[Read event media coverage] [See event slideshow] [read LACAN guest blog ]

BRU Members march towards the inauguration site  view full size

Mayor Villaraigosa sits   view full size

As Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa prepared to enter his second term as Mayor of Los Angeles, the Bus Riders Union, Los Angeles Community Action Network and South Asian Network made a deliberate choice to take public our struggles with him about policing.

Full police presence  view full size

Why does LAPD consume 50% of the City's General Fund?

Throughout his first term of office, our respective organizations have had many struggles with Mayor Villaraigosa over his aggressive flagship campaign to hire 1000 more police, by any means necessary. For the last 3 years, the BRU, LACAN and SAN have worked together along with other organizations to raise a public debate. As the fiscal crisis drives deep cuts to social services, why is the Mayor expanding an oppressive police force when the police department already consumes a steady 50% of the city's General Fund?

Budget crisis triggers internal debate, backlash from Chief, Mayor

In May, this critical debate finally came to erupted in city politics when the city's own Budget Committee voted 3 to 2 vote against hiring 250 more police officers in order to keep hundreds of jobs that protect vital city services. Chief Bratton lashed back and threatened to remove police officers from the districts of councilmembers who dared to challenge the Mayor's unsustainable plan to hire more police at any cost.

Homes Not Jails! view full size

Day 1: Time to stand up for human rights

The Budget Committee eventually found money to move forward with hiring the 250 police. But we cannot allow the potential human rights violations and the fiscal and social unsustainability of this plan to go unchallenged.

On June Day 1 of the Mayor's second term, we came together to demand

• Mayor Villaraigosa, build a city on human rights
• 1000 more buses, 1000 less police
• Adopt the BRU's Clean Air and Economic Justice Plan 

Police try to curtail our rally

We arrived at 9am to set up. Our plan was to hold a vocal and visible pre-rally on the sidewalk outside the entrance to the inaugural ceremony and then a silent protest during the ceremony itself. But the police immediately directed us off our original space.  They said we weren't permitted to be there and they wanted us to retreat to a less visible "protest zone."

In a 4-hour chess match of negotiation and smart tactical maneuvering, we got driven off our public space at first but held on to win it back. Becky Dennison of LACAN has written the full story of what happened, including overhearing the LAPD Assistant Chief arguing with General Services that it was not legal for them to keep us off the sidewalk. 

Members march in the streets view full size

Loud and Clear: We Will Not Be Silenced

As one of the main organizers of the day, I am proud of what we achieved. They tried to to silence us and make us invisible.  But instead, we chanted, "Aqui estamos y no nos vamos." Our banners were seen and our voices heard across the media. Our unwavering, multi-national presence--LACAN, BRU and SAN members standing together--sent the strongest message: we have been here for the last four years and we will continue to bring the pressure from the streets until Mayor Villaraigosa moves to build a city based on human rights, not on the social unsustainability of 1000 more police.