in front of municipal buildings across Southern California.
Hundreds of people protested on the beach in Venice, marched through the streets of downtown Los Angeles and Northridge, while doctors and nurses who have been on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak stepped out of their facilities in Culver City and elsewhere to hold up signs of support and observe a moment of silence in honor of Floyd.
Several more demonstrations are planned throughout the weekend.
On Friday, video footage showed some 300 people gathering on the beach under cloudy skies, then walking north toward Santa Monica in what was billed as a “pier to pier” protest.
hundreds of people gathered in Venice beach to protest police brutality. absolutely incredible to see the community coming together in unity for the black lives matter movement. pic.twitter.com/jdP7I8hs00 — savannah bly (@savbly) June 5, 2020
By the afternoon, demonstrations were getting underway in downtown Los Angeles and Long Beach.
Madison Garrett, a 21-year-old college student, arrived early for a protest at Santa Monica City Hall, her third demonstration this week. A post circulating on social media said the event was organized by alumni of Santa Monica High School, where she graduated in 2017.
Garrett said the recent protests have shown people doing what they need to do to be heard.
“Basically we’ve been going through this for hundreds of years, systematic oppression, and once it gets to a boiling point of being unheard, silence doesn’t work anymore,” she said.
She criticized media coverage that she said has focused on rioting and looting. “They’re not showing the police gassing innocent people,” she said. “They’re not showing you the singing and dancing on the street.”
California South L.A.’s Leimert Park plans a peaceful bicycle demonstration Organizers of the Leimert Park bicycle ride for George Floyd and for justice say police officers are welcome to attend if they ride bicycles and don’t show up in riot gear.
Garrett said there’s been a sense of camaraderie among protesters. She’s offered to give people rides home and has seen people passing out water and snacks.
It’s hard to stay socially distanced at a protest, she said, noting that the coronavirus is still “definitely at the back of my mind.” But she’s trying to be safe — she was wearing a surgical mask with “I can’t breathe” written in black marker — and said protesting is worth breaking quarantine.
“I saw someone else say that you’re either going to get killed by a police officer or you’re going to get killed by COVID, and it’s your decision to make which one you choose,” she said.
In Manhattan Beach, more than 100 people showed up with balloons, cupcakes, flowers and signs to honor Breonna Taylor’s birthday.
Taylor, who would have been 27, was shot in March in her Louisville, Ky., apartment by a police officer.
“She was just getting started,” read one sign. “HBD BREONNA TAYLOR RIP,” read another.
Jasmine Gates, 24, organized the event at Bruce’s Beach — a hillside park that was once a haven for black people denied entry to Manhattan Beach — because she “saw that a lot of black women that I know were addressing that Breonna Taylor’s name wasn’t said, along with a lot of other black women.”
Gates said Taylor’s story was so heartbreaking because it could have been anyone in the audience.
“Society thinks that we’re so strong that even when we die, we’re supposed to have some sort of strength,” she said.
Meanwhile, public health officials on Friday touched on the health risks inherent to the mass demonstrations.
L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said risk of exposure exists in any large gathering, “whether on the boardwalk in Venice or joining a protest against racism.”
The county anticipates an increase in cases in the coming weeks because of the protests and the reopening of businesses and other aspects of public life.
Ferrer said that anyone who has been in a large crowd, in close contact for at least 15 minutes with people not wearing face coverings, should consider self-quarantining for at least two weeks to see if COVID-19 symptoms develop.
She said people should remember that the coronavirus “has a long incubation period” and that “if you do get tested right away after exposure, you’re likely to test negative” because the viral load could still be low.
“Testing negative does not mean you cannot become infected later in the incubation period,” Ferrer said, and it is still advised to stay away from others for 14 days.
Dr. Christina Ghaly, director of the L.A. County Department of Health Services, said it was “inspiring on many levels” to see the protests. She said the county did not issue a mandate to close COVID-19 testing facilities amid the demonstrations but allowed each site to make its own decision whether to close or adjust hours.
As a result, officials saw the volume of testing “decline slightly” over the last week because of closures and “a higher-than-usual no-show rate at sites across the county,” she said.
California Looters who hit L.A. stores explain what they did Some looters are pure opportunists. But others are frustrated about systemic racism, citing issues ranging from President Trump to the racial privilege exposed in the college admissions scandal.
Back in Santa Monica, the city’s mayor, Kevin McKeown, and interim City Manager Lane Dilg attempted to address protesters at City Hall, where they were met with questions about tear gas used on protesters in the city Sunday and calls to cut the police budget.
“We will look at the actions of Sunday; we will determine what we can do to keep our community safe and facilitate peaceful protest,” Dilg said.
“You called in the National Guard!” one protester shouted. Another asked why the streets were shut down.
“Hey, people, do you want to hear the answers?” McKeown asked.
A passerby, Chanel Nicole Miller, 19, took on the role of emcee during the exchange. She said she was on her way to work as a line cook when she stopped by the demonstration. She said she stepped forward when she heard officials talking.
“When the mayor got up there and started cursing, getting red, yelling, showing his ignorance and pain that he didn’t know how to express, I felt like I had to say something,” she said.
Miller stood up and described her experience as a resident of the city and the discrimination she’s faced as a black woman. She said she felt as if the crowd wanted her to speak up. She criticized officials for failing to answer questions, or acknowledging that the city used excessive force against protesters on Sunday.
Police Chief Cynthia Renaud said the list of names of people who died at the hands of police don’t seem to end, but they stop in Santa Monica.
“I believe in the peace; I believe in the community I serve,” she said. Then she, the mayor and others took a knee in solidarity with the protesters.
The act was viewed with skepticism by some in the crowd.
In Los Angeles, demonstrators marched through downtown streets with what appeared to be a police escort, with motorcycle officers on both sides of the lead marchers slowly rolling along with them as car horns echoed off the buildings.
While Floyd’s death has fueled this wave of demonstrations — he died after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin held him down by the neck with his knee for nearly nine minutes, even after he became unresponsive — his is not the only one that protesters can point to as motivation to call for change. Taylor was killed by Louisville police who stormed her home in the middle of the night on a “no-knock” warrant March 13, and it took the public release of video for authorities to arrest and charge the men who shot Ahmaud Arbery earlier this year in south Georgia.
Los Angeles County and city law enforcement also have storied histories of corruption and brutality, which at one point led to federal oversight. Only recently were police misconduct cases in California made available to the public, but examples of questionable practices against blacks and other minorities remain.
Amid the continued unrest, Gov. Gavin Newsom called for statewide guidelines governing law enforcement’s use of force to control crowds at protests. Currently, municipalities have varying rules when it comes to deploying methods such as tear gas, he said, resulting in unequal treatment of protesters across the state.
“It’s clear to me we need to standardize those approaches,” he said.
Newsom said he also planned to sign a law directing the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to immediately stop training law enforcement to perform carotid holds on suspects.
“That has no place any longer in 21st century practices,” he said.
Garcetti called for police to minimize the use of rubber bullets earlier this week as a result of widespread criticism of police tactics and a host of videos locally and across the country showing officers firing them at nonthreatening demonstrators and journalists.
After days of aggressively enforced curfews, Los Angeles lifted them on Thursday.
With curfews lifted, Los Angeles and other Southern California cities saw largely peaceful protests Thursday night as demonstrations continued with few reports of any problems. Demonstrations on Friday popped up in Santa Clarita, Lakewood and in Orange County cities such as Irvine and Fountain Valley.
Police said they needed a curfew earlier this week in various cities and across Los Angeles County to control crowds and crack down on looting that occurred in a few spots, including downtown, Van Nuys, Hollywood, Long Beach, Santa Monica and the Fairfax district. But there have not been any major reports of stealing in several days.
L.A. County Supervisors are set to vote Tuesday on a bill to develop rules for protests, requiring social separation and other actions to protect demonstrators from COVID-19 which has infected more than 60,000 and killed more than 2,500 in the county.
The motion directs the Department of Public Health, in collaboration with the sheriff and all other local law enforcement agencies in the county, to immediately issue guidance on health and safety measures regarding issuing citations, transporting and detaining protesters, using face masks, deciding when to implement physical distancing and when to use tear gas.
Times staff writers Hannah Fry, Priscella Vega, Ben Oreskes and Matthew Ormseth, as well as City News Service, contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-05--Looters who hit L.A. stores explain what they did

The young man flanked the shattered entry of a ransacked CVS in Santa Monica , where people had swept the shelves clean of everything from diapers to detergent .
The man , who did not cover his face , admitted he was a looter .
He did not apologize .
“ We ’ ve got no other way of showing people how angry we are , ” he said .
Out of the store ran another young man , this one holding a carton of eggs .
He grabbed a friend and started scanning the street for targets : police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it because we can , ” he said .
Over in Van Nuys , a teenage boy standing outside a ravaged Skechers store held up a backpack .
That was all he took .
But it was enough , he said .
“ We are just trying to provide and take up the opportunity that we are getting right now .
That ’ s all.
” In the unprecedented reaction to the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers , peaceful protest marches across Southern California in the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about police brutality and race relations .
But the massive demonstrations have been accompanied by looting in some cities around the Southland .
Authorities believe most of the thefts and vandalism came from people not directly connected to the protests who used the teeming crowds as cover to steal merchandise .
Some of the looting appears to be organized , with groups driving around hitting multiple stores .
For others , it was an outgrowth over the deep anger and frustration about the way blacks and others are mistreated , and they cited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , the privilege exposed in the college admissions scandal , and widening inequality .
“ If Donald Trump is saying shoot us tonight , that is not giving us no leeway , ” said a teenager holding the stolen Skechers backpack Monday in Van Nuys .
“ That ’ s just making things worse .
If that ’ s giving permission for the police to shoot children , innocent teenagers , things like that , that ’ s not right.
” Times reporters interviewed people of different races and backgrounds who stole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The looters , unwilling to risk prosecution , declined to provide their names .
Hundreds of stores were hit over a three-day period , in many cases broadcast on live television .
The stealing was largely limited to a few business districts including Fairfax , Santa Monica ’ s shopping district , parts of Long Beach , downtown Los Angeles , Van Nuys and Hollywood .
Merchants — already reeling from coronavirus closures — were left with battered stores and even more losses .
They and others expressed alarm at how the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long before police arrived .
Some have argued that too much attention is paid to the looting , which they say distracts from the powerful political movement fueled by Floyd ’ s killing .
Yet the images had a larger symbolism .
“ Part of it is simply an assertion of power .
Riots nearly always have a carnival aspect because people who for nearly all their lives have felt under the thumb of other groups suddenly have a sense of power , ” said Stephen Reicher , who studies crowd psychology at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ People who have been invisible and whose situation has been ignored all their lives suddenly become visible.
” Some looters have often been strategic , hitting high-end spots such as Nordstrom and the Apple Store at the Grove and the trendy retail strips of Melrose and Fairfax .
Many looters appear to be working in caravans that methodically block off certain streets with their vehicles , which serve as getaway cars for those running off with merchandise .
Those tactics were on display on Sunday in Santa Monica , where teams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clean within minutes as protesters marched nearby .
Others returned again and again throughout the afternoon to the same stores for more .
Some paused on the street to distribute the goods among themselves or stuff them in backpacks , suitcases or boxes .
“ Get my portion !
Get my portion !
” one man shouted as looters hammered and kicked an ATM at Ye Olde King ’ s Head Gift Shoppe .
The looters , most of them wearing dark colors and bandanas or masks , blended in among crowds already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They seemed to know one another and were fast and coordinated , calling out commands .
“ The jewelry store !
” one looter screamed , announcing the next destination .
At Santa Monica Jewelry and Loan , the sound of gunshots erupted when looters attempted to break in .
They fled .
Two security guards could be seen through the broken glass , guns drawn .
Some appeared to be spontaneously joining in , taking what was left of the destroyed businesses .
At a vandalized 7-Eleven , a homeless man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in awe of the scene .
He walked in and carried out a beverage .
A South Los Angeles man who was tagging along with a group of looters Sunday afternoon said he had been in Santa Monica just to get something to eat .
But when he saw the protests forming , he decided to jump in .
The man , who didn ’ t want to share his name for fear of legal repercussions , said looters didn ’ t concern him .
“ The real answer is everybody knows this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do anything and get away with it.
” He cited the college admissions scandal that has resulted in short prison sentences for wealthy white people .
If that had been him , the punishment would have been more severe , he said .
The anger at inequality is not uncommon among business owners , many of whom are people of color .
Eddie Perez , 22 , whose father owns a smoke shop in Hollywood , felt so strongly after Floyd ’ s killing that he joined protesters at a march on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wooden boards and broke through the glass at the store , destroying it within 45 minutes .
The pipes , hookahs , souvenirs , T-shirts and snacks inside couldn ’ t be salvaged , even though some were left behind .
His father , a Guatemalan immigrant who swept floors and did construction work for decades before saving enough money to open the store three years ago , lost $ 20,000 worth of merchandise .
The family of activists had put a “ Justice For George Floyd ” sign in the window of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I ’ m just very angry at the fact that we are a minority-owned business and we stand so much with the movement , ” Perez said .
“ It destroyed my trust in the world for that day.
” Still , Perez said he understood why the looting occurred , even if he doesn ’ t justify it .
“ People are angry .
People are tired .
The Rodney King situation happened how long ago and this is still happening ?
” he said .
“ It ’ s hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to why they broke into all these places.
” Some shopkeepers expressed outrage over Floyd ’ s slaying , but felt that nothing excuses criminal behavior and that looters should face consequences .
Joe Green , owner of Broadway Wine and Spirits in Santa Monica , said he was lucky that his family-owned store experienced only one broken window .
Green fended off looters , aided by his customers and neighbors .
When he called the police , he said he was told that no one was coming .
“ I think there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to pay for your actions , ” said Green , noting that businesses have already been struggling because of the pandemic .
“ Peaceful protesting is great .
But rioting and looting and vandalizing ?
No .
Burning businesses down ?
That ’ s not the answer.
” For 30 uninterrupted minutes Monday night , the looters roamed along the strip of stores just below Sunset on Highland Avenue in Hollywood , breaking into numerous businesses .
Many had work gloves , face masks or bandanas wrapped around their heads .
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman had blue medical scrubs .
Some toted bats .
This account is based on video reviewed by The Times , which showed a chaotic scene at the fringes of the demonstrations nearby .
Despite the heavy police presence in the neighborhood , only one police car was seen in the video , apparently responding to another call .
Over a half hour , the looters went unchecked .
The crowd spent more than 20 minutes trying to bust open an ATM that was snatched from a smoke shop .
Two men were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the machine , and the smashed remnants littered Highland Avenue long afterward .
Meanwhile , a psychic ’ s shop and a barber shop went untouched .
The looters were mostly young and male , some of them teenagers and a few of them middle-aged .
There were some women in the group , which was mostly black and Latino .
One of the looters was questioned on the spot by a friend of one of the merchants : Why was everyone out looting ?
As the camera rolled , the young man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a black mask wrapped around the lower half of his face — spoke of long-simmering frustrations , of white people plundering the black community and appropriating their success .
“ We ’ re tired of being killed , ” he said .
“ We ’ re tired of laws being passed while they put drugs and guns in our community .
They pass laws to lock us up.
” Asked if he was among the demonstrators peacefully protesting earlier in the day , he dismissed the idea .
“ Protesting peacefully ?
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That didn ’ t get us nowhere.
” Times staff writers Melissa Etehad and Jaclyn Cosgrove contributed to this report .

Maya Lau, Alejandra Reyes-Velarde, Matt Hamilton

Looters rush out of the Patagonia Store on 4th St. in Los Angeles.
The young man flanked the shattered entry of a ransacked CVS in Santa Monica, where people had swept the shelves clean of everything from diapers to detergent. The man, who did not cover his face, admitted he was a looter. He did not apologize.
“We’ve got no other way of showing people how angry we are,” he said.
Out of the store ran another young man, this one holding a carton of eggs. He grabbed a friend and started scanning the street for targets: police cars. “We’re doing it because we can,” he said.
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Over in Van Nuys, a teenage boy standing outside a ravaged Skechers store held up a backpack. That was all he took. But it was enough, he said.
“We are just trying to provide and take up the opportunity that we are getting right now. That’s all.”
In the unprecedented reaction to the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, peaceful protest marches across Southern California in the last week have already dramatically changed the debate about police brutality and race relations.
But the massive demonstrations have been accompanied by looting in some cities around the Southland. Authorities believe most of the thefts and vandalism came from people not directly connected to the protests who used the teeming crowds as cover to steal merchandise.
Some of the looting appears to be organized, with groups driving around hitting multiple stores. For others, it was an outgrowth over the deep anger and frustration about the way blacks and others are mistreated, and they cited a host of other issues: President Trump, the privilege exposed in the college admissions scandal, and widening inequality.
“If Donald Trump is saying shoot us tonight, that is not giving us no leeway,” said a teenager holding the stolen Skechers backpack Monday in Van Nuys. “That’s just making things worse. If that’s giving permission for the police to shoot children, innocent teenagers, things like that, that’s not right.”
Times reporters interviewed people of different races and backgrounds who stole from stores over the last few days. The looters, unwilling to risk prosecution, declined to provide their names.
Hundreds of stores were hit over a three-day period, in many cases broadcast on live television. The stealing was largely limited to a few business districts including Fairfax, Santa Monica’s shopping district, parts of Long Beach, downtown Los Angeles, Van Nuys and Hollywood. Merchants — already reeling from coronavirus closures — were left with battered stores and even more losses. They and others expressed alarm at how the stealing was able to go on so long before police arrived.
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Some have argued that too much attention is paid to the looting, which they say distracts from the powerful political movement fueled by Floyd’s killing. Yet the images had a larger symbolism.
“Part of it is simply an assertion of power. Riots nearly always have a carnival aspect because people who for nearly all their lives have felt under the thumb of other groups suddenly have a sense of power,” said Stephen Reicher, who studies crowd psychology at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.
“People who have been invisible and whose situation has been ignored all their lives suddenly become visible.”
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1 / 40 A Van Nuys watch and jewelry store is broken into Monday. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 40 An LAPD officer arrests a looting suspect in an alley behind a Hollywood Boulevard store. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 40 A looting arrest in Van Nuys. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 40 AJ Lovelace tries to stop people from breaking into a Walgreens store at Santa Monica Boulevard and Highland Avenue. “We need peace, and we need someone to talk to each other,” he said after they fled the scene. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 40 An LAPD officer arrests a looting suspect in an alley behind a Hollywood Boulevard store. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 40 People break into and burglarize a store in Hollywood. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 40 National Guardsmen outside Santa Monica Place. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 40 People exit a looted store in Santa Monica on Sunday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 40 People are taken into custody for curfew violations suspects in Santa Monica on Sunday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 40 An arrest in Santa Monica on Sunday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 40 A looted store in Santa Monica. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 40 People exit a looted store in Long Beach on Sunday. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 40 A police officer inspects the damage to a supermarket. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 40 Looting in Long Beach on Sunday. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 40 Looting in Long Beach. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 40 A man smashes windows in Santa Monica. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 40 People walk away with stolen surfboards in Santa Monica on Sunday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 40 A person rushes out of a looted store in Santa Monica. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 40 A shattered storefront on Melrose Avenue on Sunday. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 40 Smashed windows on La Cienega Boulevard. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 40 People taking stolen goods on Saturday. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 40 People carry items taken from stores that were broken into in the Fairfax District on Saturday in Los Angeles. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times) 23 / 40 A person kicks in the door of a Whole Foods Market in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles on Saturday. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times) 24 / 40 Police arrest looters at Whole Foods Market in the Fairfax District on Saturday in Los Angeles. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times) 25 / 40 A man leaves the broken-into Apple Store with merchandise at the Grove in the Fairfax District in Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times) 26 / 40 Los Angeles police contain protesters at the Farmers Market as they demonstrate in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times) 27 / 40 Looters ransack a Walgreens store along Broadway in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 28 / 40 People ransack Spokes ‘N Stuff in the Melrose District of Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times) 29 / 40 Protesters break windows along Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 30 / 40 People run from a burglarized jewelry store as LAPD officers approach in downtown Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) 31 / 40 People run from a burglarized jewelry store as LAPD officers approach in downtown Los Angeles. (Wally Skali/Los Angeles Times) 32 / 40 A man breaks a window with a bat in downtown Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) 33 / 40 A man steals liquor bottles from Terroni restaurant in downtown Los Angeles on Friday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) 34 / 40 Police officers stand outside a damaged business in downtown Los Angeles on Friday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) 35 / 40 People break into a Rite Aid store in downtown Los Angeles on Friday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 36 / 40 People take liquor and beer from a Rite Aid store in downtown Los Angeles on Friday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 37 / 40 People take jewelry from a store in downtown Los Angeles on Friday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 38 / 40 People look for jewelry on the floor at a jewelry store in downtown Los Angeles on Friday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) 39 / 40 People run from a looted jewelry store as LAPD officers approach in downtown Los Angeles on Friday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) 40 / 40 A man smashes the window of a business in downtown Los Angeles on Friday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
Some looters have often been strategic, hitting high-end spots such as Nordstrom and the Apple Store at the Grove and the trendy retail strips of Melrose and Fairfax.
Many looters appear to be working in caravans that methodically block off certain streets with their vehicles, which serve as getaway cars for those running off with merchandise.
Those tactics were on display on Sunday in Santa Monica, where teams of young people ransacked some stores completely clean within minutes as protesters marched nearby. Others returned again and again throughout the afternoon to the same stores for more.
Some paused on the street to distribute the goods among themselves or stuff them in backpacks, suitcases or boxes.
“Get my portion! Get my portion!” one man shouted as looters hammered and kicked an ATM at Ye Olde King’s Head Gift Shoppe.
The looters, most of them wearing dark colors and bandanas or masks, blended in among crowds already wearing face coverings because of the coronavirus. They seemed to know one another and were fast and coordinated, calling out commands.
“The jewelry store!” one looter screamed, announcing the next destination. At Santa Monica Jewelry and Loan, the sound of gunshots erupted when looters attempted to break in. They fled.
Two security guards could be seen through the broken glass, guns drawn.
Some appeared to be spontaneously joining in, taking what was left of the destroyed businesses.
At a vandalized 7-Eleven, a homeless man approached the store, his jaw dropping in awe of the scene. He walked in and carried out a beverage.
A South Los Angeles man who was tagging along with a group of looters Sunday afternoon said he had been in Santa Monica just to get something to eat. But when he saw the protests forming, he decided to jump in.
The man, who didn’t want to share his name for fear of legal repercussions, said looters didn’t concern him.
“The real answer is everybody knows this world works for white people. They do anything and get away with it.”
He cited the college admissions scandal that has resulted in short prison sentences for wealthy white people. If that had been him, the punishment would have been more severe, he said.
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The anger at inequality is not uncommon among business owners, many of whom are people of color.
Eddie Perez, 22, whose father owns a smoke shop in Hollywood, felt so strongly after Floyd’s killing that he joined protesters at a march on Monday.
But soon after looters ripped apart wooden boards and broke through the glass at the store, destroying it within 45 minutes. The pipes, hookahs, souvenirs, T-shirts and snacks inside couldn’t be salvaged, even though some were left behind.
His father, a Guatemalan immigrant who swept floors and did construction work for decades before saving enough money to open the store three years ago, lost $20,000 worth of merchandise.
The family of activists had put a “Justice For George Floyd” sign in the window of the store before it was ransacked.
“I’m just very angry at the fact that we are a minority-owned business and we stand so much with the movement,” Perez said. “It destroyed my trust in the world for that day.”
Still, Perez said he understood why the looting occurred, even if he doesn’t justify it.
“People are angry. People are tired. The Rodney King situation happened how long ago and this is still happening?” he said. “It’s hard, but I comprehend the reasons as to why they broke into all these places.”
Some shopkeepers expressed outrage over Floyd’s slaying, but felt that nothing excuses criminal behavior and that looters should face consequences.
Joe Green, owner of Broadway Wine and Spirits in Santa Monica, said he was lucky that his family-owned store experienced only one broken window. Green fended off looters, aided by his customers and neighbors. When he called the police, he said he was told that no one was coming.
“I think there needs to be stiffer penalties. You have to pay for your actions,” said Green, noting that businesses have already been struggling because of the pandemic.
“Peaceful protesting is great. But rioting and looting and vandalizing? No. Burning businesses down? That’s not the answer.”
AJ Lovelace tries to stop looters from breaking into a Walgreens store at Santa Monica and Highland. “We need peace, and we need someone to talk to each other,” he said after the looters fled. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
For 30 uninterrupted minutes Monday night, the looters roamed along the strip of stores just below Sunset on Highland Avenue in Hollywood, breaking into numerous businesses. Many had work gloves, face masks or bandanas wrapped around their heads. Some carried backpacks or trash bags. One woman had blue medical scrubs. Some toted bats.
This account is based on video reviewed by The Times, which showed a chaotic scene at the fringes of the demonstrations nearby. Despite the heavy police presence in the neighborhood, only one police car was seen in the video, apparently responding to another call. Over a half hour, the looters went unchecked.
The crowd spent more than 20 minutes trying to bust open an ATM that was snatched from a smoke shop. Two men were successful in prying loose the safe within the machine, and the smashed remnants littered Highland Avenue long afterward. Meanwhile, a psychic’s shop and a barber shop went untouched.
The looters were mostly young and male, some of them teenagers and a few of them middle-aged. There were some women in the group, which was mostly black and Latino.
One of the looters was questioned on the spot by a friend of one of the merchants: Why was everyone out looting?
As the camera rolled, the young man — dressed in a hoodie, with a black mask wrapped around the lower half of his face — spoke of long-simmering frustrations, of white people plundering the black community and appropriating their success.
“We’re tired of being killed,” he said. “We’re tired of laws being passed while they put drugs and guns in our community. They pass laws to lock us up.”
Asked if he was among the demonstrators peacefully protesting earlier in the day, he dismissed the idea.
“Protesting peacefully? We did that in the ‘60s. That didn’t get us nowhere.”
Times staff writers Melissa Etehad and Jaclyn Cosgrove contributed to this report.