TODOSSOMOSPUTOS () on August 03, 2012, at 12:59PM – #1

I continue to applaud the efforts of Occupy LA as they are responsible for organically changing consciousness.

Without Occupy, there wouldn't be a consciousness of the 99% vs. the 1 %, and with that, more people than ever are aware of their money and how they can prevent that money from being wrenched away by the 1% (often under the guise of corporations).

I'm not sorry if and when political activism makes something like an Art Walk bar crawl less "family" and Disney and pleasant and I regret hearing any kind of apology being made about using Art Walk to continue to make people aware of economic and social injustice, particularly in a disputed territory like Downtown Los Angeles.

May this only inspire more people to take the initiative.

zeMinimalist () on August 03, 2012, at 01:02PM – #2

The self proclaimed representative of the 99% seems to have an all-time low approval rating. Like a politician, they might want to reconsider their agenda and listen to what the people want. For starters, become a respectable group, not a group of punks looking for a fight with police to video tape and then post on the internet. The Tea Party, love them or hate them, got organized and got their people elected. All Occupy LA has to show for themselves is apologizing to the community, police arresting them, a free place to live though leaving it a wreck and having the 99% pay to fix it, waking the 99% up in the middle of the night with yelling and drums, blocking roads so the 99% are delayed, and last buy not least, 15 minutes of fame. From what I gather, they've done more harm to their message than good. They've taken the attention off the political goals and thrusted it upon themselves. Mission Failed.

robotson () on August 03, 2012, at 01:32PM – #3

I guess it IS naive to think that the LAPD wouldn't over-react to something as simple as washable chalk (in the rain.)

First they came for the chalktivists, but i didn't say anything, because i didn't care about chalk...

deepstructure () on August 03, 2012, at 02:13PM – #4

@robotson - for me, it's comments like yours that do a disservice to the conversation and reflect the oversimplification (on both sides) of the issues.

I was not at ChalkWalk and can't speak to the veracity of what may or not happened there, but here's someone who was who I believe represents a sympathetic voice but isn't convinced the fault was simply with an over-zealous police force:

If you were there and could explain your view in such clear and non-overly biased commentary you might also make a useful contribution to the ongoing discussion.

A B on August 03, 2012, at 03:06PM – #5

Occupy=Failure

Deal4 () on August 03, 2012, at 07:21PM – #6

Are Chalkwalk and Occupy the same people? What is the relation? From what I'm reading Chalkwalk has a central leader. Do they or can they speak for or better control the actions of Occupy? From what I heard and saw plus TODOSSOMOSPUTOS post, their goal last Artwalk was not chalking but disruption. Occupy wanted the escalation. I was glad the LAPD was there or it would have been a madhouse.

Deal4 () on August 03, 2012, at 07:34PM – #7

TODOSSOMOSPUTOS. I don't think you give the people downtown enough credit. We know about economic disparity. I do want to ask you why Artwalk and not Staples Center or Beverly Center or even Hollywood? I'm guessing its because we let you get away with it and the other venues won't. I find it cowardice to chose Artwalk. Make a real stand were the actual Money is, not were people live paycheck to paycheck.

Joe29 on August 03, 2012, at 08:41PM – #8

Occupy L.A, is a big joke in search of a purpose. The fact is that Occupy L.A. has worn out its welcome and many people wish that they would just go away. Because the Occupy "movement" is now so unpopular, the only way they can get any serious attention these days is to hijack the very popular Art Walk. Occupy L.A. is a menace to residents, artists, farmers markets, and the small businesses of downtown L.A. Their intent is to drive away residents and small businesses from downtown L.A. in the name of fighting gentrification.

If the Occupy "movement" crashes the next schedule Art Walk and ruins this community event, then people will become outright livid with these anarchist.

A B on August 03, 2012, at 09:48PM – #9

Well said, Joe29!

TODOSSOMOSPUTOS () on August 04, 2012, at 01:39AM – #10

It's always amusing when people try to conceal their intimidation of activism and activists and only serve to reinforce the rhetoric of the State and of real estate developers.

LAofAnaheim on August 04, 2012, at 10:43AM – #11

Don't know what you're getting at TODOSSOMOSPUTOS, but if you're saying something negative about real estate developers in downtown....what was downtown like 10 years ago without them? It was more enjoyable as a homeless encampment? Downtown is thriving and yes, thanks to real estate developers, who have given us jobs, retail and restaurants. #occupy has done nothing for LA except cost taxpayers $4.3 million. Real estate developers have turned around the grit of Main, Spring and Broadway and become the "Old Bank District" a thriving 24/7 district for LA residents.

occupy has no vision. If you want to learn from effective organizing and winning battles, follow the methodologies of the Tea Party. I absolutely hate the Tea Party, but at least they win it at the ballot boxes and not insinuate riots.

Now, can we get #occupy to get the heck off of 6th and Hope? This is getting ridiculous.

Katherine McNenny on August 04, 2012, at 11:56AM – #12

This is not completely on topic to this post (apologies), but I have been reading a lot of complaints about public urination/defecation @ the Farmer’s Market @ Pershing Square- and of course we have ongoing issues with this in Skid Row. Some facts and figures are in order here to put this concern into context.

15 “APTs” or public toilets are stationed all over Greater LA. CBS/DECAUX (who owns them) does a monthly report on the number of flushes at each one/per month- I asked for the report. The Pershing Square APT is by FAR the most used of all of them.

There are aprox. 3,000 homeless people (according to my research) in DT who do not have permanent supportive housing. This means they are either sleeping on the streets or in a temporary shelter like a Mission which they must vacate during the day. Many come to Pershing Square to rest and sit down because of the lack of outdoor benches in Skid Row. The benches in the (2) Skid Row parks are often full, and they are essentially the only seating options, save for (2) @ bus stops on Central & 7th. Sitting or lying on the sidewalks in Skid Row exposes them to the possibility of being asked to move by law enforcement.

This population needs more access to public toilets, and I personally think more seating options in Skid Row, which is close to where they eat- many are physically disabled and elderly and have difficulty with mobility. The only solution I see is getting more APTs. Maybe Pershing Square needs (2) or (3) APTs.

The downtown community would be well served to begin seriously looking into these issues and then crafting real solutions to these difficult problems.

Jony Edwards on August 04, 2012, at 09:19PM – #13

At Pershing Square, on Wednesday, when we operate a farmers' market, the problem is greater than the one you describe, Katherine. You describe the people causing problems for our farmers' market "homeless". When i talk to them, they say they are members of Occupy L.A., are very brilliant and have homes to go to. They display "Occupy" signs and they discuss Occupy business, as well. Based on this, I take it that they are Occupy members/supporters.

Obviously, homeless people do spend much of the day in Pershing Square and some admit to being Occupy supporters/sympathisers/members. But they usually sit apart from the section occupied by the Occupy members, which is in very close proximity to fresh produce and freshly prepared food and drinks served at the farmers' market.

The occupy people regularly fight among themselves, last week it was over a bottle of alcohol. They have a pit bull with them that they let off its leash to run around the market, terrorizing vendors and patrons alike. And, it's a health violation, one that we will be punished for, if a dog is within 20'feet of a farmers' market.

Last week, an Occupy member walked though the market smoking. What did he do when our manager asked him to extinguish his cigarette? He spat at her and at her assistant. We have had a female vendor accosted. We have had them push drugs on our vendors.

The area where the Occupy members sleep, sit, make out, plan strategies, shoot up, drink alcohol, urinate, defecate, fight, etc., stinks to high heaven. The area is infested with fleas and flies, that 's why we had to reconfigure the market - it was becoming a health hazard.

The self proclaimed Occupy members are destroying the farmers' market in Pershing Square. They apologized for their behavior during the recent Art Walk and vowed not to return. I don't need an apology. I just want them to acknowledge the economic damage they are doing to small farmers and other small vendors and move away from the area where we have offiial permission to organize and operate a farmers' market.

The homeless is another matter. We donate food to different organizations and I am open to seeing what more we can do to help their plight. But, surely, any reasonable person can see it's wrong to allow these awful, disgusting conditions to exist adjacent to a farmers' market. Bring in more APT's, but it won't change one bit the disruptive behavior visited on our market every week. And if these conditions exist for much longer, Katherine, soon there won't be a farmers' market. I really appreciate you giving thought to our problem in your post. Thank you.

Pershing was a square on August 05, 2012, at 08:38AM – #14

Actually that pit bull was taken by animal control last week after it attacked two small dogs on Hill St. Saw the whole thing. The pit attacked the first dog, had it in its jaws and wouldn't let go. Eventually they get it off. The police come, and then the pit attacks a second dog that was walking by. I've seen the owner with the occupy group in pershing square and also panhandling.

Occupy is nothing but a bunch of carpetbagging barnacles stuck to downtown looking for a cause. They don't understand downtown, they only contribute in a negative way, they are purposeless freeloaders. These losers couldn't be farther from the original idea born in Zuccotti park, which I originally supported entirely. But the further Occupy LA gets away from banks and the financial system and the more they simply create chaos and plague local businesses and residents, the more under the rug they sweep themselves.

A B on August 05, 2012, at 08:43AM – #15

Chalk Walk Organizers Call for a Day of Action for Rights and Against State Violence

LOS ANGELES – Wednesday night, at Occupy Los Angeles’ General Assembly, participants came to consensus to call a global day of action and solidarity, on August 9, 2012, to assert Freedom of Speech, Assembly, and Association and to celebrate the Human Spirit with Chalk.

This is the same day as Artwalk, per their website.

Joe29 on August 06, 2012, at 08:54AM – #16

August 9, 2012.

This will be the day when Occupy L.A. loses ALL support when they hijack the Art Walk again. If this happens, then the organizers of Occupy should be sued in civil court for monetary damages and an injunction and lets see what they say then...

A B on August 06, 2012, at 01:30PM – #17

Can Occupy be any more stupid and selfish?

Really, you morons are going to come back?

I guess the "apology" was B.S.

zeMinimalist () on August 06, 2012, at 03:27PM – #18

Occupy LA has done enough damage to our community, they are definitely not welcome.

Morthos on August 06, 2012, at 10:11PM – #19

Members of Occupy LA: You are not welcome here anymore. Previous supporters of your little group of face painted, drum banging and sign waving morons no longer support you. Do not expect a warm welcome, you will not receive it, and if anything happens like last time, then you must also be fully aware and able to deal with the consequences.

-Morthos, a member of the 99% who used to support you guys but now loathes you with an unholy passion...