Comments on: Riot Cops in MacArthur Park Videos

By: Taco » Bratton: No Excuse for MacArthur Park Beatings

Taco » Bratton: No Excuse for MacArthur Park Beatings — Mon, 07 May 2007 17:19:56 +0000

[...] Videos of the scene are available here. [...]

By: Ronald

Ronald — Sat, 05 May 2007 04:52:30 +0000

I was appalled by the action of the LAPD. Under the present atmosphere and desperation of our government that support drastic measures to curb immigration, I believe that law enforcement officers are emboldened to also take measures that equate that stance. I do not believe LAPD officers in any group situation will have the discipline just to act neutrally. They will, if given an opportunity, react, whether by defensive or aggressive tactics. I see their action as unprofessional because they went too far by physically hurting innocent participants. Whether racially, or politically motivated these officers need to be disciplined for their undisciplined actions.

By: nopolicethugs

nopolicethugs — Fri, 04 May 2007 18:00:10 +0000

For a close-up, steadi-cam’ed, slo-mo spotlight on the Police assault, watch “LAPD Police-thugs Bravely Subdue Dangerous TV News Camera” at YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkvNrtk6GJ0

By: schock

schock — Fri, 04 May 2007 01:04:27 +0000

Oh yeah, PS check these vids out:

I was there to support the event and to play music with my band fosforo.
We were literally on the soundstage playing when the police attacked
without clear warning. I happened to have a cam and hid behind a speaker
stack to record everything.

For you non-spanish speakers, the music is a cover of Bob Marley’s
‘War,’ itself an interpretation of a speech by Haile Selassie I.

The band is my band Fósforo, the footage is a mix of stuff shot by me,
some shot by Larry Gross (!), and some pulled from la.indymedia.org and
from YouTube at 2am.

enjoy the (riot) porn.

download at 43.5 megs
http://la.indymedia.org/uploads/2007/05/fosforo_mayday_rough_cops.mp4

or watch on myspace (lower quality):
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoID=2026799363

or if you must, youtube (still lower.):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfkoULiI8N0

For good firsthand accounts of what happened, check
http://la.indymedia.org

By: schock

schock — Fri, 04 May 2007 01:03:12 +0000

Hi, could whoever posted the video please get in touch with me? I’m working with the Macarthur park rally organizers to gather documentation that will be useful for the legal team and the case against LAPD. Please email me: schock AT riseup DOT net. Thanks.

By: Jun Velez

Jun Velez — Thu, 03 May 2007 17:30:38 +0000

Macarthur Park

They were in the park like you and me
They don’t have the same rights though you see

Their fingers are in our mouths

When you are eating your breakfast drinking your drinks
The sweat of their brow on the ice that you clink

They go to our schools say the pledge of allegiance
Do we listen to reason?
Or just fire the rubber bullets, their all in season

The stick does the talking
See the blood on their brows

Their fingers are in our mouths

When you sip your fruit drink
When you have time to stop and think
Look out at your manicured lawn
From the tiled veranda you sit on

We will use their skills
Cross their border to buy cheap pills
See the heads bent and stooped to ground
Lower than the dirt they that they found

The land was theirs but that doesn’t matter
As long as their tears keeps making us fatter

The gas clouds blind and choke
Over there you can see the smoke
Eyes sprayed with poison and hate
Made from the plants that they traditionally ate

Their fingers are in our mouths

Taste the soil under their nails
Taste the sweat from their brows
Taste the fear in their hearts
And know that one way or another
We all took part

Just another day in the park

Jun Velez, May 3 2007

By: Taco » Los Angeles News Roundup ~ May 2nd, 2007

Taco » Los Angeles News Roundup ~ May 2nd, 2007 — Wed, 02 May 2007 19:38:08 +0000

[...] protest because of the actions of a tiny minority. The only differences today seems to the the widespread videotaping of the event by professional and amateur camera crews, and the subsequent release of the video all [...]

By: Chop

Chop — Wed, 02 May 2007 18:46:55 +0000

“By how much the nearer Satan perceiveth the world to an end, by so much the more fiercely he troubleth it with persecution; that knowing himself to be damned, he may get company in his damnation.” Isidor.