17 arrested in Chalk Walk aftermath at ArtWalk
Eric Zassenhaus / KPCC
Police line up on Spring Street where 20 were arrested Thursday. Charges ranged from vandalism to assault on an officer.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — The LAPD has changed the official count of those arrested in Thursday night's clash to 17. The number has fluctuated between 12 and 20.
Ranging in charges from vandalism to assault on an officer, the LAPD is asserting that writing with chalk on surfaces (be they sidewalks, streets, or the sides of buildings) can be considered a misdemeanor or even felony crime.
“They were vandalizing the sidewalk and privately owned buildings writing in chalk. The city attorney – this is something they prosecute. It is a misdemeanor and sometimes it can be a felony,” LAPD spokeswoman Norma Eisenman told KPCC.
Friday morning the OccupyLA Facebook page blamed police for last night's violence where officers had bottles thrown at them and some people were struck with rubber bullets.
"Let me be clear - all of this was a result of Commander Frank's poor leadership," the unnamed author at the OccupyLA Facebook page wrote. "The approximately 500 people who clashed with LAPD were private, regular Angelenos who are also sick & tired of the stupid and repressive tactics the LAPD employs every single day in the neighborhoods of LA. Not to mention the supreme stupidity of arresting anyone for using chalk on a public sidewalk."
Four officers were injured in the standoff which began as an Occupy protest at Pershing Square that moved to Spring Street where the monthly ArtWalk was taking place.
zeMinimalist (@zeMinimalist) on July 13, 2012, at 10:17AM – #1
These kids were tagging buildings, streets, with profanity and throwing glass bottles at people. There should have been more arrested and fined, even banned from similar events since they can't seem to be a part of society.
Ernie on July 13, 2012, at 02:53PM – #2
So the stoner/ idiots at Occupy LA decided to ruin LA Artwalk by leaving their protest at Pershing Square. Since nobody was paying them any attention they decided to invade Art-walk and get the attention they wanted over some stupid sidewalk chalk issue. Of course by then everyone was drunk at Art walk and started throwing bottles at the cops and writing on the streets KILL COPS (shown live on TV)...another black eye for The artwalk
hazberg (@hazberg) on July 13, 2012, at 02:53PM – #3
I further noticed a group of the OccupyLA protesters using permanent market to write all over the walls and parking lot fencing of an SB building on the corner of 6th & Spring. They are trying to become relevant again - but just made even more of Los Angeles hate them. Not surprised they STILL can't find jobs, though.
FLEA on July 13, 2012, at 04:29PM – #4
So glad I stopped having my store be open for Non-Artwalk months ago. I love downtown and am so pro anything here but this has gotten really out of hand. Feel bad not supporting this event but the people that come now do nothing but mess my store up, steel and act unorderly and disrespectful.