There will be more to say about the killing of Kelly Thomas, about the trial, about the rally. For now, here’s an impressionistic sense of what it was like there today.
I realize on viewing this that I have not tried to use my camera phone for video other than from a stationary vantage point since updating its software — and the effect is as much hallucinatory as impressionistic, but if it starts to make you queasy then just shut your eyes. (If you think of it as a strung together series of still photos — which of course is what video is — maybe it’s not so bad.) The audio is just fine — and in some ways the most important thing you’ll hear is that stream of passing cars continually honking to show their support for the rally.
Shortly after 10:00:
From across the street at 11:00 (not safe for work, as the audio includes the chant “Kelly Thomas / Rest in Peace / Never Forget / Fuck the Police”):
Walking towards and through the crowd at 11:00:
I have my own thoughts as to what signs and actions at the rally are more and are less useful — or at least to my taste. This, to me, is a time when everyone who reacts non-violently is exempt from criticism; we all try to deal with the lack of power to change what happened this week in our own way, and no one — except for Ron Thomas’s continuing with his civil suit — has any clear answer of how to proceed. For me, though, that acceptance of different approaches includes acceptance of those hurt deeply by the lack of justice in this case so far — even if most or all of the verdicts were legally correct, for most of us they fall well short of “Justice for Kelly” — but who did not want to attend such a rally for fear that their presence would be taken as support for reactions that they abhor.
I’ll end with some photos and captions.
Attendance at 10 a.m. The red sign reads “Honk for Justice for Kelly Thomas.”
One of several signs with the photo that captured the world’s attention.
The sign at left reads “‘Trust is Broken Until Justice is Served'”
Woman holds sign encouraging cars to honk as protesters across the street do the same
Sign at left with some of Kelly’s last words, including “Dude I’m Sorry” and “I Can’t Breathe”
JoEse Gloria of Occupy among a group of Latino activists at the rally
Man in costume of “cop as pig.” One attendee who can identify himself in comments tells a story of how his policeman father wasn’t afraid of Vietnam War protesters, but of police under his command who thought that this sort of insult would be grounds for violence
Ron Thomas being interviewed by LA Times reporter. We talked about how, despite the disappointments of the criminal trial, the civil trial against the city would always be the one that could do the most good. He reminded me that he is not seeking monetary damages in the trial, but simply injunctive relief against wrongful policing practices. (A jury could still award damages on its own initiative, of course — without the prospect of which the city might have much less incentive to settle.)
“Chairman Vern” Nelson with retired peace officer and writer/activist Diane Goldstein and Occupier/homeless activist Massimo
Diane Goldstein gets a mouthful from Kelly Thomas supporter Pastor Wiley Drake of Buena Park, who proudly defended his “imprecatory prayer” for President Obama’s death in a conversation with Vern, as Guy Fawkes looks on. (Vern note: Diane was reluctant to be seen with Wiley because of his infamous GAY-BASHING.)
This shows only the portion of the rally directly in front of the Fullerton Police Station plaza at 11 a.m.
UPDATE, 6:00 p.m.: Nick Gerda of the VOC writes that as the day went on, things got more confrontational, leading to arrests.
What started out as a largely peaceful protest with hundreds of demonstrators gathered in front of the Fullerton Police Department headquarters on Saturday over this week’s verdict in the Kelly Thomas police beating case escalated into a series of tense confrontations in the late afternoon between a smaller crowd of about 40 demonstrators and riot police officers.
According to the Fullerton Police Department Twitter feed, three protesters had been arrested as of 5:41 p.m. A Voice of OC reporter witnessed another two being arrested at the Fullerton Bus Depot around 5:30 p.m.
At one point during the day, a spray-painted anarchist symbol was on the side of the police headquarters.
Police declared an unlawful assembly after allowing protesters to block portions of traffic for at least two hours.
Click that link above for more.
Don’t get too exercised about this. Whatever you think, it doesn’t really reflect on most protesters. Some activists feel that they haven’t been able to “get their fair share of abuse” (as the Stones put it) unless they’ve confronted the cops and been arrested. There’s an easy solution to that: arrest them. Hold them for an appropriate amount of time and then let them go. Then everyone’s (grudgingly) happy. Just don’t arrest people who don’t want or deserve it — that gets bad.
Somewhere in there is a half-submerged notion that if enough people did this it would wreck the system because there wouldn’t be enough police to process them or enough courts to handle them. Maybe in some cases this could happen, but it almost never seems to do so in this country (except, I suppose, in those areas where police fear to tread.) But when you see cops with belts full of twist-ties, you know that it’s not like they haven’t already thought through how they’re going to handle the situation tactically. Change is not going to happen over such protests; as civil disobedience goes, it’s not even that effective. (Contrast it to “chaining oneself to the gates.”) What matters is what’s going on in the hearts and minds of people watching the protests — and I think that so far as fostering that sort of change, this tactic is self-defeating. But, luckily, it’s also pretty trivial. Paint marks can be cleaned up.
cool pictures and videos
“…but who did not want to attend such a rally for fear that their presence would be taken as support for reactions that they abhor.”
Political ambition, professorial tenure and crabgrass mortgages will do that to some folks.
Or, for example, they may just not like hanging around with people shouting “Fuck the Police.” Just because some of us are inured to it doesn’t mean that everyone is.
Well, if they were leaders they might be able to help be more constructive.
On the other hand silent attendance (like mine) would only be taken as respect for the dead man and abhorrence of the killings – except by the police union, of course.
Profiles in lack of courage.
As for “fuck the police” types I’ll admit, there are a lot of people at these protests who’ve obviously been pushed around, hassled, etc. by the police. Their presence in no way invalidates the problem with the FPD; I think it helps confirm it.
It takes all kinds to make the world go round. Many of the hotheaded youngsters who go a bit overboard have their hearts in the right place.
This is about the best set of videos and non-biased reporting I’ve seen – really! The MSM makes it seem as if the protest descended into the pits of hell or something heinous – the police went into drama queen SWAT mode, and it truly wasn’t necessary. It’s protestors 1, Cops 0 as far as I’m concerned.
P.S. I got a kick out of the two dudes with donuts dangling from fishing poles. Geez, is that abhorrent?
Mean, but funny. I think that they were entitled to take a cheap shot after the verdicts. The City — and other cities — have to understand how people are reacting. They probably had a good sense of it even without the rally, but part of the message is that they don’t control how others react to them.
I’ve got a nice shot of that I’ll try to post.
Being loud and giving a voice to anger? Yeah, ok, good.
Spray painting the police station and the Slidebar? No, not good. Not good at all. Use your heads people.
A lady participating in the march single-handedly stopped the angry reaction of some protesters, in the back of the Slidebar.
There was also a lady at the intersection in front of the police department that did the same noble act… these were two seperat women, one was a mother who lost her son to police and the other a sister who said her brother was shot ten years ago! They both were very passionate with what they said, and both upset that the message was getting lost in the angry chaos. I think these women were so courageous to stand up to the rebellious crowd and try to add reason to antics. I am sure it takes a great deal of pain to throw yourself in the face of hate and come out unscathed, all for the true meaning of the cause… for the lives and families lost to police and their corrupt force.
Vern, thanks for showing up and documenting the event. @ Ricardo. I believe that woman was Theresa Smith. She lost her son Caesar Cruz 4 years ago to Anaheim PD and is one of the best and most rational advocates against police violence I have met.
Later that afternoon I cleaned the spray paint off of one of the Big Windows at the Slidebar someone sprayed on it. Idiots, it not helpful.
Nope. Genevieve Huizar, mom of Manuel Diaz.
I know, so many…
(Oh and this is Diamond’s montage.)
WHY DOES EVERYONE THINK THAT MY WORK IS VERN’S? (hahahaha)
Genevieve is the woman whose son is regularly dragged through the mud by James Robert Reade at the Anaheim City Council meetings, without the civility police on the City Council even batting an eyelash.
Some of the blame for the ‘Not Guilty Verdict’ belongs to the Orange County DA, Tony Rackauckas. He knew what was required for a 2nd Degree Murder conviction. 1) He could have charged the Police Officers with whatever is one level less than 2nd Degree Murder; or 2) the O.C. DA could have assigned the case to an experienced Prosecutor. Blame politics.
He charged only Ramos with Murder 2. He charged them both with involuntary manslaughter (which is more like two steps below Murder 2, with voluntary manslaughter — “heat of passion” — in between.) He charged Cicinelli, but not Ramos, with excessive use of force.
“What matters is what’s going on in the hearts and minds of people watching the protests ” I agree with this statement Vern and was saying something close to it all day long. Many Cops and some kids acted the fool that day.