Today, Wednesday, 4/25/07, on American Indian Airwaves
Marcos Aguliar, Executive DIrector of Academia Semillias del Pueblo (http://www.dignidad.org/) and Sara Mendoza of the Indigenous Peoples Alliance (http://www.laipa.net/pages/home.htm) joins us to discuss KABC's Doug McIntyre, radio host of 790 AM radio station, who has aired negative hate speech coverage about Academia Semillias del Pueblo . Subsequently, Academia received many threatening calls to the school, one being a bomb threat on Friday, June, 2, 2006 which caused the school to evacuate the students and staff.
KABC USES DOZEN OF RIOT POLICE TO CONFRONT PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATORS SPEAKING AGAINST HATE RADIO
4/24/07
LOS ANGELES � Over forty parents, students, educators and supporters of Los
Angeles Charter School Academia Semillas del Pueblo were illegally stopped
from their peaceful demonstration by at least two dozen LAPD officers in
full riot gear, with weapons and batons drawn. The assembly of mostly
mothers was led by community leaders including Tom Hayden, Reverend Jarret
Maupin (of the National Action Network representing the Reverend Al
Sharpton), Tupac Enrique Acosta (of the Seventh Generation Fund for Indian
Development), and other leaders from the Muslim, African-American and
Latino community. The school�s representatives assembled to publicly serve
KABC executives with a lawsuit filed last week against the station and its
radio jock, Doug McIntyre. Parents and community leaders sought a meeting
to ask KABC to stop airing racist, hate filled broadcasts against their
children. Executives at KABC responded to the parent and community assembly
by ordering LAPD to forcibly remove the peaceful group from the public
sidewalk. Demonstrators heard an LAPD helicopter overhead, then moments
later, were surrounded by nine to eleven squad cars. Officers ordered
demonstrators to disperse. Legal representatives of the parents and
community assembled maintained the right to a peaceful assembly yet the
police officers illegally ordered the group to leave the area or face
arrest. Witnesses note that LAPD officers came out in full riot gear, and
at one point discharged a twelve-gauge bean bag rifle. LAPD officers also
stopped all traffic on La Cienega Blvd. and Jefferson Blvd., prohibiting
people from driving in front of the building.
Academia Semillas del Pueblo and it's supporters ask all public officials,
especially Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa, Councilmembers
Jose Huizar, Herb Wesson Jr., County Supervisors Yvonne Brathwaite
Burke and Gloria Molina and LAPD Chief Bratton to investigate the use of
excessive manpower to deny the civil rights of citizens peacefully
assembled. Additionally, question why LAPD came to the aid of a
corporation, and not remain an unbiased, mediating force in the action.
School representatives sought communication with LAPD community relations
officers through a direct phone call to Captain Hegan of the Rampart
Division of the LAPD. LAPD officers in charge refused to speak to Captain
Hegan�s representatives instead seemingly seeking to promote KABC�s agenda.
Since May 31, 2006, KABC's Doug Mcintyre has used the public airwaves to
attack the children of Academia Semillas del Pueblo by calling them
'cannibals', 'terrorists' and calling for the closure of their school. Two
days after McIntyre started asking his listeners to force the closure of
Academia Semillas del Pueblo, a bomb threat was called into the school,
warning the students and staff that the school would smell like 'burnt
beans and tortillas' after their attack. Community leaders are calling for
an end to hate radio and the removal of Doug Mcintyre from the public
airwaves.
April 24, 2007
Re: Complaint Regarding LAPD�s Unlawful Stoppage of Peaceful Assembly on Sidewalk in front of KABC Studios
Dear Mr. John W. Mack:
I am writing to express my discontent with, and to report, the LAPD�s unlawful stoppage of a demonstration and peaceful assembly in front of KABC studios located at 3321 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90016. On April 23, 2007, at approximately 9:00 am, a gathering was held by various community leaders to support Academia Semillas del Pueblo charter school in its efforts to end racist and hateful remarks on the public airwaves. The people attending the gathering consisted of parents, students, community leaders, including former Senator Tom Hayden, educators and other community members. The group was comprised of approximately 40 individuals.
After the conclusion of press statements by several speakers, most members of the group remained on the sidewalk to peacefully assemble and demonstrate against hateful and racist speech on the public airwaves. Designated security escorts accompanied the group and made sure that we did not block the driveway to the KABC building or obstruct access to the sidewalk for pedestrians. At one point, a Culver City Police Department patrol car briefly stopped and left after being informed that we were exercising our right to a peaceful assembly.
After approaching the gate to KABC studios to request a meeting with KABC executives, KABC personnel told us that they were calling the police to have us arrested. Approximately five minutes later, Officer Brown from the LAPD arrived in a patrol car and demanded that we leave KABC premises or else be arrested. After explaining to him that we simply wanted to request a meeting, the officer became irate and addressed members of the group in an antagonistic and offensive manner. Nonetheless, we complied with his request and resumed to peacefully demonstrate on the pubic sidewalk.
Much to our surprise, an LAPD helicopter was hovering over the group during this time and about a dozen police cars from the Rampart division arrived at the scene with over 20 officers. The officers proceeded to form two lines and equipped themselves with riot gear: putting on face-shields, helmets, holding batons and other weapons. Concerned by the police's patent overreaction and militaristic posture, myself along with the attorney for the school approached who seemed to be the captain and explained to him that we were exercising our right to have a lawful and peaceful assembly in a public forum. Disregarding our legal right to assemble, the captain demanded we leave or be arrested. After asking him on what legal grounds he was going to arrest us, he said he was simply �asking� us to move and that if we refused, he would arrest everyone. Moreover, throughout this time, the police closed all of La Cienega Blvd. between Jefferson Blvd. and Fairfax Ave. Concerned and to avoid being unlawfully arrested, we were forced to end our peaceful assembly.
We ask you to investigate the LAPD�s violation of our constitutional right to peacefully assemble and to hold those responsible accountable. We further ask that officers be informed to refrain from using unnecessary intimidation tactics and threats of arrests upon exercising our constitutional right to peacefully assemble. Moreover, the LAPD's stoppage of rightful assembly puts a further strain on community relations. We hope you hold those responsible for acting in this manner, so that we can trust the LAPD's commitment to "serve and protect" our community.
Sincerely,
Salomon Zavala, Esq.
Board Member
Academia Semillas del Pueblo
Xinaxcalmecac
Cc.: Mayor Villaraigosa, Chief Bratton, Councilmember Huizar, Tom Saenz
