Peaceful Black Lives Matter Protesters have shown the world that, when human rights are at stake, tyranny and authoritarianism cannot stop them from taking to the streets and speaking out. Imagine the fear those who have been trying to set up an authoritarian lockdown down system in the last few months must feel.
In the Fairfax District of Los Angeles, 5000 peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters gathered on Saturday. In Los Angeles, the number one city in the nation for killings of Blacks by police, protesters were speaking out and marching against the executions of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others who died at the hands of police across the nation. In addition to the 5000 who showed up on Beverly Drive, additional participants to protests in the area totaled more than 20,000. The response from most drivers on the road was extremely positive as protesters marched first towards downtown and then towards Beverly Hills on Beverly Blvd. Drivers honked approval and gave the marchers a thumbs up. Often car windows had signs in support of the protest.
The march moved past Fairfax and then turned around approximately a block later and headed back past Fairfax towards Pan Pacific Part, where the protest had begun. After the marchers moved past Fairfax, two white male,s who appeared to be connected to the police were observed setting a police car in the intersection on fire as the police watched and did not attempt in any way to stop them. Another police car was parked nearby and police allowed a white guy to throw a skateboard through the back window. There seemed to be no objections from police to the vandalism of the cars. Afterwards, the police formed lines against onlookers. Rubber projectiles and what appeared to be tear gas were fired at photographers and observers. Other police cars were set on fire in other locations but nobody interviewed knew who set those fires. The police , when asked, would not even say who set the fires.
Later, on Beverly Blvd on the way back to Pan Pacific Park, participants in the march looked through a fence to a CBS parking lot where the police loaded up police vehicles and a van with canisters of tear gas, rubber bullets, bean bags and cable ties. The lot was not an open lot but was guarded by CBS security who said they were taking orders from the police. Later a line of police vehicles and a van drove out of the parking lot. After that, more police cars also prepared in the same lot to confront the crowd.
It was not long before protesters and reporters peacefully standing and filming in front of the CBS lots were trapped by officers on all sides. Police fired projectiles at the peaceful observers who were holding their hands up. Reporters and observers were arrested, even though they were cooperating with police and doing as instructed.
In various protests, across the country from Los Angeles to Boston, police exercised violence against unarmed and peaceful protesters. A police undercover officer was seen looting stores in Minnesota, seemingly to frame BLM.
Los Angeles has an extensive homeless population. A great many people in Los Angeles cannot afford food for themselves and their children. BLM took the opportunity at the rally to provide free quality food and water to all who wanted it. In other cities, BLM provided free food and water to anyone hungry or thirsty as a public service as well. When a nation is starving, looting for necessities is likely to occur and it cannot be blamed on those peacefully protesting for human rights.
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