‘No Kings’ Day ends in police violence — AGAIN
Protesters shouted, “medic, we need a medic,” as they formed a circle around a person sprawled out on the street after being hit by a Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) squad car. Others screamed at night when mounted police arrived, swinging bokkens at people’s heads.
“This happens at all the big protests here in L.A. since June, since the raids began,” said a protester named Kuali, who omitted their last name for safety reasons. “They bring the violence to us; we’re just peacefully protesting.”
After the Oct. 18 “No Kings” protest at the L.A. City Hall, people walked to the Metropolitan Detention Center, a migrant holding facility, where the LAPD hit a person with a vehicle, assaulted journalists and kenneled protesters.
The Corsair emailed the LAPD about the second “No Kings” protest, but at the time of publication, the department had not responded.
A large group of around 150 people walked toward the ICE Out of L.A. protest encampment at the detention center after the “No Kings” protest, as has become the norm after major demonstrations downtown.
However, on Oct. 18, the LAPD established its command post for the protest at the detention center, despite headquarters being across the street from City Hall. Police closed the block and established a skirmish line at the corner of North Alameda and East Aliso streets.
Musicians, a small army of women in clown costumes and individuals in inflatable animal suits helped keep the crowd peaceful. People danced, chanted and waved their signs for hours. But tension rose after an LAPD squad car drove into the crowd and hit a protester while trying to reach the command post, despite there being an entrance on Temple Street.
“He hopped out, threatened to run us over, and we didn’t like that,” said Ellie, who omitted their last name for safety reasons. “We surrounded the car. I was waving my flag, and he pointed at me and just pressed the gas and hit me straight on.”
Ellie fell to the street, motionless and surrounded by panicked faces shouting for a medic. Most protesters and journalists dove to avoid the car that parted the sea of people. But a few individuals hit the vehicle, threw water bottles and a man struck the window with a flagpole.
The injured protester went to the emergency room but later returned, only for authorities to shoot them with kinetic projectiles.
After multiple back-and-forths of flashlight tag with protesters, the police ordered the crowd to disperse at 6:55 p.m. According to the LAPD Central Division X account, the officer gave the dispersal order because protesters used lasers and industrial-sized flashing lights on officers and the pilot of a police helicopter.
Protesters organized a plan to meet at Olvera Street after officers issued the dispersal order, but few left. As people made plans, an out-of-breath man sprinted down East Aliso Street around 7:25 p.m. to warn everyone that mounted police were inbound.
The mounted unit pushed people off North Los Angeles Street and waited at the East Aliso Street intersection to move. At 7:34 p.m., an officer fired a kinetic projectile into the crowd and another at a woman from point-blank range.
“Move,” an officer shouted, as mounted police armed with bokkens, a Japanese wooden sword, galloped toward the crowd.
Protesters started screaming, “You’re hitting people in the head” and “You’re hitting the horses,” as police separated the crowd into two groups. One cluster ran down East Commercial Street into a kettle — a police tactic where they corral people to arrest them — and the other half went toward Union Station on North Alameda Street.
“Press, do not obstruct us. You must move forward,” an officer said through a bullhorn as the police line marched down Commercial Street.
Protesters tried to walk away, but police shot them in the back with kinetic projectiles. The mounted unit charged those who walked backward, striking people as they retreated. Those who couldn’t keep up were trampled.
At 7:40 p.m., police instructed the press to move behind the skirmish line and stand behind several parked armored vehicles while officers closed the kettle.
The LAPD didn’t kettle the protesters who ran toward Union Station, but mounted police and armored vehicles carrying officers with less-lethal munitions still followed. Police littered the street with numerous less-lethal rounds as people hid behind utility boxes, dumpsters and traffic.
William Gude, known on social media as Film the Police LA, recorded an officer directing a subordinate to shoot L.A. Taco reporter Lexis-Olivier Ray with a kinetic projectile at a close distance.
Gude shouted, “That’s press, you’re shooting the press. That’s all press right there. They are exempt from dispersal orders,” as per U.S. District Court Judge Hernan Vera’s preliminary injunction.
An officer directed Gude to get on the side through a blowhorn and said, “You have been warned.” Then another officer accused Ray, who had his credentials visible and wore an L.A. Taco shirt with press labeled on it, of being a fake journalist.
Officers moved the crowd with kinetic projectiles, and people cowered. “I went to Afghanistan. I know what combat is like. This is not safe for civilians,” said Steve, a veteran and protester who omitted his last name for his safety. The LAPD shot him four times on Saturday.
Steve said, “Unarmed civilians should not be targeted in this manner. This is an excessive use of force that any military or police law enforcement protocol should not be upheld by, and should also not be accepted by the mayor.”
The LAPD stopped at the intersection of East Cesar Chavez Avenue and North Alameda Street and faced off with protesters one final time before returning to the detention center. Some protesters followed, raising their middle fingers and cursing at police. They walked until realizing they had been kettled, then jumped a railing onto the freeway ramp.
Officers arrested six people and lined them up against the detention center. Protesters stood with their heads resting against the wall, hands cuffed behind their backs, and silent as police searched and loaded them into a small white van. The LAPD made nine confirmed arrests, but countless others were apprehended.
At 10:30 p.m., most of the street had cleared, leaving behind only trash, the command post and scattered horse manure. A protester required stitches on their head after being hit with a bokken, and multiple journalists suffered injuries and had their protective equipment damaged.
Avocado Heights Vaquer@s, a coalition of equestrians, released a statement on Monday, Oct. 18, condemning the LAPD for “the deliberate deployment of horses against peaceful, unarmed civilians.”
The statement said, “It sends a chilling message about the lengths to which authorities will go to silence peaceful assembly,” and they called for the city, its officers and the equestrian professionals in law enforcement to prohibit the use of mounted units for crowd control.
Officers often use tear gas for crowd control during protests, but they didn’t on Oct. 18. Still, the painful screams from protesters, police misconduct and fear in the air were reminiscent of June’s “No Kings” protest.
According to the L.A. Press Club Press Rights Chair, Adam Rose, the LAPD had five weeks to address their training and discipline officers who violated protocol. But he still received around 15 cases of officers violating state law, department policy and the judge’s preliminary injunction on Saturday — some officers even mocked the judge.
Rose said the issue lies beyond the officer’s gross misconduct; the blame belongs to Mayor Karen Bass. “She’s been the mayor for a couple of years. She appointed the Chief of Police; it’s her police commission,” he said. “It’s her department, it’s her responsibility.”
Mayor Karen Bass held a press conference and issued a statement calling for an investigation into Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s alleged abuse of migrants and U.S. citizens on Monday, Oct. 20, where she denounced the federal agents, but omitted the LAPD’s role in suppressing dissent and the police’s conduct towards the press.
“I was born in Los Angeles. This has been my home for many years and it’s sad to see LAPD act the way it does,” said Rose. “This is not every officer and I feel bad for the officers who do want to make it a better city, who are trying hard, and to have their badge tarnished by bad actors — I would feel failed by the command staff, by the leadership of the city. I would say, why can’t we get rid of these knuckleheads who shouldn’t be on the force?”