11/23/11 Notes City Liaison Meeting

Same city officials, matt on point

Introductions – OLA intros themselves [8 new people] 6 from yesterday, Jim Lafferty

Matt Szabo – deputy mayor, Nieves, Perez

Matt – just came from meeting w/ boss, clear difficulties. We cannot refer to these as negotiations. This is a new situation. We’re trying to work together to best manage this for the city. We are working to secure your first amendment rights, but acknowledge that city hall park is an unsustainable situation

The decision-making and governing process is cumbersome

The mayor WILL CLOSE THE PARK NEXT WEEK

I do not know when that will be, but you will receive notice

The mayor will announce today that we will be making available at least 50, but as many will be required, homeless shelter beds

We’ll continue to be as open and honest as we can possibly be

Difficulty: we wanted to move this forward in a productive way… the issue of whether or not the park is open or closed is NOT A NEGOTIATION

The city has a right to close the park

Some would argue there is a responsibility to enforce the closing

All the issues we’ve been discussing are still on the table, but the closing of the park WILL HAPPEN

OLA – this is almost tantamount to a declaration of war

I understand where you’re coming from, but a hard and fast deadline does not allow for a process where we can really discuss this

THIS IS THE CITY’S FAULT

We will remain nonviolent

Talked w/ SEIU, their message is that an injury to OLA is an injury to SEIU

If something happens to us, something will happen in the streets

We appreciate that the mayor will open up 100 beds

I see no reason to continue this meeting

I would suggest having another dialogue on Monday… let’s cool off, because frankly I’m upset

I don’t like to discuss with a gun to my head

I will recommend we walk out the door when lafferty is done speaking

Matt – I agree that negotiating w/ a ‘gun to your head’ is not the best situation

The issue of the park closure was always happening, never a negotiating point

Lafferty – the gun to the head statement is quite accurate

Maybe you were snookered too, maybe your mind was changed, maybe you were duped

We all know for a FACT that while a perfect resolution may not be possible, but we sat down to TRY

From the very beginning it was made clear that this extraordinary democratic process of the GA and OLA CAN MAKE DECISIONS, can make agreements if given time

No matter what the group decides, it would never be unanimous

We were having discussions which were heading in the right direction, that while not perfect, were far better than the situation we now face

Yesterday 2 things happened

They were taken OFF the table as things that could be delivered in a timely way

We’ve lost the opportunity to do something that NO OTHER CITY has done, and it has come because there’s an arbitrary deadline

WHY IS THERE SUDDENLY A RUSH?

Why is Monday more important than the process of finding a resolution?

I can’t get my mind around it!

You can talk about sanitation, dope, dead grass, etc on the media

But WE ALL KNOW, THE 500 PEOPLE ALL KNOW, THAT IT IS ALL BULLSHIT

Im not angry with you, matt, I have a hunch you’re as disappointed with all of us

There is NO HUMAN, MORAL, ETHICAL REASON TO RUSH TO AN END GAME

NOW HARM WILL BE DONE

I have things to do for the occupation far more critical than this meeting

The good faith offer WAS IN WRITING

OLA

Office space, homeless shelters offers are offensive

The larger social issues that require a visible presence is integral to continue a dialogue

Real concerns – LET’S ADDRESS THEM!!

Sanitation, crime, food, etc

GA participation? We keep celebrities safe when they show up, why can’t reps from city come down?????

This is an experiment in democracy that we have not seen

This is the public square

2 things

Don’t address the bigger issues of the movement

We will not leave

LAPD – what would you like us to discuss at the GA?

OLA

Legit concerns

Security, public safety issues, food

Open a dialogue!

Many people would like to make a political statement by making the city remove us

Clarification – what does it mean to be removed?

First 2 weeks, we moved to the sidewalk

Will the park be shut down 24hrs? or just regular operating hours?

Matt – at some point, the park will be closed

LAPD – sleeping on sidewalks is not allowed only in skid row

We had facilitated the movement earlier with tents on sidewalks

We’ll give you this much in terms of good faith, day/night tent moving

OLA – clarification

Equal protection under the law re: skid row tents, it ALSO APPLIES TO US

I think its very disingenuous to say that

Let’s bring it back to the reasons we’re here in the first place

We’re disgruntled with the SYSTEM, not just to camp out

The issues we brought to the city HAVE NOT BEEN ADDRESSED

WHEN WILL YOU ADDRESS THESE ISSUES?

We will leave when the city answers our grievances!

There has been nothing from the city to address those grievances!

Spoke w/ Alarcon, said “OLA is too general, we don’t know what you’re asking. [later] oh you’re too specific, we can’t answer that.

“im a politician, what do you expect?”

WHEN WILL THAT PROCESS of addressing our issues really begin????????

Mark giving proposal to mayor about budget crisis [25billion budget crisis/ending homelessness]

Project 50

We have 1.5 million ppl in this state that are homeless. The state saves 20,000 EVERY YEAR PER PERSON when implementing this program

When will we have these types of discussions?

Matt – im happy to take whatever you have

The purpose of my presence here is not to debate policy

My only mission is to protect your first amendment right, that’s it

Think about this: the current situation at OLA is not sustainable

We have no interest in preventing 1^st amendment rights, but there are limits with regards to space

Mayor wholeheartedly supports our 1^st amendment rights

OLA – what is the exact date?

Matt – it is SOME TIME NEXT WEEK, you will receive notice, I don’t know

OLA

Yes, the reality is that I would get more work done w/ own space

The reality is that our sacrifice to the cause is occupying

We must have our grievances addressed? How can we do that?

Matt – OLA has already played a major role in driving legislation through city hall

We’re trying to deal with this in the most responsible way possible

Sometimes we turn out to be the enemy when we can’t find a perfect solution

Forming 501c3 is a good idea

The fact that the park is closing doesn’t change our dialogue

OLA – WHAT EXACTLY IS UNSUSTAINABLE? SPECIFICALLY?

Is it unsustainable POLITICALLY? Or logistically?

Would a rep from each of you be willing to address the GA in terms of what you think is unsustainable?

The city is not offering us another public space

Social movements are not pushed forward radically with 501c3s

Bodies on the street cause real change

Your responses are not helpful to our political movement

LAPD

Re: addressing the GA

You can go to west steps for rallies

As to where you move, I can’t give you that answer

Park will be closed

OLA – what is unsustainable?

LAPD – the park is being closed

Your presence at city hall is not sustainable

The park will be closed, you have to leave

We deal with violation of LAW, that’s it

Matt

Most reasonable people would understand that what is going on down there is not sustainable

You don’t have the right by yourselves to occupy forever a public park

Sustainability

The public does not come through there every day as they have before

It is not a place that can be taken by what group for one cause

You’re prohibiting others from using public space

My boss has been fighting on your side [aclu] his entire career, but he does have the job of protecting public assets for the public

OLA

You’re obviously closing the park to get us out

Personally, I can empathize with the city in sustainability

BUT any partnership we were going to have is not out the door b/c of the short deadline

These kinds of hurdles and hoops ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM OF WHY WE’RE PROTESTING

LAPD

From enforcement perspective, its not the message, it is more the LAW and PRECEDENT

If national socialist party wants to come in, they would have precedent from OLA to stay

Farmers market can’t operate

You’re impacting their ability to do business

OLA – IS THERE A MIDDLE GROUND?

LAPD – no, the entire park will be closed

OLA – question towards the policy-makers, is there a middle-ground

Matt – we’re going to do what we’re going to do

The park will close next week

OLA – will there be actions to try and prevent the GA itself?

Will there be trouble around assembling or will it be tents only

LAPD – every assembly must be within the law

We have done what we have done to have a peaceful, harmonious relationship

I would hope we continue the nonviolence tradition and open-dialogue

Matt – we’re not trying to hide anything, we will be as open and honest as to the closing of the park as we can

LAPD – you will see an increased presence in the coming days

Handing out flyers, etc

Just because you see an increase in officers, doesn’t mean we’re coming for a raid

The use of force will be determined by the actions in the camp

I’m not looking to have Oakland

But I don’t want officers shot with paint, fire extinguishers, etc

OLA – is the city prepared in any way to facilitate OPEN PUBLIC SPACE?

How long will the park be closed?

Matt – the park will be closed for rehab and extended period of time

OLA – direct question for matt: closing park for rehab

One of the points is that we participate in the redesign of the park

Matt – we’re completely open to having OLA help rehab park

We will continue to work with you

The park is a separate issue