Occupy LA is certainly keeping things interesting for participants. In addition to protests, one organization is offering an interfaith prayer this morning, another will be holding a yoga and meditation session at noon, and a third plans to host a "protest and die-in" towards the end of the day. The first event is hosted by the Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace, and is planned for today to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the invasion of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. more ›

Another day, another suspicious package grinding our daily activities to a halt here in Los Angeles. This morning's culprit was a package found at about 8 this morning at the federal building in Downtown. more ›

At least six activists demanding an end to the Secure Communities immigration enforcement program were arrested on Wednesday, while staging a sit-in at the Edward R. Roybal federal building downtown. Outside there were nearly 200 supporters protesting outside of the federal building where immigrants are prepared for deportation. Some protestors blocked a ramp used by immigration buses, according to the Los Angeles Times. more ›

Demonstrators in Westwood are filling the streets in front of the Federal Building in support of the anti-government protests happening for a fifth day in Egypt. Members of the local chapter of Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (ANSWER) are planning to gather through the afternoon, reports CBS Local, while a separate demonstration is set outside the Egyptian Consulate on Wilshire Boulevard, "where protesters will call for an end to about $1.5 billion annually in U.S. economic and military aid to the Mubarak regime. That group plans to join the Westwood demonstration about 2:30 p.m."
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Just like over the weekend, local Iranians and supporters of a fair voting process will gather outside the Federal Building tonight at 5 p.m. Another one will be held in Irvine. The world's attention has been focused on Iran for the past few days after an election scandal. On Friday, voters hit the booths to vote for a new President or keep the current one. The results were quickly announced--reform candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi lost to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Protesters are calling it voter fraud. more ›

The Los Angeles Fire Department is reporting that parts of Federal Building at 300 N. Los Angeles St. in downtown has been evacuated after several people fell "ill" from an unknown odor. "It's not an escalating incident," said LAFD Spokesman Brian Humphrey to LAist over the phone. He explained it appears to be isolated on the 7th floor and could be related to work going on such as carpet cleaning or installation, although there is no confirmation on that yet. The vast majority of people who self-evacuated have had no problems and no full evacuation has been ordered. Seven people were assessed and released at the scene. Los Angeles St. is shut down between the 101 Freeway and Temple St. *Updated Post more ›

LAist Photographer Tom Andrews took to the streets to see what was up with Anonymous. Here is what he saw: more ›

There was an article in the LA Times some time ago about the Downtown arts and culture scene suffering Westside patronage due to rush hour traffic. Unless residents we're already Downtown, buying a ticket to a play, symphony concert or opera was not worth the frustration stuck in traffic. On Wednesday, the LA Opera announced their new weekday service to take ticket holders on a luxury motor coach from the Federal Building in Westwood to... more ›

The MTA will be testing a new 65-foot-long prototype bus - which can hold up to 131 sitting and standing passengers - on the Orange Line busway for one year starting this week. Nicely done: L.A. City Councilman Richard Alarcon drafted a measure 2 months ago that would've drastically reduced traffic congestion on one block of one street in Panorama City - namely the one where his house is located. Who's down with Gov.... more ›

In the face of DEA raids, and LAPD cooperation with the feds, the California Patients Group (one of the 10 raided dispensaries) released this statement to it's patients: The campaign to defend safe access to medical cannabis is a risky one, and we have always known we could face the wrath of our federal government for taking a principled stand for people suffering from AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and other serious illnesses. Yesterday [July... more ›

Plans to tear down the hideous 17-story Federal Building at 11000 Wilshire Boulevard are moving swiftly. Before you get all excited about the tearing down of ugliness in the hopes that such ugliness will be replaced by a Gehry-esque fantasy of steel and movement or a Meier-esque tribute to clarity and light, consider that it could get uglier. That's right. The FBI plans to setup shop in its place. See...we told you it could... more ›

Last time Iran was in the World Cup, their appearance sparked pro-democracy riots in Tehran and a throng of protesters showed up at the Federal Building in Westwood (yes, we know it seems like that happens every week). more ›

LA Indymedia is reporting that someone called in the heavy artillery to break up an anti-war protest at the Federal Building in Westwood on Tuesday night. Seems that two tanks responded to the scene and attempted to drive the protesters off. more ›

LAist wonders if Angelenos will be attending any of the post-election protests organized by groups such as www.Nov3.us and www.BeyondVoting.org in cities across America on November 3. more ›