Yusra Farzan
has been reporting on lawsuits against LAPD's use of force at protests.
Published December 2, 2025 4:27 PM
LAPD officers form a perimeter during an anti-ICE protest downtown in June.
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Carlin Stiehl
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Topline:
The L.A. City Council voted 8-4 on Tuesday to continue allowing the Los Angeles Police Department to be armed with 40 mm foam bullet launchers and tear gas.
Why it matters: Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez — who asked city leaders to ban the LAPD’s use of 40 mm foam bullet launchers and tear gas — said the police department has deployed the weapons “in ways that should make everyone here on this body pause.” He cited examples of weapons used against journalists and protesters during this summer’s protests against federal immigration activity in L.A.
LAPD responds: Chief Jim McDonnell said taking these weapons away from the officers “puts us in a very bad position relative to city liability and relative to protecting our officers and the public that we serve.”
Read on ... for more about the City Council's decision.
The L.A. City Council voted 8-4 on Tuesday to continue allowing the Los Angeles Police Department to be armed with 40 mm foam bullet launchers and tear gas.
California law enforcement agencies are required to track and publicly document how they use military equipment, including less-lethal bean bag shotgun rounds, drones and armored vehicles, under state law AB 481 passed in 2022. The law also requires city leaders to approve or disapprove military equipment use annually. That vote came in front of the council Tuesday.
Another law passed after the George Floyd protests of 2020 restricted the use of crowd-control weapons, including tear gas and foam bullets, unless specific criteria are met. In 2020, a federal judge also imposed an injunction restricting LAPD’s use of force at protests, citing the “unfortunate history of civil rights violations by LAPD officers.”
Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez — who introduced an amendment asking city leaders to ban the LAPD’s use of 40 mm foam bullet launchers and tear gas — said military equipment use is allowed only in specific instances but that the police department has deployed the weapons “in ways that should make everyone here on this body pause.” He cited examples of weapons used against journalists and protesters during this summer’s protests against federal immigration activity in L.A.
“In recent months, we’ve watched this equipment deployed in ways that echo the same intimidation tactics we condemn in ICE raids — tactics that erode trust and violate basic legal protections,” he said. “Our residents should be able to exercise their rights without being met with [foam] bullets or tear gas.”
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell countered that such weapons are "a de-escalation tool, short of using deadly force. The last thing we want to use is deadly force."
He continued: "Taking a tool like this away from us puts us in a very bad position relative to city liability and relative to protecting our officers and the public that we serve.”
”Rather than be swayed by emotion or swayed by the loud voices of a relative few," McDonnell said Tuesday, "we're here to protect 4 million residents of Los Angeles and all the visitors who come here."
How we got here
After this summer’s anti-ICE protests, the LAPD once again came under scrutiny for its use of foam bullet launchers and tear gas.
An LAist investigation found LAPD used crowd-dispersal tools on people who did not appear to pose a threat and, in some cases, did not appear to be protesting at all. LAist reporters witnessed LAPD officers firing less-lethal munitions into crowds and at protestors running away from police. They did not hear clear warnings about the use of crowd-dispersal weapons during some of the protests and could not locate evidence that adequate warning was provided during subsequent protests.
But at Tuesday’s council meeting, McDonnell said, these weapons are deployed as “a last resort to be able to restore order” and after people have been given time to leave.
The Los Angeles Press Club sued the LAPD after June’s protests, citing violations of journalists’ rights while covering protests. After a judge issued an injunction in that case prohibiting the use of force against journalists, the LAPD filed an emergency motion asking the judge to lift the injunction, stating it required “operationally impracticable standards.” The judge denied the LAPD’s request.
How to watchdog your police department
One of the best things you can do to hold officials accountable is pay attention.
AB 481 requires police departments — including those at transit agencies, school districts and university campuses, sheriff’s departments, district attorney’s offices and probation departments — to provide reports about the use of military equipment.
So how do you know if they're in compliance? It’s simple. Search for the law enforcement agency name and "AB 481" on any search engine, and a public page should pop up. Here’s the LAPD’s.
Costco is now one of the largest companies to sue the Trump administration over tariffs, hoping to secure a refund if the Supreme Court declares the new import duties illegal.
The Supreme Court is weighing the future of President Donald Trump's tariffs on nearly all imports. Justices seemed skeptical about their legality during last month's oral arguments. Lower courts had previously found that Trump had improperly used emergency economic powers to set most of the new levies.
The backstory: Dozens of companies across industries have filed lawsuits to seek refunds in the event that the Supreme Court finds Trump's tariffs illegal. The list includes makeup giant Revlon, the canned-foods maker Bumble Bee and Kawasaki, which makes motorcycles and more. Now Costco has joined the queue.
Costco lawsuit: In its suit filed with the U.S. Court of International Trade, Costco did not specify how much it's already paid in tariffs. But the retail giant worries that even if the Supreme Court eventually unravels Trump's tariff regime, it may not recoup the total costs.
Costco now is one of the largest companies to sue the Trump administration over tariffs, hoping to secure a refund if the Supreme Court declares the new import duties illegal.
The Supreme Court is weighing the future of President Donald Trump's tariffs on nearly all imports. Justices seemed skeptical about their legality during last month's oral arguments. Lower courts previously had found Trump improperly used emergency economic powers to set most of the new levies.
Dozens of companies across industries have filed lawsuits to seek refunds in the event the Supreme Court finds Trump's tariffs illegal. The list includes makeup giant Revlon, the canned foods maker Bumble Bee and Kawasaki, which makes motorcycles and more. Now Costco has joined the queue.
"This is the first time we're seeing big companies take their heads out of the sand publicly," said Marc Busch, a trade law expert at Georgetown University. For the most part, small companies have been leading the legal action against tariffs, he said, adding, "It's nice to finally see some heavyweights joining in the fray."
In its suit filed with the U.S. Court of International Trade, Costco did not specify how much it's already paid in tariffs, but the retail giant worries that even if the Supreme Court eventually unravels Trump's tariff regime, it may not be able to recoup all that money.
Costco executives in May had said that about a third of what is sold in the U.S. comes from abroad, predominantly non-food items.
NPR's Scott Horsley contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 NPR
Frank Stoltze
is a veteran reporter who covers local politics and examines how democracy is and, at times, is not working.
Published December 2, 2025 3:45 PM
L.A. City Hall on April 21.
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Carlin Stiehl
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Topline
The city of Los Angeles has been working on major changes to its charter, which is basically the city’s constitution. The changes could bring sweeping reform to how the city works.
The backstory: The L.A. City Council created a Charter Reform Commission last year after a series of scandals rocked City Hall.
The details: The commission has been meeting for several months on a wide range of topics, including City Council expansion, ranked-choice voting systems and land-use planning changes.
“It is weedy. It is academic. But the charter touches Angelenos’ everyday lives,” said Raymond Meza, who chairs the commission.
Town hall: On Saturday, the commission will hold a town hall meeting in Echo Park in an effort to get more people involved in the process. It will take place outside on the northeast lawn of the park — weather permitting. It's scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
How to get involved: For a list of all upcoming meetings, go here.
There’s also a survey on the commission’s website at reformlacharter.lacity.gov.
The city of Los Angeles has been working on major changes to its charter, which is basically the city’s constitution. The changes could bring sweeping reform to how the city works.
The Los Angeles City Charter Reform Commission has been meeting for several months on a wide range of topics, including City Council expansion, ranked-choice voting systems and land-use planning changes.
“It is weedy. It is academic. But the charter touches Angelenos’ everyday lives,” said Raymond Meza, who chairs the commission.
This week, the commission will host a town hall meeting in Echo Park in an effort to get more people involved in the process. It will take place outside on the northeast lawn of the park — weather permitting.
Despite getting a slow start, the commission is hosting multiple meetings in an effort to meet an April 2 deadline to submit proposals to the City Council. It’ll be up to the council to decide whether to place reform proposals on the ballot next November.
The commission has broken reform down into four subject areas, with committees for each.
They are:
planning and infrastructure
government structure
better government
personnel and budget
“We’re in an exciting moment,” said David Levitus of L.A. Forward, an advocacy group.
“Looking at the charter for reform is long overdue”
Reform Commission
The L.A. City Council created the commission last year after a series of scandals rocked City Hall. Former Councilmember Jose Huizar went to prison on federal corruption charges and secret audio tapes revealed backroom dealing on redistricting.
The panel is made up of four appointees by Mayor Karen Bass, two by the council president and two by the president pro tempore. Those eight selected an additional five through an open application process.
On Thursday, the full commission is expected to take up proposals for a two-year budget cycle and an expedited city hiring process. Advocates of the changes say extending budget planning from one to two years will allow city leaders to better anticipate spending and revenue.
They say the city hiring process is slow and byzantine.
Meza said the Echo Park meeting Saturday is an opportunity for members of the public to learn more about the process and speak at length with commissioners.
“We absolutely want to hear from people what is important to them as residents of the city of Los Angeles when it comes to their expectations of their city government," he said.
A full cold moon rises behind the famous Painted Ladies in San Francisco in December 2022.
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Tayfun Coskun
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Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
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Topline:
Winter 2025–26 will bring a range of exciting space events for skygazers to enjoy, starting this week. Keep reading for what to mark on your calendar as the nights grow long.
What can I see? A bright full moon. One of the year’s best meteor showers. Even a chance to see Jupiter at its most striking.
A full moon at its closest point to Earth: December opens this week with a full moon, dubbed the “Cold Moon,” that also happens to be near perigee: the point in the moon’s elliptical orbit when it’s closest to Earth.
Read on ... for more of the winter's astronomy events.
A bright full moon. One of the year’s best meteor showers. Even a chance to see Jupiter at its most striking.
Winter 2025–26 will bring a range of exciting space events for skygazers to enjoy, starting this week. Keep reading for what to mark on your calendar as the nights grow long.
A full moon at its closest point to Earth
When to see: Thursday
December opens this week with a full moon, dubbed the “Cold Moon,” that also happens to be near perigee: the point in the moon’s elliptical orbit when it’s closest to Earth.
That proximity on Dec. 4 makes the moon appear slightly larger and brighter. But should we be calling it a “supermoon” too?
“That’s a very misleading term,” said Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer and professor at the University of San Francisco’s Fromm Institute — one of the astronomers who rolls their eyes at this particular label.
This is because the average stargazer “cannot tell the difference between full moons that are regular or super: a complaint people sometimes have about cheap burger places, too,” Fraknoi said.
Still, whatever you want to call this event, this week brings a good excuse to appreciate our nearest celestial neighbor.
Day-to-night time-lapse panorama of downtown San Francisco with full moon.
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The Geminids meteor shower, with a moon-free show
When to see: Dec. 13 and 14
The Geminids meteor shower is considered one of the most reliable meteor displays of the year — and sometimes, it’s the most spectacular too.
This winter, conditions are nearly perfect to view the Geminids, since the shower peaks overnight around midnight on Dec. 13 and 14, but the moon won’t rise until around 2 a.m., according to the American Meteor Society. That means the skies will be wonderfully dark during the evening and just past midnight.
Long exposure of the sky taken during a past Geminids meteor shower.
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Courtesy of Asim Patel
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The Geminids are fragments shed from an asteroid-like object called 3200 Phaeton, which often produces bright, colorful meteors. And with the peak happening on a weekend this year, families can bundle up, find a dark spot away from city lights and look up without worrying about school the next morning.
Another reason to stay up for the Geminids: The next major meteor shower, the Quandratids on Jan. 3 and 4, are predicted to be largely washed out by a full moon.
The winter solstice
When to see: Dec. 21
This one may be less something to “see,” but the solstice is still a momentous milestone for winter: marking the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
Astronomers believe that billions of years ago, Earth collided with a mini planet called Theia, which caused our planet to tilt by 23 degrees — giving our globe its seasons. “The Earth was in a traffic accident and has never been able to straighten out,” Fraknoi said.
After Dec. 21, daylight slowly begins its long climb back toward summer — good news for anyone who doesn’t enjoy the deep, dark nights of winter.
A teenage girl uses the astronomy telescope to observe the stars on a cold winter night.
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Earth at perihelion
When to see: Jan. 3
On Day 3 of 2026, at around 9:15 a.m. PST, our planet will be at “perihelion” — that is, at its closest to the sun.
To many who aren’t on the lookout, the sun may just look the same as any other day. But it will actually appear slightly larger than any other day in the year.
A fun fact: At perihelion, the Earth receives 7% more solar energy than when the planet is at its farthest from the sun.
Jupiter at opposition
When to see: Throughout January
Just after the New Year, Jupiter reaches opposition — the moment when the giant planet sits directly opposite the sun in our sky. As the sun sets, Jupiter rises and stays visible all night long, making the planet exceptionally bright in January.
NASA’s Juno mission captured this view of Jupiter’s southern hemisphere during the spacecraft’s 39th close flyby of the planet on Jan. 12, 2022.
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Courtesy of NASA
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Since Jupiter reflects sunlight well, “it will be a brilliant point in the sky, easy to find with the naked eye,” Fraknoi said.
And with a small telescope, you can even try to spot Jupiter’s moons. “Galileo’s first small telescope revealed four big moons orbiting Jupiter, forever destroying the notion that everything has to go around the Earth,” Fraknoi said. And this winter, these moons will be widely spaced and easy for you to see.
Makenna Sievertson
has been covering the case and attending federal hearings in downtown L.A. since at least March 2024.
Published December 2, 2025 3:26 PM
A pedestrian walks past Los Angeles City Hall. L.A. authorities are expected to appear at a federal court hearing Tuesday.
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Allen J. Schaben
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Getty Images
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Topline:
Los Angeles authorities appeared Tuesday at a federal court hearing where a judge is considering whether to hold the city in contempt.
It’s the latest step in a long-running legal saga focused on the city's response to the region’s homelessness crisis.
Why now: The hearing was ordered by U.S. District Judge David O. Carter, who has been overseeing a settlement in a lawsuit brought against the city by the L.A. Alliance for Human Rights, a group of downtown business and property owners.
The backstory: The contempt-of-court hearing started nearly two weeks ago but was paused until Tuesday, after the Thanksgiving holiday and when more witnesses could appear in person.
Read on ... for more about the hearing.
Los Angeles authorities appeared Tuesday at a federal court hearing where a judge is considering whether to hold the city in contempt.
It’s the latest step in a long-running legal saga focused on the city's response to the region’s homelessness crisis.
The hearing was ordered by U.S. District Judge David O. Carter, who has been overseeing a settlement in a lawsuit brought against the city by the L.A. Alliance for Human Rights, a group of downtown business and property owners.
L.A. Alliance sued the city and county in 2020, accusing both of failing to adequately address homelessness by providing enough shelter and housing for thousands of unhoused people.
The contempt-of-court hearing started nearly two weeks ago but was paused until Tuesday, after the Thanksgiving holiday and when more witnesses could appear in person.
Two witnesses testified during Tuesday’s hours-long hearing: a deputy chief with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority and a former policy advisor for the L.A. Alliance. They largely fielded detailed questions about the settlement, their respective responsibilities in each organization, data reporting and the definitions of relevant terms such as "encampment" and "offer of shelter."
Other witnesses are expected to testify throughout the hearing, including Matt Szabo, the L.A. city administrative officer, who may be called to the stand Thursday.
How we got here
The contempt hearing is expected to cover whether the city has complied with court orders and provided regular updates to the court under the settlement agreement reached in 2022.
Carter said in a Nov. 14 order that he’s concerned “the city has demonstrated a continuous pattern of delay” in meeting its obligations under court orders. He said he’s concerned the “delay continues to this day.”
Attorneys for the city have pushed back against the hearing, filing objections with the judge and making an unsuccessful emergency request with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals last month to block it from happening. City authorities also asked the appeals court to press pause on the judge’s order to appoint a monitor in the case to make sure the city stays on track with the settlement.
