Simone WilsonSee also: “Faces of Occupy L.A: The Student, the Actor, the Addict, the Vet.”
Update: The protesters were reportedly trying to cash a jumbo check for $673 billion, made out to the “People of California.” Photo at bottom of post.
According to a Twitter account representing multiple L.A. workers unions (who are definitely a driving force behind the whole Ocuppy movement), 11 arrests were made today at the Bank of America.
However, LAPD media relations says there were only 10 — all for “trespassing at B of A.” A police spokeswoman says the arrestees were all “very peaceful, very cooperative.”
@OccupyLA posted a photo of the LAPD intervention:
“People being booked & escorted to police van.”; Credit: @OccupyLA via Twitter
The occupation of the Bank of America lobby was the finale to a march that started at California Plaza and is ending — as we speak — with a retreat to the L.A. City Hall encampment, where they'll surely be welcomed with open arms by City Councilmembers, who've asked them to stay for “as long as they need.” (Occupy L.A.'s kumbayatic relationship with LAPD, however, given these most recent events, might be a little more strained from here on out. Much like the NYPD sitch over on Wall Street. Although the labor unions did later Tweet, “Thank you, LAPD police … for respecting protestors and those arrested.”)
From the protest's event description:
Over 1000 homeowners will be marching through the street into the offices of a major bank and demanding that “Wall Street Banks Pay”.
@LALabor claimed there were “thousands” of protesters downtown for today's scheduled march straight into the heart of modern-day darkness — to the banks, and banksters, that got us into this economic crisis — though it could be more like upper hundreds.
Pasadena homeowner Rose Gudiel pulled a similar stunt yesterday: a sit-in at the headquarters of mortgage financier Fannie Mae. Just like 10 unlucky Occupy LAers today, Gudiel was arrested, along with her mother and seven supporters. She's since been bailed out, and joined Occupy downtown this morning to keep fighting for her home back.
Update: Here's a close-up of the check, snapped right before the brave 10 were hauled off to the station.
“LA protestors occupying #BofA lobby before arrests.”; Credit: @LALabor via Twitter
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