Los Angeles Indymedia : Activist News

For the 15th year marking International Women’s Day in Southern California, on March 8th a warm and sunny Saturday, a mixed race and enthusiastic crowd of approximately 450 women, men, quite a lot of young people, and lots of children gathered for a free concert and speakout at the MacArthur Park Band Shell in Los Angeles.

This year: IWD events internationally marked Haiti’s revolutionary legacy, and the continuing courage and resilience of its people, starting with women. From Berkeley, Boston, Claremont, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Oakland, San Francisco, Santa Cruz and Springfield (USA), Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Windsor (Canada), Guyana and elsewhere, to Dublin and London, people have gathered in solidarity with the Haitian people. Actions in Haiti and across the world marked the 10th anniversary of the coup (29 February 2004) which overthrew the government of Jean-Bertrand Aristide – former liberation theology priest and Haiti’s first democratically elected and much loved and trusted President. Also on this the first anniversary of the death of Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez, we were remembering this extraordinary leader of the Bolivarian Revolution which changed Latin America and the world.

Full Story: Rock, Rap & Speakout vs Poverty, Prisons & War By Ruth Todasco of Global Women’s Strike/LA

On March 13, 2014 a coalition consisting of the Los Angeles Community Action Network (LACAN), Occupy Venice and the Venice Justice Committee appeared before the California Coastal Commission meeting in Long Beach regarding the City of Los Angeles' Illegal curfew law enforced on Venice Beach and Boardwalk (Ocean Front Walk). Why is it an illegal curfew law? Because according to the California Constitution and the California Coastal Act, no beach can be closed without first obtaining a Coastal Development Permit (CDP) from the Coastal Commission. This is State law, which a City has to comply with. And LA has not.

Opposing this LA City beach curfew law is not a new effort. The first complaint was filed in November 2007, when the Venice Justice Committee discovered that the City had closed the beach without a CDP. They are State law breakers. Even more egregious to denying us all our right to access of the beach, the City was arresting people with this illegal law. That is why the effort to oppose this law became part of a local Homeless Bill of Rights campaign.

Full story and photographs: What's Up With the Beach Curfew? by by Peggy Lee Kennedy

The Worldwide #WaveOfAction began Friday, April 4th at former Occupy sites around the world. Citing studies that “have proven that it only takes 3.5% of the population taking nonviolent action to create meaningful and positive change,” the originators of the idea have called for a three-month cycle of action beginning, symbolically, on the date of the assassination of Martin Luther King and ending, symbolically, on July 4, 2014.

In Southern California, rallies were held in Los Angeles, Westminster, Anaheim, and San Diego. A morning march from the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce to Congressman Xavier Becerra’s preceded a vigil for the “Robin Hood tax” (H.R. 1579). People rallied at City Hall at noon in solidarity with the #WorldWideWave.

People of Westminster, CA united for an all-day rally in Freedom Park honoring the civil rights legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Free food, screen printing, pageantry, and community spirit were present long into the evening.

The Anaheim, CA Wave of Action was called to bring awareness to killer police in Orange County as well as the rising numbers of homeless on the streets of America.

In San Diego, Civic Center Plaza was re-occupied for the day with a message of “Evolve, Survive, Thrive” and “UNITE in LOVE.”

Full story and pictures: Southern California Joins Worldwide Wave Of Action by Jessica Lux

Hahamongna is a Native American village site at what's now the base of JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) and currently threatened by an overly-elaborate plan to renovate Devil's Gate Dam. This scenario involves defoliating the area. Alternative plans would spare the ecosystem; however, the more grandiose one seems to be favored because more money is involved. Those interested in a more sustainable approach to cleaning Devil's Gate Dam are encouraged to contact their city council members (if residents of Pasadena) or Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich (if residents of Los Angeles County).

The Arroyo Seco Foundation conducts regular tours, not only of Hahamongna Watershed Park (known for many years as Elk Grove Park) but the surrounding areas, identifying the many uses of local native plants. Participants of the 4th Annual Hahamongna Walkabout (and Bikeabout) learned about local Indigenous culture and got to eat pancakes made from local acorns and sample chia seeds and elderberries.

Story and photos: Report Back: 4th Annual Hahamongna Walkabout by R. Plesset

March 14, 2014: On Friday afternoons, the corner of Sunset and Echo Park is usually the site of the weekly Echo Park peace vigil (now in its 12th year). This week, however, special emphasis was placed on U.S. meddling in Venezuela and Ukraine. This author counted 25 people (though I left early). Flyers were handed out to the fairly heavy foot traffic. As has been the pattern lately at community demonstrations, a police car was present. (A demonstration against U.S.-backed instability in Venezuela has also been held in San Francisco.)

"Nobody should be fooled here, especially left forces," said John Parker of the International Action Center. "History shows you what the U.S. is about--they're not about democracy, they're about profits by any means."

Story and photos: Protest Against Latest U.S. Meddling by RP