Wednesday, August 16th 8:30pm PST - Two police helicopters are hovering over the convergence center. 8:26pm PST - Bike cops now arriving at the convergence center. Several hundred are inside the convergence center and the attendent parking lot which is fenced in. The police have not declared why they were in the area monitoring citizen's movements on the streets, nor have the police declared why a citizen should be taken prisoner even if they had "jaywalked" which usually results in a small summary fine analagous to a parking ticket. 8:20pm PST - 80+ cops in black combat gear outside the convergence center with 30+ cop cars. 8:14pm PST - The police have drawn guns on the people that they have accused of "jaywalking." The situation is rapidly escalating. 50+ riot cops are there now surrounding the entrance to the convergence center. 8:04pm PST - Four citizens were just arrested and taken away outside the convergence center. The police have claimed that the citizens were "jaywalking." 8:03pm PST - The American Civil Liberties Union issued a press release this evening about their filing suit against the LAPD for the police targetting media at the protest on Monday evening. 7:32pm PST - 1000+ now in Pershing Square for rally with speakers. Riot cops continue to surround. 7:23pm PST - A dozen police cars full of riot cops are parked at the intersection of 18th and Flower, a half block from the Independent Media Center. 7:09pm PST - At 6:00 PM, two IMC reporters with DNC and Shadow Convention credentials were accosted shortly after leaving the IMC by 6 Secret Service officers. The secret service thought that the two reporters "matched" a description of "suspects" put out over the radio. The reporters were eventually released. 7:04pm PST - Between 600 and 1000 at Pershing Square. Police are surrounding the citizens, but there is free movement in and out of the square. 6:31pm PST - 1000+ heading north on Figueroa to Pershing Square. Police on all sides of Pershing Square, but there is still an open avenue at Hill & 5th. More heavily armored riot police arriving. Intermittant confrontations between cops and 30+ Black Bloc. 6:21pm PST - Standoff between police and citizens continues outside the "protest area." Some citizens have dispersed to the north. 6:12pm PST - "Crashing the Party" live TV satelite broadcast begins at the Independent Media Center in LA via Free Spech TV and the Deep Dish TV Network. 6:06pm PST - LAPD Police Chief has just left Olympic and Figueroa after just overseeing the beatings. 5:56pm PST - Black Bloc 200+ moving north on Figueroa from intersection of Olympic and Figueroa. 5:52pm PST - Police have announced on a loudspeaker that the citizens in the intersection constitute an "illegal assembly" and must disperse within 10 minutes or be subject to arrest. There are numerous shotgun and tear gas units in the area. Riot cops in full combat gear are in formation on two sides of the intersection. 5:50pm PST - The police have given up the intersection. Hundreds are in the intersection. 5:48pm PST - Black Bloc heading north from Olympic and Figueroa. 5:45pm PST - On the north corner of Olympic and Figueroa, a line of 10+ are blocking delegates. 5:16pm PST - Riot police are not allowing the crowd out of the "protest area." 5:08pm PST - 500+ inside "protest area" and 600+ on the outside. Police currently not attacking anyone. 4:56pm PST - Police have declared that the gathering at Olympic and Figueroa is "unlawful" and ordered all citizens to move into the "protest pit." 4:47pm PST - Police have divided the crowd of 1200+ into two groups. People are running in various directions. Numerous tear gas units are in the area. 4:46pm PST - 1200+ at Olympic and Figueroa (South-West Corner of Protest Area). Police attacking the crowd. 4:17pm PST - An airplane is writing Nader in the sky directly over the Staples Center. 4:15pm PST - Anti-Police brutality March is on the move it is about 2 blocks long and it is heading east on 8th street. 3:11pm PST - 500-1000 protesters have converged by the Parker Center at 1st and Los Angeles in solidarity with the arrested protesters inside. 3:02pm PST - City Attorney Julia Raffish has told the LAPD that they must give critical mass arrestees access to a group lawyer. An arrestee said that they were unlawfully arrested and should be released. Arrestees in the Parker Center can hear the crowd outside and have asked them to chant, "Give them a lawyer." 1:32pm PST - at 12:50pm a man in his twenties with a goatee, wearing camouflage was eating crackers in the McArthur/Westlake Underground Metro station. He was approached by about 5 police officers. They proceeded to search him and his bag, and he was handcuffed and taken away. During the course of this event more than 15 police officers (about 10 in riot gear) surrounded him, blocking the public view. Two officers also blocked off the stairway in an attempt to keep anyone from witnessing the event. I was moved out, but managed to witness the event. 12:38pm PST - One legal observer reported 26 people being detained at Rampart station. 12:02pm PST - 40-60 on the steps blocking the entrance. Several hundred nearby. Situation seems calm. 11:49am PST - 15-20 marchers are entering Rampart station and are being arrested. 11:47am PST - Police are Videotaping those planning civil Disobediance. 11:44am PST - The march has divided at Rampart station between people doing civil disobediance and those not participating in it. 11:33am PST - March has arrived at the Rampart station going west on Temple. 50 police are following march and around 100 riot police are stationed in a nearby alleyway. 11:29am PST - Police Brutality March approaching Rampart station. 11:10am PST - Arraignment for Critical Mass bikers has begun at 450 Bauchet St. (That's near Vignes st, behind Union Station.) 10:55am PST - End of the march has just left Macarthur Park, Heading west on 6th. The march size is between 500-1000 and swelling. 10:48am PST - Our IMC contact who was arrested yesterday has posted bail and
is currently out of jail. He says that he was isolated from the others arrested at the Animal Rights Action and put in solitary. He is currently safe and is now working on helping out the 60+ arrested in the Critical Mass ride. Bails for Critical Mass riders range from $500 to $2500. 10:46am PST - 150-200 people at Macarthur Park. The situation is calm with an average police presence. 10:36am PST - One Critical Mass rider was charged with "reckless driving" with a $2,500 bail set.
Tuesday 10:03pm PST - An IMC volunteer was arrested today, and is facing a $1000 bail. The legal team is working on the situation and more information will come forward. 9:31pm PST - 75 riot cops and 50+ observers in a standoff at 18th and Flower as last of bicyclists are being taken away in three school buses. 9:06pm PST - Police are bringing in arrest buses to take away bicyclists still up against the fence at 18th and Flower. 8:49pm PST - Unknown number of protestors moving south at 3rd and Main. Police responding. 8:39pm PST - starting at around 5:45pm the Critical Mass bike ride started with around 200-300 bicyclists. They were persued by around 50 police on bikes, and several police cars. After about 45 minutes the police surrounded the riders in two different locations. At least 50 riders are now in custody. Eye witnesses say that one bicyclist was knocked off her bike by police during the ride. 8:28pm PST - at 7:57 IMC received a report that the March for Gay Rights had been encircled by police with people lying in the street tracing themselves in chaulk. 8:26pm PST - Riot cops running north to 18th and Flower. 8:25pm PST - at 7:19 IMC received a report that Police have all but five of the bikers in arrest cars. 8:24pm PST - at 6:37 IMC received a report that one of the people arrested at the Critical Mass Rally was an Associated Press reporter at the second arrest site at Hope and Pico. 8:22pm PST - la.indymedia.org is back up. 5:25pm PST - The well-publicized Critical Mass bicycle parade is about to begin at 5th and Flower, with 100 participants. 5:22pm PST - Amidst a heavy police presence 'Black Bloc' black-clothed protesters are moving south on Figueroa toward the Staples Center 4:57pm PST - Of the 43 arrestees (arrested at 3:20pm) , men are being sent to the Harper Center and Women are being taken to 77th and Broadway. All arrestees are being charged with "Conspiracy to commit vandalism". National Lawyers Guild confirmed an arrested Observer. 4:52pm PST - 43 people had been arrested at the animal rights protests at 7th and Grand. One legal observer had been arrested there. 4:29pm PST - 500 to 1000 people at SEIU march, marching west on ninth. The mood at the march is jubilant. 3:59pm PST - Mass arrests at 1st and Wilshire 3:34pm PST - At 7th & Grand, police have issued orders to disperse. Protesters have left the street. 3:31pm PST - The protest at 7th & Grand is an animal rights protest in front of a fur shop. There are about 100 protesters in a stand off with police. 30-40 are being arrested, including a member of the National Lawyer's Guild. Police have issue 3:10pm PST - 8 members of the Black Bloc are being arrested at Wilshire & Grand. 3:09pm PST - Midnight Special Law Collective reports a mass arrest going on at Grand & 6th. 2:48pm PST - Underground metro station at Pershing Square closed down due to an investigation by the police. 2:09pm PST - Police report anarchists in yellow skirts headed southbound on Flower. 1:43pm PST - Bus Riders Union march heading towards protest pit at Staples Center. 8:44am PST - Server back online. Unfortunately, we have had outages over the past 24 hours. It is unclear at this point if the problems were due to high traffic or a malicious attack.
Monday 8:22pm PST - Riot police are refusing to let anyone out of the Staples Center. Hundreds of DNC Deligates are locked in the Convention Center. The situation is very hectic. 8:14pm PST - There are rampant reports of police abuse, pepper spray, beatings of youth at the Rage Against the Machine Concert. 8:11pm PST - Metro Vandal suspect taken into custody. 8:09pm PST - 300-1000 people (probably on the high end) in Pershing Square surrounded by police with paddy wagons. 8:04pm PST - A small portion of the crowd started throwing water bottles and other objects over the south side of the barrier closest to the Staples center, then lit small fires; this is a visual confirmation of first incident. Police countered with pepper spray. 7:58pm PST - The Ozomatli concert was shut down by police. After an order of dispersal, about 200 refused to disperse. Police stampeded a crowd on horseback firing rubber bullets provoking a stampede of the panicked crowd. 7:56pm PST - Vandalism at blue line station accross from Staples Center. Vandal's identity unknown. 7:54pm PST - Mass actions throughout area -- need more details. Three main groups: anarchists, concert goers, and non-violent protesters. Police claim initial instigation and continued problems by anarchists. Proclaimed an "unlawful assembly" by police. 7:30pm PST - Four paintball rounds were fired at a Black Bloc member at the Rage Against the Machine concert. The juvenile attempted to climb the fence to hang a flag (which he succeeded in doing). He sustained large bruises. 7:28pm PST - 3rd and Figueroa. Cuncussion grenade are launched at crowds and rubber bullets are fired. 7:28pm PST - The Shadow convention reconvenes as the IMC is still functioning. Hundreds convened in the street to stop police from shutting down Patriotic Hall including Gore Vidal. 6:52pm PST - At Patriotic Hall, the Shadow Convention has been evacuated from their first floor. They now are out in the street. (Update 8/15: Arianna Huffington reports attendees continue meeting on nearby steet, are surrounded by riot police.) 6:46pm PST - There are reports of police firing chemicals into the crowd at the protest pit listening to the RAGE concert. 6:44pm PST - One witness at the concert had an enjoyable time, he reports the crowd had smiles on their faces, and he saw no problems 6:41pm PST - There are currently County Sheriff troops in the stairwell of Patriotic Hall, IMC HQ's. They are clearing the building floor by floor. Reach your own conclusions 6:23pm PST - RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE played a free concert, the LAPD didn't like it, confiscated puppets, apparently the puppets are just now being returned. Check back for video and pictures. 6:04pm PST - The Crisis Continues: The three detainees were to be released by County officers, but LAPD, ordered them re-detained. One detainees reports, "When the satellite is shut off, this will evaporate." Eight hours from the notice, the bldg is surrounded 5:59pm PST - The LA County Police say there is a 50-50 chance of a bomb, but the same officers went into the van with no protective equipment. The building has not been evacuated, and the bomb squad has just been called. 5:54pm PST - Based on an anonymous tip given to LAPD this morning that there was a bomb in a van, at 4:30 PM, the County police detained the two owners of the van, and blocked the parking lot including the area with the satellite truck. This has eliminated our broadca 5:51pm PST - The IMC satellite broadcast has been delayed because of an LAPD claim of a bomb threat in a Westfalia in the parking lot. The police are detaining two people at this time and we are waiting for more info. The satellite truck has been evacuated. 1:21pm PST - Approximately 9 people who locked arms were arrested at 6th and Flower. The report is police placed a wedge between the main U'wa protest group which marched from Pershing Square. Approximately 100-200 people surrounded the arrestees. 12:48pm PST - la.indymedia.org now has a section for breaking news. This section will include up to the second updates of what is happening on the streets of LA.
Joe R. Golowka JoeG at ieee.org
"Candidates say "vote for me, and I will do so-and-so for you." Few believe them, but more important, a different process is unthinkable: that in their unions, political clubs, and other popular organizations people should formulate their own plans and projects and put forth candidates to represent them. Even more unthinkable is that the general public should have a voice in decisions about investment, production, the character of work, and other basic aspects of life. The minimal conditions for functioning democracy have been removed far beyond thought, a remarkable victory of the doctrinal system." -- Noam Chomsky