Reply to Mayor Villaraigosa

Submitted by PJOccupyLA on

In response to Mayor Villaraigosa's and other CA officials comments made earlier today regarding Occupy LA:

We have enjoyed a very good relationship with the City of Los Angeles, whose council 2 weeks ago announced their support for Occupy LA. As recently as this morning, Councilman Rosendahl reconfirmed his support of the occupiers. We sincerely hope that a positive working relationship between city officials and the LAPD continues. We appreciate Mayor Villaraigosa's statement of respect and Senator Feinstein for acknowledging our first amendment rights. As for a time stamp on our departure, there is none. Regarding the perceived lack of focus:Our actions are governed by a democratic process and we go through process to gain consensus. This can sometimes be lengthy, but we are determined that, as representatives of the 99%, all voices are heard and considered. All city and state officials, as well as interested general public, are openly invited to these General Assembly meetings held nightly. We are resolved to continue our peaceful occupation.

Occupiers across America are bravely and against great odds and obstacles exercising the right to have their voices heard in a public forum, we stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters around this nation and around the globe.

~PR & Media Relations

10 Comments

KCRW @ 600pm

Submitted by Raejah on

KCRW at 600pm on 10/26/11 light heartly reported that OLA was on the road to eviction. They breifly reported that Mayor Villaraigosa is drafting resolution/plans to evict OLA. I am assuming that we of course will remain in peaceful dialouge with City Council and LAPD. I am only concerned that they may not be planning the same. I am curious if we are setting up workshops to help prepare occupiers in peaceful resistance if confronted with force. I would like to use Occupy Wall St.'s  peaceful resistence (locking arms in protection of the camp) as an example. These occupiers were ready to peacefully resist early in the morning. It was a noble stand off and successfully executed. I have spoken with core members of the medical tent and we are in discussion about how to mobilize and educate occupiers regarding peaceful resistence and safety in case of confrontation. By preparing to remain peaceful and giving occupiers a plan to default into I feel that we will be more successful. During times of high tension it is easy to regress into core behaviors of aggression or withdrawl ( fight or flight behavioral mechanism). I look forward to good conversation with occupiers and working with the commitees to continue our peaceful resistence forwarding the Occupy movement.

J. Garcia

LA TIMES article Regarding Mayor's Desire to Remove OLA

Submitted by tovangar2 on

L.A. NOW SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA -- THIS JUST IN

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 http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/10/occupy-la-mayor-antonio-vi...

Mayor Villaraigosa: Occupy L.A. 'cannot continue indefinitely' October 26, 2011 |  3:39 pm  
 

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Occupy Los Angeles

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said Wednesday that the Occupy Los Angeles encampment outside City Hall "cannot continue indefinitely" and has asked city officials to draft restrictions limiting when people are allowed on city property.

"I respect the protesters' right to peacefully assemble and express their views," Villaraigosa said. "City officials have been in a continuous and open dialogue with the organizers of Occupy L.A. However, the protesters must respect city laws and regulations, and while they have been allowed to camp on City Hall lawns, that cannot continue indefinitely."

A spokeswoman for the mayor said he has also instructed city officials to begin drafting a plan to identify another location for the demonstration.

FULL COVERAGE: Occupy protests

In an interview Wednesday, the mayor said county health inspectors recently visited the encampment and expressed concerns over the cleanliness of the camp. In addition, the demonstration is hurting the city’s lawn and trees.

"The lawn is dead, our sprinklers aren't working ... our trees are without water," Villaraigosa said.

He said he has instructed city officials to begin drafting restrictions limiting when people are allowed at City Hall. That could lay the groundwork for the city to force protesters to abandon the tent city surrounding City Hall where they’ve been camped for nearly a month.


It was not clear how the proposed rules would be different from a current law that bars people from camping in city parks after 10:30 p.m. Police have not been enforcing that law at City Hall and have allowed the 350 or so nightly protesters to camp there overnight.

On Wednesday, City Atty. Carmen Trutanich said police should impose the park law.  

"To protect the public health and safety of all residents, the LAPD and General Services Police can and should enforce the law in a fair, consistent, and even-handed manner,” Trutanich said. “The law addresses conduct. Enforcement may not be based on the content of any political or personal opinion or message." 

Meanwhile, about  a dozen protesters showed up at Wednesday’s City Council meeting to ask lawmakers to allow them to stay. Protester Alex Everett, 26, said he came because he was alarmed by Councilman Bill Rosendahl’s comments to KABC that it was time for protesters “to move on.”

Everett, who moved out of his house and into a tent outside of City Hall two weeks ago, said he thinks many protesters would not leave without a fight. He said if police move in to clear out the protest, like Oakland police did Tuesday, “it will be violent.”

Everett said protesters don’t have a shared vision of how the demonstrations around the country will go forward, and whether or not the emphasis should be on maintaining camps or on trying to elect lawmakers, or get certain financial regulations enacted.

"Victory is different to different people," he said.

Although he believes the occupations will "taper down eventually," Everett said: "This movement's never going to end."

RELATED:

Oakland plans to reopen plaza for protesting -- not camping

Atlanta, Oakland arrests show impatience with Occupy Wall Street

Occupy Oakland: Video shows wounded protester after police clash

-- Kate Linthicum at City Hall

Photo: Tents on the First Street side of Los Angeles City Hall on Wednesday morning. Credit: Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times


Occupy Los Angeles

 

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  • Diana Leigh
    Mayor Villaraigosa, The Constitutional Rights to Free Speech & to "peaceable assembly to petition the government for redress of grievances" have NO time limit nor are they contravened in any way by local ordinances or mayoral wishes. No redress has been offered or received so the protest will continue until that changes. Occupying public space is an important part of this peaceable assembly for reasons that I hope and assume are abundantly clear to you. City Hall belongs to the people, not the government, unless, and not until, the government is of, by & for the people and not a separate entity ruling over us.

    Supporters of Occupy LA have offered to replace the City Hall landscaping when the time comes. Or, perhaps you could claw back some of the $34 million in "blight abatement" funds handed over to Eli Broad for a parking structure for his ego-fueled museum? Or maybe some of the "hidden" millions that the city is sure to spend on the NFL stadium that's scheduled to wipe out yet another neighborhood of invisible-to-you Angelenos. We know who your campaign donors are and that you consider them your real constituents. Ordinary Angelenos have been robbed enough, including by the LA City government. No wonder you wanted a six-foot-high wall around your house.

    Also, since you seem to be so concerned about the environment around City Hall, perhaps you could spare a thought for the larger environment that supports human life on this planet, an environment that's been brought to the brink of ruin by the 1% criminal class, so hell-bent on deregulation of industry, resource extraction, etc., all in the name of obscene profit while millions starve.

    You and your corporate masters cannot win this fight. Either the people win or we all lose, unless of course, you've been terra-forming Mars on the sly and have space transport at the ready.

    Tony, you used to be one of us. What happened? Surely you see the importance of this Movement and the clear and present danger that brought it into being. You have children. It's not too late to show them that you will stand with the 99% on the right side of history instead of working so assiduously to bend the arc of the moral universe towards injustice for profit.

    Abandon your plans to remove us. We cannot go back to "normal", there's no longer any normal that's not intolerable to go back to. Instead, speak to your fellow mayors. Ask them to call off their thuggishly militarized police forces and join us to in the effort to bring our global society, economy and environment back into balance. Together we can do this.

    Thank You.
    Reply · Like · Unfollow Post · 56 minutes ago    


  •  

    George Olivos ·  · General Manager at PicoDeGallo.Net
    This is not about violence. Arrest 100 and 1,000 will take their place. Work on changing the rules that the richest and most profitable financial institutions have used to rob us. Reply · 15 · Unlike · Follow post · 10 hours ago


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      Jim Browne ·  Top commenter
      What rules do you want to change exactly? Exactly how have you been robbed? Reply · 7 · Like · 9 hours ago    


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      Ken Rizzo · New Dorp High School
      Yes yea yea . explain exactly how youve been robbed. Not getting more hand outs doesn't count Reply · 4 · Like · 9 hours ago    


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      Glenn Xavier López Ibarra
      "Arrest 100 and 1,000 will take their place." Yeah, it's working out exactly like this in Oakland, isn't it. Reply · 2 · Like · 8 hours ago    

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    Lawton J Pelfrey ·  Top commenter
    What, Antonio? No more rain parkas handed out by you? Yeah it was fine when you found them cute and necessary, but now that you have finally discovered what we've all known all along you don't like it. Could this guy be any more dim? Reply · 13 · Unlike · Follow post · 10 hours ago


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      Ken Rizzo · New Dorp High School
      And guess who paid for those parkas ! Typical sponges & typical liberal pissing away of our money! Reply · 7 · Like · 9 hours ago    


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      Eric Jonas Beck ·  Top commenter · Works at All over the place
      Ken Rizzo You're an idiot. Don't even begin to accuse "typical" Liberals of wasting money. It makes you look awfully stupid by anyone who has monitored the waste of any number of Conservative Admins, some of the most wasteful in our nations history. Last I remember, "Bridge to Nowhere" - and thousands of projects like it - were fully Republican initiatives. Reply · 13 · Unlike · 9 hours ago    


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      Jeffery Kirkland ·  Top commenter
      Eric Jonas Beck I agree with Ken! You can banter all day and night, but this clearly is a liberal Democrat pandering to people that are damaging city property. So you are going to defend these people?? Reply · 5 · Like · 9 hours ago    

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    Michael Gardiol · 
    Occupy those politician's parking lots instead! That will make them happy. (Spread the word.) Reply · 12 · Unlike · Follow post · 10 hours ago

     

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    Melvyn Man
    Its called civil unrest when people don't like the government and protest. We liked it in Libya and Egypt and supported it. The police are going to use force to forcefully remove peaceful protesters. It would be cheaper to put in toilets and hoses to water the trees. Thats not what he wants, he wants confrontation. I would be careful if I was him. They might not have 99% support but 100% of Americans believe they have the right to protest. Go for it Mr Viila.. whatever your name is. Reply · 10 · Like · Follow post · 8 hours ago    


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    Dominic Montelongo
    This is a great topic for debate. I honestly see a huge problem with this lawn and others like it. Why isn't the city ripping this failed lawn out and installing a tougher, faker, waterless lawn to save us from flipping the bill again, again and again? FAKE LAWNS 4 CITY PROPERTY!!!! Reply · 11 · Unlike · Follow post · 9 hours ago    


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    Terry Hartnett · Tucson, Arizona
    If the mayor was up on his AMERICAN history -- city / county / state & Federal property BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE. Not to the Government Reply · 9 · Unlike · Follow post · 9 hours ago


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      Deborah Lipsitz ·  Top commenter
      Except for one problem: Most local governments are now corporations, and the US Supreme Court has given corporations rights not enjoyed by actual human beings (such as being above the law, being allowed to change the laws without the consent of the governed, etc). Reply · 2 · Unlike · 3 hours ago    

     

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    Linda Evans · Los Angeles, California
    Why Antonio you created the situation and you and the Councilmembers should pay for the repairs. Reply · 8 · Like · Follow Post · 9 hours ago    


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    Jorge Hernandez El Moreno ·  Top Commenter · Cal Poly Pomona / Mt. San Antonio/ CIM/ NKSP
    these people cry they have no jobs yet they have i phones Reply · 8 · Like · Follow Post · 10 hours ago


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      Susan Kirk ·  Top Commenter
      I know you understand that cell phones come with contracts, right? Also, a phone is pretty important to have when you are looking for a job; how else is a job seeker supposed to be contacted, smoke signals, carrier pigeons, pony express? Many people bought their iPhones back in the day when they had a job but then one sad day they came in to work and were told that their services were no longer required. Geez, have a heart, possession of an iPhone and being unemployed doesn't mean a person is irresponsible. Reply · 10 · Like · 9 hours ago    


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      Scott Yttocs · THE STREETS
      I have a job. I went to Occupy LA. I have a Blackberry (actually 2 one provided by my employer!). So you're wrong on all accounts there, buddy. Reply · 8 · Unlike · 8 hours ago    


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      Humberto Plascencia
      all your jobs is for the weak! stop getting fired and start firing. Reply · Like · 8 hours ago    

     

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    Cj IsInfinite
    If the "occupy" movement doesn't come up with clear goals and tactics, it'll probably fade away with the winter. Reply · 6 · Like · Follow Post · 9 hours ago    


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    Fortis Imago ·  Top commenter · Knowledge is not applicable
    Well if the world economy keeps up these might turn into modern day Hoovervilles. Reply · 6 · Unlike · Follow post · 10 hours ago

     

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    Callum Roxburgh · University of Toronto
    Mayor Villariagosa, peoples right to protest is 24hrs a day, it does not end at 10:30. If you attempt too deprive people of their lawful rights you will pay the price at the next election. Reply · 5 · Unlike · Follow post · 5 hours ago    


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    Bobby Boogie ·  Top commenter · Los Angeles, California
    The time has come for the so called rich media stars who have shown up to add creed to their own celebrity by sticking their face in the news media cameras to say that they are behind the protesters to guarantee the city that after the protesters leave that they will foot the bill to restoring the City Hall's landscaping to the way it was before.

    It's my hope and prayers that the Mayor will not turn the LAPD loose on the protesters. The LAPD is already known around the world as an organization that is only to willing to bash a few head in all in the name of protesting and serving the community.

    Please keep the peace I say this to ALL involved. Reply · 2 · Unlike · Follow post · 7 hours ago    


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    Oded Marer · Sleeping Late at Odio los Lunes, martes, miercoles, jueves, y un pedazo del viernes
    I wonder how my lawn feel now that I'm jobless, soon be homeless,0h my poor lawn! And the safety of city hall! While the ligitimate owners are visiting! My building is scared of me!:( and the concern of health patrol! Now that I'm occupying that city-hall lawn, while unsafe apartment buildings pose no safety issues to their occupants! Oi save me I'm so worried about the lobbyists who shower my public reps. With so much of MY MONEY!?! Reply · 2 · Unlike · Follow post · 10 hours ago    


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    David Krumer ·  Top commenter
    I don't think they are saying that protesters can't protest. They can come back daily if they so desire and call attention to their cause when people are actually looking. They are saying you can not live on City Hall grounds. The OWS movement is not supposed to be a commune, or a spontaneous shantyville, make your point every day, but pack up and go home (or wherever younslept prior to the movement) at night. Reply · 1 · Like · Follow post · 9 hours ago    


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    James Andrews ·  Top commenter
    The Mayor doesn't like walking past it daily so he wants to MOVE IT? Why would he want to force it on someone else? If he doesn't want the protest then ban it but don't move it to another location to bother people other than city workers. Ridiculous. Reply · 1 · Like · Follow post · 10 hours ago    


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    Theodore Philip Schraff III · Tustin, California
    Mayor V listen up! let these America-loving persons take a stand against the wrong in the US system. Be on the right side of this one-embrace the movement. Reply · 2 · Unlike · Follow post · 7 hours ago    


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    Pj Davenport · Los Angeles, California
    http://occupylosangeles.org/?q=node/1205 Occupy LA Statement Reply · 2 · Unlike · Follow post · 5 hours ago

     

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    Christopher Chavez · Cerritos College
    When a tea party protest occurs their fully respected, but when a occupy protest occurs they are fully met with violence! WTF? Reply · 2 · Unlike · Follow post · 9 hours ago    


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    Jay Dont Trip
    No one likes This major he's not getting my vote next year. Reply · 1 · Like · Follow post · 10 hours ago


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      Anthony Thomas · Los Angeles, California
      Only he can't run for Mayor again FYI. Pay attention that's part of the problem! Reply · 6 · Like · 10 hours ago    


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      Kurt Star ·  Top commenter · UCLA
      Anthony Thomas, or the OWS people can get their own guy elected mayor. Reply · 2 · Like · 9 hours ago    

     

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    Richard Hicks ·  Top commenter · Irving, Texas
    If they were mostly Spanish I bet they could stay forever Reply · 1 · Like · Follow post · 7 hours ago

     

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    Steven Gaylord ·  ·  Top commenter · Chaffey High, Ontario CA
    $4.6 million dollars JPMorgan Chase donated [bribed] to the NYPD... An act of criminality. Has Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa lowered his status to the same level? Public service should be a privledge to serve the people and not a route to wealth in servitude to the banking/corporate interests, whose theft of this nations wealth has ruined the lives of countless millions. Reply · 1 · Unlike · Follow post · 6 hours ago    


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    Fred Shuster ·  Top commenter · Los Angeles, California
    good. it's bloody disgusting down there. the other day i saw a mental patient kicking tents and trash cans from the camp onto spring street. and all these occupy l.a. layabouts were chasing after him chanting "peace, man. peace." the whole thing is a powder keg. it's just a matter of time before one of these kids gets his/her throat slashed in the middle of the night. Reply · Like · Follow post · 9 hours ago


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      Susan Kirk ·  Top commenter
      Your description of the Occupy L.A. site sounds like every other one I have ever read about any downtown and its homeless population. Unfortunately, this is nothing new. Fortunately, the Occupy movement is protesting the source of homelessness, mainly, the greed and dishonesty that is rampant in American government and big business. Reply · 2 · Unlike · 8 hours ago    

     

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    James C. L'Angelle · Grossmont
    Occupy Wall Street/NYC marching on City Hall in support of Occupy Oakland, live streaming video; Twitterfeed, Facebook, Feedjit, Newsreel, see:

    OCCUPY LAKE TAHOE

    http://occupylaketahoe.blogspot.com Reply · 1 · Unlike · Follow post · 7 hours ago    


  •  

    Robert Henderson
    So, Villaraigosa wants to prevent people from using "city" property. Hmmm, I was always under the impression that it was a government of, by and for the people.
    More & more, we're starting to look like a fascist country. Reply · 1 · Unlike · Follow post · 7 hours ago    


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    Thomas Coleman ·  Top commenter · Tulane Law School
    True to Form, The Script and the Players, Res Ipsa Loqutor: 
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u52Oz-54VYw Reply · Like · Follow post · 6 hours ago    


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    Bryan Shull ·  Top commenter
    Corporations are evil and should all be destroyed!
    -typed on my laptop, displayed on the la times, and hosted on servers Reply · Like · Follow post · 9 hours ago


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      Bryan Shull ·  Top commenter
      Dude........the joke is right there under the statement. I was being sarcastic -facepalm- Reply · Like · 9 hours ago    


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      Bryan Shull ·  Top commenter
      annnnnnnd they deleted their comment. I guess they got the joke. Reply · 1 · Unlike · 9 hours ago    


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      Scott Yttocs · THE STREETS
      Bryan Shull You're a joke. So what are people supposed to abandon all their worldly goods because they were manufactured by a corporations. There is nothing inherently wrong with Corps, it is the people who run them and make the laws that are the problem. Why not use the tools that are provided to bring forth a revolution? Get a grip. Reply · 1 · Unlike · 8 hours ago    


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      Bryan Shull ·  Top commenter
      So you really don't see the hypocrisy in using tools created and run by corporations in order to protest against those same corporations? Reply · Like · 8 hours ago    


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      Scott Yttocs · THE STREETS
      Bryan Shull It's not a hypocrisy unless they are BUYING those products while protesting. If they had them before protesting, not so much. You need a cell phone, you show me where I can get a locally made cell phone and I will give it a chance. It's a balancing act. And they (we) are not looking to end corporations. Just adjust the way they are run and allowed to force their political will through campaign financing and donations. This isn't about the product it's about the people. Reply · 1 · Unlike · 8 hours ago    


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      Ron Perez · Warren High School, Downey, CA
      Scott Yttocs that is part of the problem. If you are so against these corporations then why still use their products and services? Isn't it adding to their bottom line which in turn gives them more power against you? Reply · 1 · Like · 8 hours ago    


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      Scott Yttocs · THE STREETS
      Ron Perez I have a car. I have had it for 2 years. If for whatever reason I find car companies are doing something I don't like I am not going to burn my car or get rid of it. I need it. You need cell phones to communicate, laptops to type on etc. Rebels in Libya took gun caches from Gaddafi, they didn't throw them away just because they were his guns. And looked what happened to him. Reply · 1 · Unlike · 8 hours ago    


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      Ron Perez · Warren High School, Downey, CA
      Scott Yttocs, well then until we are not so dependent on the products and services that these companies offer then we don't have much room for change. This just reminds me of the gas outs that you hear about each and every year. Don't buy gas and you will hurt the oil companies but on the scheduled day every one just keeps on doing what they do. At the end of the day it seems pretty pointless to me because there needs to be drastic changes but picketing and chanting will not achieve them. Reply · Like · 7 hours ago    


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      Bryan Shull ·  Top commenter
      This just reminds me of that famous pic of the protestor with the sign saying "Who needs oil? I ride the bus." lmfao Reply · Like · 7 hours ago    

     

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    Jeff Gritchen · Photojournalist at Long Beach Press-Telegram and Daily Breeze
    All you occupiers are making the cops rich - who do you think is getting all the overtime! Reply · Like · Follow post · 5 hours ago    


  •  

    Anthony Thomas · Los Angeles, California
    There was a meeting this morning about this@City Council, more details soon I hope. Reply · 1 · Unlike · Follow post · 10 hours ago    


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    Michael Snider
    Recall Tony! Reply · 1 · Unlike · Follow post · 7 hours ago    


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    Deborah Lipsitz ·  Top commenter
    Mayor Villaraigosa: Be very careful the path you take. The world is watching, and history is full of examples as to how horribly wrong things can go when people are not permitted to voice their concerns and anger in a peaceful way. Do you really wish to be compared to dictators in Egypt, Libya, Syria, China, and elsewhere? Who do you really support, the people who elected you, or the people who paid for your election? Reply · 1 · Unlike · Follow post · 3 hours ago    


  •  

    Harbik G. · UCSB
    "The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich and the poor alike to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread." Reply · 1 · Unlike · Follow post · 9 hours ago    


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    Bob A Bowie ·  Top commenter · Beverly Hills High School
    Don't do a Bloomberg, Mayor McTaco. Time to turn your jackbooted thugs loose. Reply · Like · Follow post · 9 hours ago    


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    Marty Trued ·  Top commenter · Works at Progress Temporary Services
    The party's over. Move back in with your rich Liberal parents. Reply · Like · Follow post · 9 hours ago    


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    Don Williams ·  ·  Top commenter
    I guess all the gals there turned him down, so it's party over. Reply · Like · Follow post · 8 hours ago    

 

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This is no come back daily,

Submitted by lizsavage on

This is no come back daily, many of us LIVE here now. I am not writing this as a mod, but as a Occupier. I just did an interview with KPFK on this very subject. I suggest you listen to what I said. It will be on at 8am tomorrow, on KPFK 90.7 locally and will be found on the web at www.uprising.org at 10 am.

I personally spoke to the LAPD last night and they said they are still behind us. I don't believe we are under any danger of a raid, or anything at this point.

The fear mongering has to stop, it is not good for the movement. Positivity please. We have a lot of wonderful things going on here. Its time for more people to be involved. And yelling at us during and after General Assemlby is not what I mean by being involved.

Thank you everyone for your ongoing support, we love you all!

-Liz Savage Occupying 27 days

My words represent myself and not Occupy Los Angeles. @lizsavage on Twitter

Antonio....

Submitted by knalani on

Lawns and trees dying...can't have that. People dying due to lack of health insurance, opportunities, well, that's just fine!

Hmmm, what's wrong with this picture???

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