The Brief

Thousands rallied in MacArthur Park Friday in one of many events recognizing May Day. Flags from various countries waved above the crowds as others sounded off with vuvuzelas, megaphones and speakers hyped up the crowd with chants of “¡Si Se Puede!”

The rally kicked off at 10 a.m. but some people arrived at the park long before the sun rose in Westlake.

By 9 a.m. throngs of people gathered, eager to support each other.

Rosemary Ibarra, 26, made her way to MacArthur Park from Lancaster.

“I’m here just to support all of our people here, all the working people, to say no more ICE,” she said. “And to say that we’re here, we’re stronger together. Power of the people.”

This year’s May Day rally marks the 20th anniversary of La Gran Marcha, when millions of people took to the streets around the country to protest proposed legislation that would have included making it a felony offense to be an undocumented immigrant.

Organizers on Friday rallied under the banner, “Solo El Pueblo Shuts it Down – No Work, No School, No Shopping.” The rally crowds marched to Gloria Molina Grand Park just before noon.

Some carried umbrellas, signs and others simply waved their flags above their heads.

María de la Luz Martínez, 62, said she attended the march to represent those who couldn’t be there because they are undocumented. She held split Mexican and US flag. She wore a dress in the colors of the Mexican flag and a colorful flower in her hair.

“I’m here to ask for justice for everyone and for people to understand that we are human, not animals,” she said in Spanish.

María de la Luz Martínez waves a flag that shows the colors of Mexico and the United States at the 2026 May Day rally in MacArthur Park.

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Marina Peña

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The LA Local

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Strength in numbers

Friday is also the first rally since the Trump administration launched its campaign of immigration raids across the country last summer.

The feeling is that some people are exhausted, but still eager to show up for their communities.

TJ Gonzalez, a Hermon resident, brought his parrot Pepe to MacArthur Park to support others . He rescued Pepe five years ago after finding him with a broken wing. Gonzalez said Pepe helps lift people’s spirits.

“When everybody is stressed out, they see Pepe and they get a smile on their face,” he said.

Throughout the morning, he walked around the park, letting people hold Pepe and take photos with him.

“It’s a hard time for a lot of people right now,” Gonzalez added. “I just hope Pepe can bring a little therapy to everyone who came out.”

Nearby, Carmina Calderon Santos, carried her 10-month old baby in a sling, as the child wore little baby earmuffs over their head.

“We’re the ones that move and make this city function. As workers, as people that have to find a means to support their families, I think it’s important to show our strength in numbers, the way that we make the city move,” Calderon Santos said, who lives on the border of Koreatown and East Hollywood.

“I think the protest, at least May Day, is just to show how many of us there really are, at one on one day, right, to uplift the worker and the people that again move the city. But again, protest is just a tool. It’s not the end all be all. After this, we’ve got to go show up at City Hall. We’ve got to do public comment,” she said. “We’ve got to educate our neighbors and everybody else.”

Lisa Navarro from Salinas, made the five-hour trek to the rally. She’s been attending May Day rallies since 2020, and was joined by her daughters.

“We came out here just to be part of the movement and take a stand, to protest, you know, the billionaires and everything going, everything that’s happening, but also to take a stand with our immigrant communities,” she said.

Her father was born in Michoacán, Mexico, “and I come out here to stand with him and my fellow brothers and sisters.”

Her daughter Sabrina, 17, came out to protest the Trump administration specifically.

She held up her sign with a cartoon cat and dog: “They’re eating the checks, they’re eating the balances,” a reference to Trump’s 2024 speech where he claimed without evidence that Haitian immigrants in Ohio were eating local cats and dogs.

The teen got active in politics during the first Trump administration. She encourages other young people “to use their voice to not be intimidated by the administration, to be intimidated by local officials, you know, anybody in power, and just to remind everybody that the power of the people is stronger than the people in power.”

TJ Gonzalez with his bird Pepe at MacArthur Park hopes that his pet can bring some calm to May Day attendees.

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Hanna Kang

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The LA Local

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Fabric, newspaper and papier-mâché

More rallies are expected throughout Friday, including on the Eastside.

In Boyle Heights, Centro CSO said it is stepping up security for its rally at Mariachi Plaza, where crowds will begin gathering at 3 p.m. The event will include live music, resource tables and a march to the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown.

Speakers will take the stage at 4 p.m. and the march is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Organizers say they expect families, older adults and people with disabilities to attend and want them to feel safe.

Other Eastside organizers are joining the rally at MacArthur Park. East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice will take to the streets with a 12-by-12-foot puppet they created using spray paint, fabric, newspaper and heaps of cardboard scraps. The piece symbolizes climate justice, community power and resistance.

“Puppets are … a very powerful art form, and I think that it’s going to be very meaningful to have a larger-than-life figure that is standing for climate sovereignty and community action,” said Diana Hurtado, the project’s artistic director.

The puppet made an appearance in Westlake and was expected to make the journey to City Hall.

Another puppet on display is a veteran of the May Day movement.

“The puppet was made by KIWA members more than 10 years ago for a May Day march,” Brady Collins said, organizer with the Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates. “It’s a traditional papier-mâché style you often see in Mexico, and we actually have many more of them.”

He explained that each puppet represents a different type of worker in Los Angeles. Collins carried around the puppet “Justice” with two long wooden piles.

‘We’re all immigrants to this country’

Charles Song works for an organization that provides legal aide to low-wage workers in San Francisco and found himself in a sea of people from different backgrounds and causes at MacArthur Park.

“I’m just, I guess really concerned about the way our country is treating immigrants. It’s just completely unacceptable.” Song said, who was born in Korea and immigrated to the US as a child. “We’re all immigrants to this country. People need to understand that and appreciate that we all came in different ways.”

Mike Konowitz and Matty Thorne, members of the LA chapter of Refuse Fascism, have been involved with the organization for about a year and are politically motivated to respond to the actions of the Trump administration.

“We really cannot rely on or wait for the midterms,” Konowitz said. “Brown people are getting picked up every day because of the color of their skin.”

Thorne was accompanied by his dog, Odie

“It’s dogs against fascism,” he said.

“All these causes, supporting ICE out, fighting for fair wages for workers, none of this is going to happen until this Trump regime is out of power,” Thorne said.

Near MacArthur Park lake, homecare provider Leilani Reed recounted the broader fight unions face.

“Once I went, it was like a fire just latched to me and when I understood when they were fighting for a $15 wage increase and then we would link up with other unions and solidarity, then I started understanding,” Reed said, who is a member of SEIU Local 2015.

‘Marching together as one voice’

Westlake is no stranger to International Workers’ Day, said Victor Narro, project director with the UCLA James Lawson Jr. Worker Justice Center, which sits across the street from MacArthur Park.

“We’re dealing with so much this year, and I think May Day is going to be a chance for us to come together,” Narro told The LA Local ahead of the rally.

Juan Aguilar, a supermarket worker who came to the United States in 1989, participated in the 2006 march in downtown LA.

“I was really impressed by the number of people there. And I didn’t feel afraid. People weren’t afraid,” he said at a sign-making event for this year’s May Day rally at the Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates in Koreatown.

Friday was also Jay Lee’s first time participating in the May Day rally and march. The Korean American pointed to the role labor movements have played in shaping migration and identity within Korean communities.

“Korea’s got this huge history of labor,” Lee said. “The existence of the Korean diaspora here is inherently tied to the labor movement in Korea.”

For Lee, this year’s May Day is especially significant. It marks the first year South Korea has designated May 1 as a mandatory public holiday for all workers, including those in the public sector. Previously, only private-sector workers had the day off.

He said this year’s march is also about solidarity across communities.

“We’re going to be marching with Black workers, the Latino centers, the Filipino centers,” Lee said. “We’re going to be all marching together as one voice, and I think that’s really cool.”

LAist's Mariana Dale contributed to this story.

Monsterpalooza, the annual movie-monster bash for horror fans, returns to the Pasadena Convention Center this weekend, starting Friday night (May 29) and lasting through Sunday.

What to expect

Now in its 18th year, devotees can rub elbows with legendary beastie creators, browse hundreds of vendors who traffic in the weird and unsettling, and marvel at practical effects that’ll make your flesh creep.

Dozens of panels and presentations are scheduled, including a deep-dive into the 95th anniversary of the Dracula and Frankenstein movies by writer Julian David Stone.

Writer Julian David Stone gives a presentation at a past Monsterpalooza event.

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Perry Shields

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Courtesy Julian David Stone

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Stone said that the two classic movies have left a lasting impact.

“Dracula is a movie about supernatural horror..... and Frankenstein is about technological or man-made horror," he said. "You can just trace those two themes all the way forward to this past year with Sinners and Megan 2.0."

Richard Redlefsen's Armageddon Rat at the PPI Booth at a past Monsterpalooza.

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Courtesy Visit Pasadena

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Stone first attended the convention in 2008, returning over the years as a fan, spectator and presenter.

“It’s just a terrific convention that celebrates all things horror,” Stone said. “There’s a lot of celebrities you can meet who were in these horror films and you can get pictures with them." He added that he’ll never forget when he met Carla Laemmle in 2010 — the last living cast member of the original 1931 Dracula.

Mike Mekash and Chris Nelson re-created Twisty the Clown on Dan Gilbert at the PPI Booth at a past Monsterpalooza.

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Steve Jennings

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Courtesy Visit Pasadena

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Who's attending

If you’re jonesing to be photographed with high-profile entertainers (expect a fee for many), this year's event has a line-up that includes musician Alice Cooper, actress Lin Shaye from the Insidious movie franchise and David Howard Thornton, who plays Art the Clown in the popular Terrifier movie series.

Cosplay and crazy costumes are encouraged, although a T-shirt celebrating a classic horror movie will also do. Just come ready to adore all things that gnaw and gash.

California’s primary election is Tuesday — and one race poses a challenging question to voters: Should a judge who’s accused of ethics violations by the state watchdog of judges get re-elected?

That’s the situation for Judge Robert Draper, who’s running to keep his seat in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. With about 15 years on the bench, Draper, 84, told LAist he hasn’t had disciplinary issues until now.

The California Commission on Judicial Performance, the state body that oversees judicial complaints, conducted an investigation into complaints and charged Draper with misconduct in office. The commission’s members, who are also the final decision-makers here, won’t make a determination on whether to discipline him until after the primary.

Here’s what you should know about what’s at stake and what could happen next.

A quick primer

Draper was appointed by former Gov. Jerry Brown in 2012. Superior Court judges have to run for reelection after they’ve been appointed. Draper is running for a third full term and is on the ballot for all L.A. County voters under Office No. 2, facing a challenge from deputy district attorney Tal Valbuena.

The commission has charged him with seven counts of violating judicial ethics. (The proceedings against him aren’t civil or criminal, but the commission uses similar terminology.) The commission is an 11-member group of judges, lawyers and others who are appointed by the governor, the Legislature and the California Supreme Court.

Draper is currently assigned to “chambers work only.” He and his attorney told LAist Draper's court-issued email account is restricted and his room does not have a computer or staff. He hasn’t heard a case since he returned in June 2023 from an involuntary leave that, according to commission records, was tied to the alleged ethics violations.

Among the allegations Draper is facing:

• Sending nude photos from a confidential child abuse case to colleagues via a court email address, according to commission records.
• Making irrelevant comments about race, including using the term “coal black,” during a case, and calling women in the courthouse “attractive” and “cute,” according to commission records.

A panel of independent “special masters” oversaw a six-day hearing earlier this month on the charges. The special masters are expected to issue a report on their findings within the next several weeks — but a decision on possible disciplinary action still rests with the commission.

According to the commission’s charge document, the allegations against Draper center on willful misconduct in office, failure to perform his duties and actions that affect the judicial office’s reputation. Draper has denied some of the claims and, in an interview with LAist, gave reasons for others.

The commission initially claimed that his behavior was evidence of an unnamed disability that interferes with his duties (which could get judges removed from the bench, if proven), but LAist confirmed that claim has been withdrawn.

Draper told LAist he is navigating health issues. Over the last few years, he’s been prescribed medication that made his Parkinson’s disease worse, he said, and had a detached retina and a rotator cuff injury. He added that he’s also coping with grief — his son died this year shortly before the hearing.

The seven counts Draper faces from the judicial ethics commission cover accusations dated 2022 and 2023. We’ll explore the main ones.

Comments on race

According to records from the judicial performance commission, Draper admitted to making statements that have been called “irrelevant” and “inappropriate” by other judges who reviewed his decisions on a 2023 case.

In February that year, the defense in a sexual harassment case Draper presided over was seeking a new trial. A jury had reached a verdict earlier, putting them on the hook for $10 million.

During a hearing, Draper brought up his personal views on interracial mixing and Black history, according to excerpts of the court transcripts. Draper told LAist these comments were intended to convince the two sides to “make a reasonable settlement.”

According to the transcripts, Draper used the terms “coal black” and “light brown” to describe Black skin tones. Draper defended his statements, telling LAist he viewed the comments as “almost like describing what color dress you’re wearing today.”

“Now, why did I say it? Race was not involved in the case, except that almost everybody was Black,” he said.

The commission said the comments at issue reflected “bias, prejudice, or harassment.” Draper’s written response to the charges said the dialogue had been taken “wholly out of context.” He told LAist he “ wasn’t talking about a bias for or against” and added he “probably won’t use the word ‘black’ ever” again if re-elected.

“Do I imagine I’ll continue to make comments about appearance? No,” he said. “I probably won’t.”

Women in the workplace

The same day of the 2023 hearing, Draper brought the all-women legal team into his chambers, according to records, where he made other comments that the commission alleges violated judicial ethics.

During the conversation, he told them a story about how male attorneys used to tell female secretaries “you better be able to f*** better than you can type.” Draper told LAist his comments have been misconstrued to sound like he was bragging about behavior at his last law firm. In fact, he said, he was referring to how other firms had “that attitude towards secretaries” when he started practicing law.

“I was so proud of the country [because] now it wouldn’t happen at all,” he said.

His comments and other issues ultimately led to the California Court of Appeals to overturn the verdict and order a new trial. Draper is also alleged to have touched a lawyer’s hair during proceedings in that case without reason, which he testified before the special masters hearing did not happen.

Other allegations cited by the commission involve multiple comments Draper has admitted to making about women in the courthouse in 2022 and 2023, according to records and LAist’s interview with him. The commission said these statements violated judicial ethics, which Draper disputes.

In one instance, Draper told his presiding judge she “looked cute” when she was mad, according to records. Another time he called a woman involved in a case before him “quite attractive” in a “global way.”

Draper told LAist the language he used was “not a come-on” and that he was “trying to make them feel good about themselves.”

“ I’m not going to walk around with my handkerchief in my mouth. I can just say, ‘Hey, you’re looking cute today,’ and people understand that,” he said. “But I’m not going to be walking around the court picking out the cute ones and telling them they’re cute.”

Leave, email and other issues

Draper has also been charged with allegedly not following his courthouse leadership’s directives.

When he was placed on involuntary leave in March 2023, according to the commission, Draper continued to do administrative work on cases despite receiving verbal and written directives to not access the courthouse and its resources.

Draper told LAist his supervisors were aware that his work was continuing because he was emailing them about it.

“They understood what I was doing, and they approved it by not speaking up,” he said.

Draper also testified that he wasn’t immediately told not to work while on leave. The commission said Draper wasn’t “candid” when he testified to that.

Judge Robert Draper on the first day of his hearing at the California Court of Appeal building in downtown Los Angeles on April 27.

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Cato Hernández

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LAist

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The commission also cited problematic emails Draper admitted to sending from his court email address, according to records and his testimony. This included allegations that Draper sent files including nude photos from a confidential court case to people not authorized to receive them under state code.

In June 2023, Draper sent an email to commission staff and other Superior Court judges with various materials, according to records. The attachments included details from a July 2017 confidential child abuse case.

The case involved child sexual abuse allegations with a public figure. Draper emailed nude photos from the case files of children bathing, according to records and his testimony.

One of the recipients of the email with nude photo attachments was retired Judge Lance Ito — best known for presiding over the O.J Simpson murder case in 1995. Ito testified to not being personally acquainted with Draper at the time and called the email “unusual.” Draper testified that the email blast was intended to show his legal contributions and that he is authorized under statute to consult with other judges. He said he copied Ito on the thread because of his leadership role in teaching judges.

Draper also emailed photos of himself “from behind without clothes” to the commission and other judges, according to records. He testified that this was to show his colleagues proof of an injury.

In another charge, the commission said Draper has not cooperated with its ethics inquiry that started in 2022 — such as repeatedly missing deadlines — and has been disrespectful to commission staff. Draper told LAist the commission’s investigation was more like an inquisition because they didn’t interview him before the hearing.

“ That is a big problem with the way the CJP operates,” he said. “They’re not there to help judges. They’re kinda trying to catch judges.”

An endorser speaks out

Kimberly Repecka is one of four judges who have endorsed Draper for re-election. She’s a prior public defender who’s known Draper for about 10 years and testified in his hearing last month.

She told LAist people have latched on to ageist narratives and that his character is being misrepresented. According to Repecka, it’s common for older judges to share “war stories.”

Repecka defended Draper’s reasoning for bringing up race in the sexual harassment case.

“I think most of us most of the time view it exactly how Judge Draper said he intended it: an attempt to connect on a more human level and remind ourselves that there’s a world bigger than the courtroom and case we’re in,” she said.

Repecka told LAist she wouldn’t use the same words he used to talk about skin color in the courtroom. She would be concerned it could cause discomfort.

“ As a white person, I would be pretty careful about how I address that if it seems relevant to the case itself,” she said.

Laurie Levenson, a professor at Loyola Law School well-versed in judicial ethics, described it as a “real stretch” to view Draper’s comments on race and appearance as appropriate under any circumstances. Levenson said she can’t imagine other judges talking like this.

“There’s a lot of training for judges that has happened in the last decade about how you don’t talk about race unless it is a relevant issue,” she said, “and you especially don’t use some of the terms that Judge Draper was using in these hearings.”

Judges need to watch what they say in a courtroom because they need to not only be fair, but appear to be fair, Levenson said.

“He has the ethical obligation to be impartial and how he demonstrates that he’s being impartial is going to be evaluated by how he acts and what he says in the courtroom,” she said. “If you take his words at face value, there certainly would be reason to question how he’s treating people in that courtroom.”

Levenson has reviewed the hearing’s rough transcripts, the charges and Draper’s filed answer to them. She said it appears the commission “bent over backwards” to  give him a fair chance during their “robust” process.

What comes next 

The next step is for the special masters to put together a report of their conclusions for the commission members, which Draper will have a chance to respond to. The special masters won’t make recommendations about discipline.

That choice rests with the commission members. Remember, they brought these charges against Draper and will decide the outcome, likely in a couple of months. Among the options: The commission members could clear him, admonish or censure him, or remove him from office.

Loyola Marymount University is an underwriting sponsor of LAist. Like other funders, it has no influence on coverage.