As reported here today, 50 hotel workers and demonstrators were arrested for civil disobedience yesterday during the picket line and rally at the Hyatt Regency.
Those arrested were held in handcuffs for hours in the buses and denied food, water and use of bathrooms. They were pushed around, shoved, and in general, treated rather nastily.
In an outrageous turn of events, LAPD Chief of Police Bratton refused to release them on their own recognizance, which would be usual in cases like this. Instead, he set bail at $5,000 bail per person. Sounds like he wanted to prosecute for felonies in what had been carefully worked out in advance and routine civil disobedience.
It was only through the heated intercession of City Council member Eric Garcetti and State Senator Richard Alarcon (and quite possibly L.A. Mayor Jim Hahn) that bail was dropped and the protestors released on their OR. These politicians understood what a public relations nightmare such arrests would be for the city, something the neandertal Bratton is incapable of comprehending.