Transgender rights advocate Annie Jump Vicente broke down in tears at the public comment podium during Monday night’s City Council meeting as she shared the heartrending details of what she claims was assault and battery at the hands of one of West Hollywood’s Block by Block security ambassadors.
“He beat the shit out of me,” Vicente told Council. “And then he had me arrested and charged with a felony. I was asked about my genitalia by the police, by the deputies. I was assigned male though my identification states I’m female. They put me with the men. Imagine what it’s like to be a trans woman incarcerated with men.”
Vicente then trashed the supposed idea that West Hollywood is a sanctuary city for trans people.
“Why would any trans person flee here for safety?” she said. “We are not safe here. You have done nothing for trans safety.”
Public commenter M.J. Hill backed up Vicente’s call for action.
“It’s difficult to know where to begin or what to say in just two minutes, given the extensive harm that’s occurring,” Hill said. “It’s clear that the Block by Block organization is causing significant, active harm, and you have been made aware of this. Similarly, the issues with the sheriffs are not new to you; you’ve likely known all along about the appalling way they treat members of your community and the egregious human rights violations that occur constantly. Yet, here we are, with the City Council sitting through presentations filled with pinkwashing, listening to discussions on matters of seemingly minor importance compared to the actions you could be taking to genuinely help members of this community. While there are efforts being made that seem to support the community, they fall short. The harm must stop, and it must stop now.”
Vicente called for the immediate end to Block by Block’s contract with the city.
“Do not risk our lives any longer,” she said. “Our deaths will be on your hands.”
@wehoonline #weho ♬ original sound – WEHOonline
Unhinged!! Unstable! Crocodile tears!
is THIS the story or is the real story the footage of her attacking the Block by Block worker? Is this is site a source for news or a community jerk off?
The video footage released tells a very different story than what AJV tearfully shared with the Council.
And we’re supposed to automatically respect this person because of the dress? Nope.
If there was ever a perfect example of the Care Act being used it is with this being. But, alas, the progressives will never impose it upon one of their own.
The City is not equipped to deal with her Mental Illness, and City Council is not a healthy public place for her to demonstrate her need.She needs help that is received in an a setting that is equipped for her instability. Her obsession of the BBB ambassadors is beyond normal healthy behavior.If she was arrested for assault, then it happened, why is not our problem to solve. If she has a penis and she is arrested she would be housed with males who have penises. Choosing and Being Trans is a privilege and that privilege of choice is removed when… Read more »
Forcing someone to get treatment for substance abuse or mental illness isn’t an option. Here’s a related article:
https://www.westsidecurrent.com/news/regional/supervisor-horvath-spearheads-move-to-delay-gravely-disabled-criteria-rollout/article_aa95635a-9f6d-11ee-82ea-7bdd005d3f3b.html
Also, I don’t know about this lady, but for many, being trans is not a choice. Unfortunately, it’s a privilege in our current society.
The choice is removed in jail that is the point when arrested you are sorted and segregated by genitalia, not by presentation or a trans identity, that privilege is removed by the crime.
Classification and housing of gay, gender non conforming, intersex and transexual inmates shall adhere to the legal settlement of Robertson, Belisle, and Rumph vs Sherman Block. 1985 This was an attempt to dehumanize someone.
She dehumanized herself by the video where she and an accomplice attacked a Block by Block ambassador and was arrested for felony assault, and then claimed she was the victim. If she feels dehumanized she can take it up with the courts, and sue for a Civil Rights Violation. Keep in mind the Video, News Coverage and claims at City Council would be used as evidence, including her past behavior of bullying people and not being accountable to acknowledge her own behavior.
Reality ✅ Trans & Non-binary people are at a substantially increased risk of rape & lethal assault in prison and in public. SB 132 or the Transgender Respect, Agency, and Dignity Act requires Incarcerated individuals who are transgender, nonbinary, or intersex, have to be housed in a correctional facility designated for men or women based on the individual’s preference ❗ PLEASE stop trying to gaslight the individual in the article, a qualified Mental Health Professional would NOT do that.
Thank you for the coverage, Brandon. For all those wondering what article I was referring to regarding Block-by-Block’s illegal activities, please read this article from 2017 published by wehoonline.com
Opinion: Have WeHo’s Block by Block Security Ambassadors Gone Rogue?
https://wehoonline.com/2017/11/10/opinion-have-wehos-block-by-block-security-ambassadors-gone-rogue/
Hope you’re doing ok Annie. Don’t mind the negative commenters, we all get them. Just the cost of having an opinion.
I want to thank the West Hollywood police department for doing their job. They don’t have to bend to a private citizen’s definition of gender to process a criminal! Get a grip!
There’s NO West Hollywood Police Department, the city of West Hollywood contracts law enforcement out to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. You should know that if you live here or ever been here. Visit West Hollywood someday ❗
SB 132 or the Transgender Respect, Agency, and Dignity Act requires Incarcerated individuals who are transgender, nonbinary, or intersex, have to be housed in a correctional facility designated for men or women based on the individual’s preference.
AJV needs help. S/he is “disturb”. At least s/he didn’t drop any F bombs this past Tuesday as s/he usually does. Despite the teary claims, who knows what actually occurred? We only have the words s/he expressed. Is there an Oscar available for her overly dramatic comments? To me, she is doing a disservice to the Trans community via her antics at City Council meetings. I only wish the best for AJV.
one hundred percent agree
This person has serious problems. It’s sad I hope they can get help. I have seen them basically strip off all their clothes at a meeting, at another they were wishing death on different council members, their mic had to be cut off and they still wouldn’t stop screaming, at the East Side National Night Out event they were convinced one man helping set up tables and chairs was an undercover cop and started screaming about it, in fact he was not an undercover cop. There are numerous trans people in West Hollywood that I know that are accepted and… Read more »
It’s really interesting how this person, white and privileged, with an education, appropriates techniques used by Black activists such as Jason Reedy and William Gude. I wonder if these techniques will be used on our West Hollywood elected officials, the same way they’re used on politicians like Kevin de Leon? Hopefully, the Public Safety Commissioners will explore what happened here, and make sure something is done.
I stopped going to City Council meetings because the atmosphere became extremely tense due to the behavior displayed by AJV during and following public comments.
This is what happens when you put incompetent people in charge of Public Safety. Seems like these subordinates are mimicking the hostility shown by Danny Rivas behind close doors.
The city does not care about their employees public safety or its residents, visitors, and businesses.
This person is both unhinged and dangerous. It’s about time that he was finally arrested. Block by Block is doing more to help clean up our streets than the police ever would.
100 percent agree
I stopped reading at “imagine being put in a jail cell with men…”, but I should have stopped when I read the word “activist.” You don’t get to pick your comfort level when arrested. And “activist” is much different now than when Act Up was around. People used to protest with a reason, not for “likes” or personal attention.