Dear friends, check out some of the work we have been doing!
Tuesday’s (3/15) Webinar was a continuation of our deep dive into the report, Automating Banishment: The Surveillance and Policing of Looted Land, with Tuesday covering Part 4 of the report. Deshonay Dozier, Shakeer Rahman, alongside Paul Boden of WRAP and Pancake, General Dogon, and Natosha of LA CAN, participated in an INCREDIBLE discussion about the history of containment, banishment, and neglect that have long characterized policing and governance of Skid Row.
On Wednesday (3/16), the War on Youth Work Group met to debrief about our fight against the Targeted Violence Terrorism Prevention grant and develop next steps in building power among educators and students. We also developed Public Records Act Requests to gain more information about the LAPD Providing Alternatives to Hinder Extremism program.
On Thursday (3/17), the Coalition alongside LA CAN and Streetwatch, supported JTown Action & Solidarity in a sweep defense at Toriumi Plaza in Little Tokyo. The sweep, ordered by mayoral candidate Kevin de Leon, violently displaced the unhoused community members. His staff gleefully stood by while people’s belongings were destroyed, and no permanent housing solutions were offered to our unhoused neighbors. This manifestation of the city’s campaign of banishment was capped off by a large police presence pushing community members out, 20 hours after the initial sweep. Emboldened by this recent act of violence, we will continue to organize and fight to dismantle and abolish the police state that seeks to remove us.
On Friday (3/18), the Coalition held a rehearsal for our LIVE 10 year Anniversary Fundraiser next week. We are so excited to present a fun, heartwarming, and donation-inducing show with our beloved Stop LAPD Spying family. Click here to register for the LIVE event on Friday March 25th at 6pm, if you haven’t already. You can donate ahead of the fundraiser date here. This fundraiser will be hosted in partnership with Resource Generation LA. We hope to see you then!
To plug in with any of the work groups listed above, or for more information about the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition, email us at stoplapdspying@gmail.com.
If you or your organization are interested in hosting a teach-in or discussion regarding our report please fill out this google form.