Two separate protests against police violence against Black people took place in West Hollywood tonight — one featuring a peaceful procession of people and cars from De Longpre Avenue down La Cienega and onto Santa Monica Boulevard with no police in sight, and the other a protest on Sunset Boulevard in which helmeted Sheriff’s deputies were videoed shooting protestors with rubber bullets and apparently assaulting one with a plastic riot shield.
Both protests were in response to a decision Thursday by a grand jury in Louisville, Ky., to not prosecute a police officer who shot and killed Breonna Taylor. Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, was shot and killed on March 13 by the officer during a botched raid on her apartment. The officers burst into her apartment in search of a man — someone Taylor had once dated — who they thought had been involved in an illegal drug deal. Hearing the break-in, Taylor’s boyfriend fired his gun, which led to the officers firing theirs and killing Taylor.
More than 100 people gathered on De Longpre Avenue behind Hart Park tonight to begin a march protesting police violence against Black people. The protestors marched from De Longpre to Fountain, where they headed west to La Cienega. They then headed south to Santa Monica Boulevard, where they turned west to march to the intersection with San Vicente. No law enforcement officers were present.
The march included dozens of cars and pickup trucks, which one of the organizers said were intended to protect those who were protesting on foot. In explaining that protection, one speaker called out the incident on Thursday in which the driver of a pickup truck drove into a similar protest on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, seriously injuring one of the protesters.
The protesters tonight repeatedly demanded “justice for Breonna” and chanted that “Black lives matter.”. However, this protest wasn’t organized by the official Black Lives Matter group. One of the organizers, who declined to give her name, said there were five individuals representing different groups who cooperated in organizing the protest.
The protestors were for the most part young men and women, and of a variety of ethnicities. And they wore face coverings. Like the similar protest that took place on Sept. 19 at the intersection of Santa Monica and San Vicente boulevards, this one not only featured a number of rhythmic chants denouncing the police but also included a little music from the DJ in the lead pickup truck.
When they arrived at the intersection of Santa Monica and San Vicente boulevards, there were dozens of sheriff’s deputies standing across San Vicente near the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station. They were wearing helmets and carrying riot shields and backed up by military-looking vehicles. Deputies lined the westbound lanes of Santa Monica Boulevard at Robertson to keep the march from proceeding there.
The protest on Sunset Boulevard apparently began at 5 p.m. in Hollywood at the intersection of Sunset and Vine Street. The West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station had announced that it was closing Sunset Boulevard to traffic beginning at 7 p.m. when the demonstrators were expected to enter WeHo.
When the marchers entered West Hollywood on Sunset they encountered Sheriff’s deputies that were helmeted and armed with so-called “non-lethal” rifles. That march ended with Sheriff’s deputies firing rubber bullets at protestors, which was depicted in several videos posted on Instagram and shown below. In one video an officer appears to be assaulting someone with a plastic riot shield. Six demonstrators including those on a pickup truck that was part of the march, were arrested by deputies.
“Several acts of vandalism took place, at which point an Unlawful Assembly was declared and an Order to Disperse was issued to the protesters,” said Sgt. Jennifer M. Roth of the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station. “After the order was given, two pickup trucks were seen driving recklessly on Sunset Boulevard with multiple subjects hanging out of the truck beds. Both vehicles then blocked traffic taking over the street on Sunset Boulevard, near San Vicente Boulevard,” Roth said.
“Deputies approached and detained approximately 10 adults. Six adults were subsequently arrested,” she said. “The charges included reckless driving, unsecured passengers in a truck bed, taking over the streets, battery on a peace officer, lynching, resisting/obstructing deputies, and failure to disperse.”
California Penal Code 405a PC defines lynching as “a person who participates in the taking by means of a riot of another person from the lawful custody of a peace officer,” according to the California State Legislature’s web site. The Sheriff’s Station is conducting a “use of force” investigation, which is typical in a situation where deputies use force.
The videos attracted thousands of views, and many comments from people criticizing the deputies for their use of weapons to stop the protest.
#US: Police in West Hollywood, California brutally beat and repress anti-police impunity protestors, pedestrians, and drag motorists out of their cars. In latest series of human rights abuses. (📹@PplsCityCouncil) #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/DBiF6fjdQV
— Anonymous (@YourAnonCentral) September 26, 2020
Well there's the attack pic.twitter.com/dcj83zu9dp
— Elon's Dad (Official) (@hungryghosts161) September 26, 2020
Clearer footage of LASD rushing protesters in WeHo tonight. LASD had issued dispersal orders before this.
You can clearly see a deputy striking a protester’s leg with his riot shield.
According to @buffalobaff, who filmed this, LASD fired on press and NLG. pic.twitter.com/QD905xR4GG
— Samuel Braslow (@SamBraslow) September 26, 2020
Antifa/blm are not interested in getting along with the Weho community. They seek chaos and destruction. Listen to their words “Burn it down”.
How is the public to know that these protests/vigils/marches/ sit-ins or call it what you like are authentic and attributed to verifiable causes/movements? Who is to know if they are not possibly Trump administration orchestrated incidents to somehow endorse his claims needing to ramp up his “Law & Order” practices? Take another look at Trump’s staged appearance, Bible in hand, across from the White House at Lafayette Parkat St. John’s. Administration officials followed him like dutiful lapdogs. Yamiche Alcindor, whose White House reporting for PBS is respected across the media board made on the scene comments revealing the facts. Footage… Read more »
Dude you watch too much MSNBC. If you saw the videos of looters cleaning out the Grove, 3rd Street in Santa Monica, and Melrose they were angry young, mostly Black men. I don’t like Trump but let’s have some perspective on things. Democrats are not always perfect. Both parties have faults. And these protesters are mostly Democrats.
agreed
Yes, I saw the videos. No, I don’t watch MSMBC. Simply making a rational observation about the demonstrations. Don’t underestimate Trump’s manipulation of what is happening where and when we least expect it. Looting while demonstrating is one thing but perpetuating incidents that support Trump’s need for Law & Order intervention is another.
At my age I am no longer marching in peaceful demonstrations for human and civil rights, etc. It too fraking dangerous and not just because of Covid vectors from violent neo-Nazis who refuse to wear masks. These violent fascist, racists are out to kill us with their cars and AK 47s so I’m going to continue to self isolate at home from now on. Those of you brave enough to risk your lives for the cause of equal justice, freedom and liberty for all, the separation of church and state, and an unbiased non ideological SCOTUS; for your own safety,… Read more »
Why do the rioters go to Weho – One of the most tolerant and accepting neighborhoods in America? Because they know the people won’t fight back.
I posted a comment last night and WeHoville has not posted it. Censorship?
Unfortunately your comment ended up in the Spam folder, for no obvious reason. I just found it and posted it
that’s what Twitter always says.
So this is censorship at its most provincial level. At least the New York Times has blatantly ignored its founders values of reporting both sides. The fact that the owner decides which comments to post? Wow! Stalin and Mao would be proud.
The New York Times, where I am proud to say I once worked, and every legitimate news organization moderates comments. WEHOville does not approve comments that include untrue statements (aka “lies”) or ad hominem attacks on other commenters. In a world increasingly dominated by “alternative facts” it is important to make sure the truth is what is reported, without fear or favor.
Why are comments that disagree with the writer being suppressed?
Every legitimate news organization moderates comments. WEHOville does not approve comments that include untrue statements (aka “lies”) or ad hominem attacks on other commenters. In a world increasingly dominated by “alternative facts” it is important to make sure the truth is what is reported, without fear or favor.
I’m really perplexed by the rage over the grand jury’s decision. What happened was awful, and I hope puts an end to no knock warrants. That said, the police were doing what they were told, and within the law. The police were shot at, one was hit, and they returned fire. A tragic outcome, and it needs to be fixed. That said, it wasn’t an assassination based on race like it is being portrayed. Focus on changing the laws rather than blaming the ones tasked with enforcing them.
agreed
I would be curious to hear how any of the commenters supporting LASD’s performance last night would defend the actions of the deputy depicted on multiple videos using his riot shield to repeatedly strike the ankles of a protestor who was already pinned to the ground.
Ok this is not a revolutionary incident.
They don’t care. Those commenters have no empathy for people.
Keep the sheriff and get rid of the two Johns.
yep
Not sure why you didn’t post my first comment. This is hardly a balanced report for those of us living in Norma. The sheriff knew through Twitter sites that there was a strong possibility of a protest by a group that wanted to damage residences in WeHo. They did their job. Thank you.
Your comment was not posted because it included false statements. This comment also makes a statement that has no evidence to support it: that a group of protestors wanted to damage homes in West Hollywood. WEHOville is not a platform for “alternative facts.”
I would say that most of the people living in the area want to be kept safe by our Sheriff and really don’t appreciate the disturbance that was created last night.
Hank-
You have set for yourself a difficult task that is too often thankless.
Thank you for holding your publication to a high standard and for always taking the time to cogently explicate your thought process when asked.
THANK YOU Sheriff for keeping us safe!
Villanueva has to go. The LASD is corrupt and has at least 1 gang in its ranks.
Interesting that the article states they were chanting “Breonna Taylor” and “black lives matter.” If you listen to the video in article you can clearly hear “burn it down” and “no good cops…” I also personally saw and heard them chanting “f*ck 12,” “f*ck the police” and “f*ck trump.”
The article also forgot to mention that “protestors” were wearing helmets, some type of body armour, and carrying their own make shift shields as well as umbrellas (assuming for all the rain???)
so you haven’t seen the hundreds of videos of police departments shooting rubber bullets and other projectiles and seriously maiming protestors for the past several months?