[Pedro56]

Investigations Launched into Officers' Conduct During LA Rally

LOS ANGELES, CA (AP) -- Investigators will review hundreds of hours of video of an immigration rally where police clashed with the crowd, wielding batons and firing rubber bullets to break up the demonstration, the police chief said.

Chief William J. Bratton said in an appearance on CBS's ''Early Show'' that he was ''not happy'' when he watched videotape of the events at MacArthur Park late Tuesday, when officers fired 240 nonlethal rounds to clear demonstrators.

He said police and news media video would aid investigations into whether the officers' tactics were appropriate.

''We have to really try to determine exactly what happened. We're fortunate in this instance that we have a lot of video to look at,'' Bratton said. ''We have literally hundreds of hours of video to review to make our decisions.''

News images showed police hitting a television cameraman to the ground, shoving people who were walking away from officers and injuries from the rubber bullets.

Rally organizers denounced the police action as brutal.

''They were pushing children, elderly, mothers with their babies and beating up on the media'' said Angela Sanbrano, an organizer.

The clashes started around 6 p.m. Tuesday, when police tried to disperse demonstrators who moved into a street, according to rally organizers and reporters.
Authorities said several people threw rocks and bottles at officers, who used batons to push the crowd back to the sidewalk and then cleared the park.

A police order to disperse was in English and from a police helicopter, a likely ineffective tactic because of the noise and because many at the protest were Spanish-speakers, Bratton said at a news conference Wednesday.

Bratton said police were initially trying to deal with 50 to 100 ''agitators.''

''The individuals were there to provoke police,'' Bratton said.

''Unfortunately, they got what they came for.''

Police union leaders urged against a ''rush to judgment.''

''Our officers gave a legal dispersal order and were met with violence. In the coming days it will become clear what transpired,'' said Los Angeles Police Protective League President Bob Baker in a statement.

Seven officers suffered minor injuries, and another was pushed off his motorcycle, Bratton said. About 10 other people were treated for minor injuries, though authorities expected the number to rise.

The investigations already under way include an overall departmental review of tactics, an internal affairs investigation into the behavior of the officers and commanders on the scene, and an independent review by the Inspector General, the investigative arm of the Police Commission, which sets policy for the Police Department.

John Mack, president of the five-member Police Commission, said he was ''deeply disturbed and very disappointed'' by the news images.

''This was not a pretty picture. This incident raises serious concern regarding the use of force by some individual officers,'' said Mack, who is one of Bratton's bosses.

Democratic Assembly Speaker Fabian NuInez, who represents the park district, also asked Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley to launch an independent investigation into the officers' actions.

He said police deliberately led troublemakers back to the peaceful marchers before beginning their assault.

''The only logical conclusion I can come to is that somebody wanted it to bleed into the march so that they can do some target practice on some of the immigrants that were marching,'' Nunez said.

News organizations also condemned the Police Department for its use of batons and riot guns against members of the media.

''We are sorry for what happened to our employees and find it unacceptable that they would be abused in that way when they were doing their job,'' said Alfredo Richard, spokesman for the Spanish-language network Telemundo, whose anchor and reporter were hurt.

Bratton promised to investigate the treatment of reporters.

''I'm not seeking to defend it at all,'' he told the ``Early Show.'' ''That's why we're having investigations.''

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

[Piggybank Cop]

Next riot send the brass.

[Pedro56]

The best was I was just watching the news and they said part of the problem was that they issued the orders in English only, I speak Spanish, I don't use it, you don't understand me to friggin bad. This is the United States of America, not Mexico, not France, not China, not Germany, not Afghanistan, Poland, I speak English, why the same reasons all these assholes that come here only speak their language....it happens to be their home country's national language right?

[Star Man]

Originally Posted by Pedro56

The best was I was just watching the news and they said part of the problem was that they issued the orders in English only, I speak Spanish, I don't use it, you don't understand me to friggin bad. This is the United States of America, not Mexico, not France, not China, not Germany, not Afghanistan, Poland, I speak English, why the same reasons all these assholes that come here only speak their language....it happens to be their home country's national language right?

I was going to bring up the same point.

[countybear]

Am I the only person in America who finds this situation utterly pathetic?

Only in this country can you be so bold in violating federal law, that you can openly demonstrate (en masse) that:

1. You are breaking a federal law, and
2. you don't care who knows that you are breaking it, and
3. you aren't even a citizen of this country, yet you assume that you have a God-given right to openly break the laws of the land and then demonstrate violently that no one is kissing your ass for doing it.

I consider America's illegal immigration problem perhaps somewhat differently than some do...

America is my home. If you are an American citizen, then we are family. The American family resides in this home. We were either born into this family (native birth), or we were adopted into this family by processes called naturalization. It is OK to be proud to be part of this family. There is a process by which you can come here and work, its called obtaining a work visa. I pay rent (taxes) and obey the law in order to stay here in this home and not get thrown in jail. Others like me (members of the American family) do the same. We are the legacy of our forefathers, who built this home, and bled to keep it ours. Over the past years, there have been some folks who have taken up residence in our home without invitation. They do not help pay the rent (taxes), and they broke the law to get here anyway, but they have assumed that we (the American family) must accept them into our home, and demand that we also change the rules of this home to accomodate them. They openly (and now, violently) protest that we have not freely accepted them, and expect that we will sit idly by and be understanding about it.

I am sorry... I don't use them as cheap labor, I don't need their (oh, so valuable) votes, and I consider them CRIMINALS because they broke the God damned law to get here in the first place.

How is it that this nation's government has become so pacified and impotent, that it cannot eject or otherwise regulate such rampant and outright trampling of it's most basic statutes?

Easy, political ambition. Whoever champions and legitimizes these people, wins elections and thus, control of the country. That, my dear citizens, is tantamount to telling you, the American family, that your rights do not matter anymore. I dare you, citizens, and members of the American family, to openly and publicly violate federal law, and see how long you maintain your freedom.

You know, if my brother-in-law were to show up at my doorstep one day with his luggage, demanding that I let him sleep in my bedroom, pee in my shower, and run around in his boxers in front of my kids, I'd kick his ass until his nose bled.

United States Department of (IN)Justice, United States Department of Homeland (IN)Security, its time that you did your jobs.

Its also time to get real American voters off of their lazy asses, to clean out the halls of Congress, and take America back for the citizens of this nation, and away from the political machine.

This is ridiculous beyond imagination...

[Pedro56]

CB I feel the same way. I think ICE should round everyone up at them rallys and check status, whomever is illegal goes, citizens stay.