ANSWER LA <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Date: Thu, 13 Jul 2006 11:39:12 -0700
Subject: Press Conference Condemns LAPD Violence - Speak Out, July 22
To: "ANSWER LA List" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
From: "ANSWER LA" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Press Conference Report & Speak Out Against Police Brutality
(1) Press Conference Denounces LAPD Violence
(2) People's Speak Out Against Racism & Police Brutality: Sat, July 22, 2
pm
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Press Conference Condemns LAPD Violence
Against Immigrant Rights Protesters
Lawsuit Against the Police and City to be Filed
Speakers Demand 'Drop the Charges Now!'
Take action now - send a letter demanding that all charges be dropped against
anti-racist demonstrators falsely arrested by the LAPD.
For more info call 323-464-1636 or e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
In response to the Los Angeles Police Department repression of the July 8
counter-demonstration against the Minuteman Project, the ANSWER Coalition
(Act Now to Stop War and End Racism), in conjunction with the National Lawyers
Guild and Global Resistance Network, called a press conference against the LAPD
on Tuesday, July 11. The press conference drew dozens of supporters and around
eight major English- and Spanish-language media outlets, including, ABC, NBC,
Fox, Telemundo, Unavision and others.
Speakers included victims of the police beatings and false arrests as well as
representatives of progressive and immigrant rights organizations. Among the
participants were: James Lafferty, executive director, National Lawyers
Guild-LA; Richard Becker, western regional coordinator, ANSWER Coalition; Muna
Coobtee, ANSWER-LA steering committee member; Juan José Gutiérrez, director,
Latino Movement USA; Angelina Corona, executive director, Hermandad Mexicana
Nacional; and Christen Westberry, José Villa, and Natividad Carrera, victims of
police beatings at the anti-Minutemen protest. Villa was also falsely arrested
by the cops and spent the night in jail. Click here to listen to the press
conference and see photos.
Clear evidence of police brutality
Lafferty opened the press conference by denouncing the LAPDs unprovoked
brutality against protesters and its attempts to prevent ANSWER from holding a
lawful demonstration against the Minutemen. He noted that repressing
demonstrations is nothing new for the police but that it must be opposed and
stopped. Lafferty also announced that the NLG will be filing a lawsuit on
behalf of the ANSWER Coalition and those beaten by the police.
Muna Coobtee then described ANSWERs long history of organizing peaceful
protests in Los Angeles. She talked about the militant but peaceful atmosphere
at last Saturdays anti-Minutemen demonstration and what happened leading up to
the police attack.
Next, José Villa, Christen Westberry, and Natividad Carrera spoke about their
injuries from the police violence in Hollywood. Exclusive video footage of the
vicious police attacks on Westberry and Villa was projected on the wall for the
media to see. Click here to watch the video.
The video clearly shows the LAPD beating and slamming a man onto the back of a
truck before arresting him. Next, Westberry and Villa are shown walking by the
curb to get away from the police riot. They are hit by a cop on a bicycle from
the side and propelled onto the sidewalk where five police in riot gear beat
them both with nightsticks. After the first round of brutality, while they are
lying on the ground, a racist cop continued to strike them with his nightstick
until he is pulled off of the victims by another cop. Villa is then arrested.
This outrageous arrest, as with all arrests that day, was without cause.
The video will be used to defend Villa and other protesters facing criminal
charges and will also be documentary evidence of police brutality in the civil
suit against the LAPD.
Immigrant rights and progressive leaders respond
Juan José Gutiérrez of Latino Movement USA condemned the racist Minutemen for
trying to divide people on the issue of immigrant rights. Gutiérrez said that
it was unbelievable that the LAPD would do something like this at a time
when so many millions of people have been taking to the streets around the
country to stand up for human rights. He continued, We are hear to restate
our position that we will not stand for this illegal conduct on the part of
officers of the Los Angeles Police Department, who are charged with keeping us
safe, not attacking us as they did last Saturday.
Angelina Corona, leader of one of the largest immigrant rights organizations in
the United States, delivered a powerful statement, expressing great shock and
outrage at the police conduct on July 8. She had been present at the
demonstration when the police attacked. Corona described how families with
children came to the protest with her organization, Hermandad Mexicana
Nacional, but feared injury due to the violent police rampage. Corona said,
All of a sudden we saw the police coming against us. Our families were
frightened, they were so scared. She praised ANSWERs work in the anti-war and
immigrant rights movement and vowed to continue working together.
Richard Becker, ANSWER Coalition, stressed that all of ANSWERs chapters across
the nation had been put on alert to mobilize to defend those arrested and
present at the protest. He also pointed out that the attack by the police was
planned: I think that it is clear that there was premeditation; that there was
preparation on the part of the LAPD to attack the demonstration on Saturday.
You can see, if you go to the Minutemen websites, the police amiably chatting
with the Minutemen and Minutemen organizers at the time the attack is going on.
This is outrageous. This is unacceptable. This has to be defeated.
Becker unequivocally demanded that all the charges against anti-racist
protesters be dropped, especially the charge against Villa. This charge is
outrageous. It was a police riot that took place. Becker placed the blame
squarely on city authorities for the police actions: The LAPD must be held
accountable, the city council is accountable, too, and the mayor is accountable
for the actions of the police department.
Fight back in the streets and in the courts
The ANSWER Coalition, the National Lawyers Guild will file a civil lawsuit
against the LAPD and the city in the coming weeks. ANSWER will also be taking
its campaign against police brutality to the streets. On Saturday, July 22,
from 2 to 4 p.m., there will be a Peoples Speak Out Against Racism and Police
Brutality on Hollywood and Argyle, the same place where the LAPD attacked the
demonstration. All progressive people are invited to participate.
The fascists, the police and government bodies have always collaborated to
repress workers movements and progressives. The KKK and, now, the Minutemen
are just two examples.
Last year, California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger referred to the Minutemen
as honorable citizens. Shortly thereafter, the police attacked anti-Minutemen
protesters in Santa Ana and Baldwin Park. This, too, was not a coincidence.
But, despite police repression, the movement has always fought back. The July
11 press conference was a political response to the police attack in Hollywood.
It helped to unveil further both the racist character of the Minutemen and the
police who protect them.
Take action now - send a letter demanding that all charges be dropped against
anti-racist demonstrators falsely arrested by the LAPD.
---------------------------------------------------
In response to the LAPD attack on immigrant rights protestors on July 8 in
Hollywood,
and the continuing assault on Black and Latino communities in Los Angeles, join
us for a...
People's Speak Out Against Racism & Police Brutality
Rally for Justice! Fight for Immigrant Rights!
Saturday, July 22, 2-4 pm
Gather at corner of Hollywood & Argyle, LA. Metro Red Line stop Hollywood &
Vine.
Or meet at the A.N.S.W.E.R. Office at 1 pm. It's 1 block away.
For more info call 323-464-1636 or e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
All anti-racist, progressive people are encouraged to participate in a People's
Speak Out against racism and police brutality. The speak out will be at the
corner of Hollywood Blvd. and Argyle Ave. to show the LAPD that protesters and
the community will not be intimidated by police terror.
Last Saturday, the LAPD viciously attacked a peaceful, multinational crowd of
hundreds who had gathered to demonstrate against the racist, anti-immigrant
"Minuteman Project" and their supporters. Without any provocation, the police
beat dozens and falsely arrested six people, all of them anti-Minutemen
protesters. Just before the police riot, top LAPD brass on the scene were
chumming around with the fascist Minutemen on the other side of the street.
This attack on peaceful demonstrators was a coordinated assault on the
immigrant rights and progressive movement by the cops and the fascists. It's
the same kind of terror and repression faced by working class communities in
Los Angeles every day, especially those populated by immigrants and other
people of color.
At the People's Speak Out, we'll hear from victims of police brutality,
witnesses to the police beatings in Hollywood on July 8, families of victims of
police violence, progressive organizers and leaders, and others. There will
also be outreach to passersby, militant chanting and an open mic.
---------------------------------------------------
A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
Act Now to Stop War and End Racism
323-464-1636
http://www.answerla.org
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
1800 Argyle Ave, #410
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Join us each Tues at 7 pm for A.N.S.W.E.R. Activists Meetings.
---------------------------------------------------
A.N.S.W.E.R. COALITION LA (Act Now to Stop War & End Racism)
TO DONATE CALL 323-464-1636. YOU CAN USE MC/VISA OVER THE PHONE OR MAIL CHECK
TO ANSWER-LA, 1800 ARGYLE AVE, #410, LA, CA 90028
TAX DEDUCTIBLE CHECKS OF $50 OR MORE CAN BE MADE TO
PROGRESS UNITY FUND
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