Posted on 05/04/2007 3:32:17 PM PDT by SmithL
Los Angeles (AP) -- Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa cut short a trade mission to Mexico to return home Friday amid angry criticism of city police who clashed with protesters and journalists.
Villaraigosa's decision underscored the seriousness of the fallout from Tuesday's melee in MacArthur Park, where police beat reporters and demonstrators with batons and fired more than 240 rubber bullets into a crowd that included children. Officers say they responded after being pelted by rocks and bottles.
No one was seriously hurt but images of officers swinging batons and knocking people to the ground have been played repeatedly on cable TV newscasts, ramping up the pressure on Villaraigosa to return from the trade mission.
Villaraigosa planned an afternoon news conference to talk about the incident, which is the focus of four investigations, including one by the FBI.
State legislators, immigration activists and others gathered Friday at MacArthur Park to denounce police conduct during the altercation, which occurred at the end of a large immigrant rights demonstration.
"There are no excuses, a simple apology is not going to suffice," said state Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, a Democrat and close ally of the mayor. "To say we are outraged is an understatement. We want those responsible in the highest levels of the LAPD to pay consequences."
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
So???? Now they want the Police to pull out of Los Angeles? Those people were told to move out. Yes it was in english......this is not Mexico. If they couldn’t understand english, it’s not the police departments problem. They did their job.
Villie upset over illegals... Wow! Who’da guessed???
the report is not QUITE accurate. After Mexico he was supposed to deliver more brown bags to high officials in El Salvador also.
Why did the Mayor leave any way..he knew this was coming up, and it was important to his heritage, and city..he wants it all 100% illegals..
I think he thinks MS 13 pulled a double cross by mixing it up with LAPD. A Southern Double Cross.
He pulled out because arch rival Fabian Nunez has been scoring political points in his backyard.
Bill Handel had a good observation this morning. That Mayor Teeth could score some real points if he came back via the Rio Grande like his constituents.
What business does a city mayor have visiting foreign countries, anyway ?
City mayors keep saying immigration is the Federal government’s job and they refuse to spend any resources assisting. But it’s OK for them to meddle in Foreign Relations ?
LOL! Los Angeles.
"There are no excuses. A simple apology is not going to suffice," said state Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez. "To say we are outraged is an understatement. We want those responsible in the highest levels of the LAPD to pay consequences."
Nunez said the department's handling of the rally should be considered in determining whether Bratton should be given another five-year contract.
"I don't think you heard anybody say Chief Bratton is immune to any of this," Nunez said.
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Democratic Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, who represents the park district, said police deliberately led troublemakers back to the peaceful marchers before beginning their assault.
"The only logical conclusion I can come to is that somebody wanted it to bleed into the march so that they can do some target practice on some of the immigrants that were marching," Nunez said.
Fabian is a POS.
A million dollar bruise on a ten dollar breast...
The Mexican mayor of Mexican Los Angeles should get his flock of natives under control....as we watch Southern California go down the crapper. Viva La Raza, eh Ville??
“Democratic Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, who represents the park district, said police deliberately led troublemakers back to the peaceful marchers before beginning their assault.”
Yeah? Was that before or after the police were deliberately assaulted with urine filled bottles?
I pondered the day this happened....was this preplanned so this freakin' so called mayor could *cough* ride in on his white horse to save the day??
I think he must have had extremely important business in Salvador and Mexico to skip the media event. IMHO only.
Well he IS a VIP, ya know.
Governs a big city, albeit mostly slum, AND do not EVER forget....*heh* he cleans your TOILETS!!!!
He left cuz he knew there would be trouble.
Ya THINK?
Those people, from what I heard on the news, appeared to be infiltrators. They didn’t dress like nor act like the regular ILLEGAL immigrants.
To me, it reeks of set up.
Yeah, I am that cynical.
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