LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Dozens of people are gathering in Echo Park to protest the removal of a large homeless encampment. By 5:40 p.m. Thursday a huge crowd lingered with signs and sit-downs in the streets, causing police to issue a help call during the demonstration.
After several hundred demonstrators faced off with police the day before, Los Angeles officials confirmed Thursday morning that Echo Park Lake is being closed for an unknown amount of time in order to remove the large-scale homeless encampment there.
The population has until 10:30 p.m. Thursday to move, police said.
L.A. City Councilman Mitch O’Farrell confirmed in an early morning statement Thursday that Echo Park Lake had been closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic. City contractors Wednesday began installing fencing around the park.
“The Echo Park facility has devolved into a very dangerous place for everyone there: drug overdoses, sexual and physical assaults, self-styled leaders taxing homeless individuals and vendors, animal abuse, families without shelter in the colder weather, and last fall shootings where one homeless individual was shot in the leg by gang members while children stood nearby,” O’Farrell said in a statement. “There have been four deaths in the park over the last year.”
Beginning Wednesday morning and lasting into Wednesday night, hundreds of people rallied against the plan to temporarily close Echo Park Lake in order to remove the large-scale encampment and clean up an estimated $500,000 in damage.
The protests prompted Los Angeles police Wednesday night to order a citywide tactical alert. Video showed pushing and shoving between the two sides and police issued a dispersal order and declared the demonstration an unlawful assembly a little before 10:30 p.m.
The tactical alert was lifted at around 1:25 a.m. Thursday. In a statement, the LAPD said that the protest remained “largely peaceful,” and said that no tear gas was used. One person was arrested on charges of failing to comply with orders from a police officer.
LAPD Statement Regarding Shutdown of Echo Park pic.twitter.com/zesTqYAx3N — LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) March 25, 2021
In January and February of 2020, the city attempted similar cleanup efforts that were also met with large protests. L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti claimed Wednesday that although there were about 120 tents left in the park, there were only 19 people living there as of last week. Homeless advocates called the forced move unjust and said it represents the larger issues surrounding L.A.’s homeless crisis.
“What we learned last year when we fought is that the vast majority of people get it, they get it, they get that they could be in this situation, that that could be your mother or your brother, and they support us,” Ayman Ahmed with Echo Park Rises Up told CBSLA Tuesday.
“They want these people out of here, out of the park, yeah, they’re going to get involved just to go to a hotel,” community activist Carlos Marroquin said Wednesday. “But what happens after that? Those vouchers are not permanent, they’re temporary.”
O’Farrell did not provide a date for when the park will be reopened to the public.
“Once the assessment of damages in the park and the necessary repairs are completed, an update will be provided on when the park will reopen to the public,” his news release read.
PuerAureum on March 25th, 2021 at 22:24 UTC »
There is no easy solution in my eyes. I have worked as a volunteer handing out meals to the homeless in LA, and I also have a lot of experience with manipulative drug addicts in my own personal life. From my volunteer work, I can tell you that some have true mental problems, some are down on their luck and need a break, and some just want to be homeless and left alone. A vast majority, tho, are addicts who don't want to do anything besides abuse substances and have zero responsibilities besides getting lit. These are also the ones who become the "self-styled leaders" and bully the rest of the population. Those people don't want help, they generally don't even want your money because the state will give them plenty to buy cheap drugs. For example, you can sign up for food stamps, go to the grocery store, buy a bottle of water, and get the rest of your EBT balance back IN CASH. This is why we have so few beggars in LA, relative to the homeless population itself.
There is no easy answer to the issue, but we have to separate the people who genuinely need and want help vs. those who are just trying to keep getting high. My mother went through rehab, my BIL is one of the reprobates who has a home to go to but prefers doing drugs on the streets and occasionally pretending like he's going to go to rehab for actual help, and my sister is checking in to a rehab today. You know what the common denominator is for sobriety? Take away their access to creature comforts and cash, they go running for rehab.
Again, there is no easy solution. Temporary housing, to me sounds like a nightmare to maintain. There will be people who will be so grateful, make the most of their situation, and hopefully level up. There will also be people who will piss, shit, and bleed all over them, not to mention trash them in other ways.
I know Los Angeles has a bright future where this is addressed properly, but I don't know what the best course of action is in the meantime.
Necrosaynt on March 25th, 2021 at 14:53 UTC »
Now do Venice, my friend got robbed there just walking down the broadwalk in plain daylight.
2WAR on March 25th, 2021 at 14:43 UTC »
So is the boat rides closed today?
EDIT: This was serious question, I called and it kept going to voicemail -_-