Hundreds gather for civil rights protest at City Hall led by Bus Riders Union
Michael Katz / KPCC
A banner with Obama's face on it stood at the top of stairs.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Behind loud drums, giant signs and chants, hundreds of people gathered Wednesday in front of City Hall in an effort to get President Obama’s attention regarding so-called “racist” tactics by Los Angeles Metro.
Sunyoung Yang, the lead organizer for the Bus Riders Union, said that the MTA has violated Los Angelinos’ civil rights by cutting off one-million hours worth of transportation in the city.
“After a federal investigation last year … there was major evidence that there was civil rights regulations being broken when they [cut bus services],” Yang said. “We’re talking about the mobility needs of the poorest of the poor.”
Yang said that the cuts directly affect minorities and consequently constitute as civil rights violations. Though she said the MTA has increased its budget recently, the money goes towards projects that profit large-scale projects.
“Over 90 percent of the people who use the bus … are actually African-American, Latinos, [Asian and Pacific Islander] and, you know, overwhelmingly poor,” Yang explained. “MT has systematically cut services … despite the fact their budget has grown by 60%.”
Protestors were gathered to kick-off their campaign to get President Obama to consider taking action to ensure that the situation gets remedied. Among the groups in attendance were Gender Justice LA, Vote for Equality and the SEIU United Long Term Care Workers, according to the Bus Rider Union's press release.
Yang believes Los Angeles is the perfect place to start, because of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s relationship with the president.
“We need to get … Mayor Villaraigosa … to take a stand and say, 'I’m not going to stand for MTA’s continual pro-corporate, pro-gentrification,'” Yang said. “That leaves masses of bus riders stranded.”
Yang believes that as L.A. goes, so goes the U.S.A.
“If we can win a civil rights intervention here, it sets the precedent,” Yang said. “L.A. is just the a test case, but it’s happening all over the country.”
Yang and her fellow protestors believe that the 1964 Civil Rights Act make it illegal for a service like MTA to be “discriminatory” with its money, even if it is not intended to be so.
“Part of the reason we’re raising this as a national campaign is that it’s trying to raise the debate around who is really enforcing civil rights in this country,” Yang said. “The federal government can and the individuals can’t?”
Los Angeles Metro was not available for comment at the time of this story’s publication.
Downtowner on July 25, 2012, at 06:47PM – #1
"Metropolitan Transportation Authority" on first reference, "MTA" thereafter... but not "Los Angeles Metro."
Also, the MTA is a "federal company"?
zeMinimalist (@zeMinimalist) on July 25, 2012, at 08:26PM – #2
I'm really confused by what they're even protesting. If the poor feel entitled to live in sprawling suburbs and still receive inefficient bus routes through these areas, they've got another thing coming for them. This group of protesters are basically admitting incompetence by playing the over-used race card. It has nothing to do with race, maybe income, but nothing to do with race. That being said, transit ridership is up in LA, bus hours aren't important, it's focusing on the access to efficient and frequent public transit by more people. This just seems like some bus drivers are upset because Metro made their system more efficient. That always hurts in the short term, but society as a whole saves money by being efficient and it'll clear up money elsewhere for these people to get jobs. Maybe we should all quit our jobs and farm our own land again, that way no one would have lost their job (though society would be MUCH more poor and a lot more people would starve). I think Metro is doing a great job.
Downtowner on July 26, 2012, at 08:53AM – #3
Also, you might want to fix the dek on the front-page link to this story:
"Metro has violated minorities in the area" would make more sense as "...violated minorities' rights".
Deal4 (@Deal4) on July 26, 2012, at 10:41AM – #4
I’m confused with this article. Are they saying riding the bus is a civil right? Or are they saying that the money going toward future projects is the problem? I would think that the budget increase that the MTA has is from the new Metro lines they are adding. If that’s the case then the funds are going toward projects that would benefit all. But I don’t know the facts of it all. Does anyone have any more info on this?
LAofAnaheim on July 26, 2012, at 02:53PM – #5
Yeah, because those poor people on the Expo corridor in South LA are so pissed that the train gets them into downtown LA much faster than the 33, 37, 38 or 733. Seriously, I've talked to many riders on the Expo Line (those who appear "economically disadvantaged" and nearly all of them love the Expo Line because it has cut down their trip time between destinations). The BRU doesn't really speak for anybody than the far out yonder bus rider who lives in the boonies. If you live off a major corridor, you still have good bus service; or the same as pre-2005.