Gimme Shelter
I'm not going anywhere on Monday. I'm staying right here in my apartment. Maybe I'll cook, maybe I'll write, but I am definitely Not Going Anywhere.
On Monday, there's going to be a protest. A month ago, there was a protest--against an absurd immigration law that will never be passed--and between 500,000 and 750,000 people showed up downtown. It was the single largest march in the history of this city.
There will almost certainly be more people on Monday, and not just downtown. They'll be marching down Wilshire Boulevard, shutting down one the busiest streets in the whole country. They're supposedly stopping at La Brea. Businesses on Wilshire as far west as La Cienega are closing Monday, though, awaiting an overflow crowd that will want to keep walking.
Last month, there was not a single arrest for disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, you name it. I'll be really surprised if we get that lucky again. That's because this march isn't for one specific cause. The immigration issue is still going to have the spotlight, but they're getting company this time. It'll be the anti-war people with the pro-immigrant crowd and the environmental folks. When you get that many people together who are all trying to say different things, everyone tends to get louder so as to make sure theirs is the message that gets heard.
Beyond my general agreement with the various causes, I hope this turns out peacefully. During the 2000 Democratic convention at the Staples Center, the cops were showing off all their new riot gear and there was a report in the press that there were something like a thousand bodybags ready if necessary. Amazingly, none of them were needed.
The riot gear will be out on display again Monday. Let's take a deep breath and hope it stays clean.
On Monday, there's going to be a protest. A month ago, there was a protest--against an absurd immigration law that will never be passed--and between 500,000 and 750,000 people showed up downtown. It was the single largest march in the history of this city.
There will almost certainly be more people on Monday, and not just downtown. They'll be marching down Wilshire Boulevard, shutting down one the busiest streets in the whole country. They're supposedly stopping at La Brea. Businesses on Wilshire as far west as La Cienega are closing Monday, though, awaiting an overflow crowd that will want to keep walking.
Last month, there was not a single arrest for disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, you name it. I'll be really surprised if we get that lucky again. That's because this march isn't for one specific cause. The immigration issue is still going to have the spotlight, but they're getting company this time. It'll be the anti-war people with the pro-immigrant crowd and the environmental folks. When you get that many people together who are all trying to say different things, everyone tends to get louder so as to make sure theirs is the message that gets heard.
Beyond my general agreement with the various causes, I hope this turns out peacefully. During the 2000 Democratic convention at the Staples Center, the cops were showing off all their new riot gear and there was a report in the press that there were something like a thousand bodybags ready if necessary. Amazingly, none of them were needed.
The riot gear will be out on display again Monday. Let's take a deep breath and hope it stays clean.
posted by Matthew at 11:08 PM
<< Home