U.S.
Los Angeles Art Walk Protest Ends In LAPD Standoff, Arrests, Rubber Bullets
Los Angeles' monthly Art Walk cultural event ended with an intense standoff between some participants and the LAPD, as officers fired rubber bullets at those who were allegedly throwing rocks and bottles at police. The confrontation was sparked by an Occupy LA protest asserting a right to chalk.
4:24 EST Update: LA Times is reporting 16 arrests and two LAPD injuries. Unconfirmed reports of two rubber bullet injuries sustained by bystanders. *Scroll down for photos*
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The Downtown Art Walk
- The Downtown Art Walk is a monthly cultural event in LA, which bills itself as a "free, self-guided, public art phenomenon." Galleries, restaurants, bars, and businesses open their doors to members of the public on the second Thursday of each month.
Downtown Art Walk | Downtown Los Angeles Art WalkThe free, self-guided, public art phenomenon known as The Downtown Art Walk brings together art lovers and community friends to the ever ...
Occupy LA Launches Chalk Walk Protest
- According to a release from Occupy LA, there have been "12 LAPD arrests of Occupiers for water-soluble chalking on the public sidewalks in the last month." Occupy LA argued that they were unfairly and unlawfully targeted, and that the Art Walk would be a good opportunity to actively assert that chalking is a constitutionally permitted activity.
It's not too late to come out to our first ever Chalk Walk! We will be handing out free chalk for free speech!-GR http://pic.twitter.com/2729zU8s- Occupy LA activist Richard Florence created the Facebook group below, which called on its members to "CHALK IT OUT ALL OVER ARTWALK LETTING PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE DANGERS OF CHALKING."
- CHALK WALK + GET OUT OF JAIL | FacebookSign Up Facebook helps you connect and share with the people in your life.
The Chalk
- Photo via @RyanWDrums:
- Photo via @JamezeH:
The Standoff Begins
- The first sign of trouble began at around 8pm PST:
LAPD and Occupy LA are about to go at it over chalking up the sidewalk http://pic.twitter.com/P8aR4AT1- By 9pm, police lines had been deployed:
- Photo via @amberjamie99pct:
