LA car caravan condemns racism, urges release of inmates facing coronavirus risk
On the heels of the George Floyd killing, which has set off peaceful rallies and violent clashes alike, the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression staged a car caravan and multiple rallies to urge justice for the black man’s death as well as the safe release of prisoners who face the risk of coronavirus in the Men’s Central Jail and Twin Towers Correctional Facility.
Demonstrators met on the corner of Alhambra Avenue and Vignes Street in Los Angeles on Saturday, May 30, then launched a caravan to the jail facilities. The group concluded its event with a rally at LAPD’s Downtown headquarters, the focal point of many of this week’s protests.
The protest was designed for immuno-compromised people, so they could safely protest from their cars. More than a hundred people participated, according to organizers.
After getting locked out of the Twin Towers Correctional Facility by LA County Sheriff’s deputies who blocked the road, the caravan moved on to the Metro Detention Center, where their protest was heard by the prisoners inside, who responded by banging on their cells as the caravan gave speeches, honked their horns and played Rage Against the Machine music over their loudspeaker.
The sheriff’s dept wouldn’t let the caravan in, so they are moving to the detention center @tbray @ladailynews #BLMLA pic.twitter.com/06eNrkdPsN
— Josh Rosen (@tweetjoshrosen) May 30, 2020
Finally, the group moved to the LAPD Headquarters, where organizers opened up the microphone to the public to shout grievances and demands.
“People are not going to tolerate this racism, and we are going to defend ourselves,” said John Parker, one of the organizers. “We’re not going to rely on the politicians and their excuses and their enabling of this behavior. We’re going to get out and we’re going to try to stop it by any means.
This action was organized cooperatively by the Socialist Unity Party, Bayan LA (a Filipino organization), Harriet Tubman Center for Social Justice and other community groups.
Demonstrations have swept the nation this week, with thousands of protesters demanding justice for Floyd, a black man who died after a white officer pressed a knee into his neck in Minnesota.
Protesters burned businesses in Minneapolis. They smashed police cars and windows in Atlanta, broke into police headquarters in Portland, Oregon, and chanted curses at President Donald Trump outside the White House. The National Guard has been activated in some cities.
The crowd is steadily growing, and a large patrol of maybe 20 cops on bikes just rode past. pic.twitter.com/TOUrU8fYoV
— Josh Rosen (@tweetjoshrosen) May 30, 2020
Protesters have marched through the streets of Los Angeles each evening since Wednesday. The demonstrations were largely peaceful until late Friday night in Downtown L.A.
Businesses were looted, police vehicles attacked and scores of arrests were made in Downtown Los Angeles after Friday’s demonstrations.
The demonstrators are making a lot of noise in front of the prison, and many cars passing by are honking their support pic.twitter.com/v8F0iOoLIn
— Josh Rosen (@tweetjoshrosen) May 30, 2020
The Associated Press and City News Service contributed to this report.
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