LA blogger, GameJew, has put together a very well-done NPR-style video of what he saw and experienced at MacArthur Park yesterday when the LAPD decided to disperse the crowd with rubber bullets.

A peaceful crowd of unarmed men, women, children, and the press, tried to unceremoniously scatter but were pelted with rubber bullets anyways.

Not only does GameJew capture the fear and anger that people felt, but he has some really excellent interviews with locals as the action goes down.

We wouldn't have known of this great video if we hadn't been emailed about it, so if you've got video that you'd like us to post, or photos or accounts, you can always email us at thelaist @ gmail.

The LAPD's civil rights consent decree just got extended this past summer for another three years. Do videos like this and witness accounts help end this decree and get more officers back on the street instead of desk duty for consent decree paperwork? Not really.

Here is some excerpts from Daniel Hernandez's blog:

"The sight of cops standing shoulder-to-shoulder menacingly holding batons drew more onlookers, which drew more cops, which drew more onlookers. The pointless showdown kept escalating."

"Video footage online and on local TV stations shows officers clubbing and violently shoving teens, seniors, adults holding small children, and even reporters. One piece of footage shows officers senselessly beating a FOX 11 cameraman who had been knocked to the ground, and then striking FOX 11 reporter Christina Gonzalez who had stepped in to protest."

"Another woman, Sarah Araiza, said officers pushed her 13-year-old. 'They were pushing children! See that police officer, laughing like a jack-ass? That officer pushed my daughter. He pushed her for no reason,' Araiza said."

On Tuesday morning, Bratton suggested to KNX radio that he disapproved of the LAPD's actions at MacArthur Park. The Radio and Television News Association called for a investigation, CNS said. "There is evidence that officers knocked reporters to the ground, used batons on photographers and damaged cameras, possibly motivated by anger over journalists photographing efforts by officers to control the movements of the marchers," the RTNA said in a statement.

From my perspective as someone who works hand and hand with the LAPD as a community member, it is a great department. As everywhere, there are the bad apples -- and the difference between those who are corrupt in city offices and those in the LAPD is tax money swindling vs. baton swinging.

But whenever the police are in riot gear, the wisdom of both sides of the crowd seems to go sour. Chief Bratton said "missiles" were thrown (yes, that is a legal 1920s/30s term) and officers had to respond. As kids in school, we are taught to take the high road and let the bullies be; for us not to fall into the trap. If I were at a bar and someone threw a bottle at me and then I took a weapon of a higher degree and beat him senseless, guess who loses in court? Probably me unless he continued to throw bottles non-stop and it was the only way for me to protect myself.

Yeah, it is illegal to throw objects at the police (or anyone for that matter), but what if the LAPD just stood their ground? Could they target the so-called "few" who were causing the trouble that supposedly started all this? Maybe that wouldn't work, who knows. I'm no riot control expert.

Photo by Mr. Littlehand via Flickr

Videos don't tell the whole story by any means, but when the press got hit with a baton at yesterday's rally, they fought back in the only way they could -- with the news.

The LA Times also has coverage.

*UPDATE: Los Angeles Police Chief William J. Bratton said today that some actions taken by officers trying to clear a crowd of marchers at MacArthur Park were "inappropriate" and that he has launched two investigations." More at LATimes.com.

*** 7:46pm UPDATE - Probably the best video we've seen from a citizen journalist point of view -and it includes the quote of the day - here.

Wilshire & Alvarado - May Day

The presence of a police force lined up with riot gear presupposes trouble. And when someone supposedly threw a bottle near MacArthur Park Tuesday evening, it was a call to action. Or as Chief Bratton later rationalized: "Missiles were being thrown at the officers, and officers [were] responding."

Last year's May Day march down Wilshire featured amiable members of LA's finest police and fire squads lined up on the side of Wilshire chilling out -- dressed normally (in uniform), but with riot gear and more at the ready in nearby cars. And nothing happened. Everybody, the authorities included, appeared to be having a good time.

Oh except for when darkness fell and police appeared to swarm and beat an unarmed man in front of the Alvarado Red Line Station (video after the jump) as the protest had all but ended.

Once again, last night on Alvarado near Wilshire, where the above photo was taken, saw the forceful removal of mostly peaceful protesters and the police flexed their muscle. The gathering was expected and announced well in advance, just like last year's that drew nearly a half million, and the march up Broadway earlier Tuesday, not to mention the Bulls championship-like gathering of an estimated 150,000 in Chicago's Grant Park.

There are countless arguments to be made about the effectiveness and purpose of demonstrations/marches/rallies/excessive celebrations, as we've seen here. But riot gear and rubber bullets in a public space brings out only the worst of a predominantly passive, well-intentioned, and now-terrified crowd.

photo by Sara Hayes, used with permission