Opening statements by Jim Lafferty of the National Lawyers Guild.

The NLG and ANSWER LA will file multiple lawsuits and complaints against LAPD for their outrageous conduct during the anti-Minutemen protest on Saturday, including their unprovoked beating of demonstrators - even after they’d been clubbed and were lying on the sidewalk - and for not allowing ANSWER to have a constitutionally-protected protest on the sidewalk.

Some history. The NLG sued LAPD for their conduct during the 2000 Democratic National Convention police riot and were instrumental in forcing a consent decree upon LAPD as well as financial damages.

Muna Coobtee of ANSWER LA details the sequence of events at the protest.

Statements from three who were beaten without cause; they are Christen Westberry, Jose Villa, and Natividad Carerra. Westbury and Villa were viciously clubbed while lying on the sidewalk, as documented in the video.

Then came statements of support and outrage from:
Angelina Corona, Executive Director Hermandad Mexicana Nacional
Juan Jose Gutiérrez, Latino Movement USA
Richard Becker, West Coast Coordinator, ANSWER Coalition

Ending with discussion and questions.

mp3 (34:49,11.6 mb)

[tags]LAPD, police brutality[/tags]

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