Occupy L.A.'s chalk protests prompt melee, free-speech debateJuly 14, 2012 | 7:34 am The melee that occurred in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday night over a chalk protest by Occupy L.A. and homeless-rights advocates has raised questions over freedom of speech. A small group of activists gathered at the corner of 5th and Spring streets during the heart of downtown's popular monthly ArtWalk, handing out chalk to passersby and using the sidewalks as their canvas for more anti-gentrification and some anti-police slogans. For reasons that are not entirely clear, clashes began between some activists and LAPD officers, resulting in a...
