Report from October 22nd, 2006 with Some Constructive Criticism I was really looking forward to the rally this year because of the different groups that were part of the organizing besides just the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP). They have this rally every year and it seems that after 9/11, every year it gets smaller. I remember at one time we were all showered with rubber bullets and it was on the newspaper and the next year the crowd was shrinking while police brutality was increasing and innocent lives were unjustly taken away by police and people were even getting deported. This year the October 22nd march was very small, but there was a lot of punk and anarchist youth there. The thing I most anticipated was seeing Austin and Joaquin speak and do a skit with other Cop Watch Los Angeles members. Every year I get really tired of seeing the same old MC’s repeating the same old slogans and chants. It was good seeing some different speakers and all. I know it’s important to have family members up on stage that lost their lives to the police, but I think it’s important for us to also show some victories. Like having lawyers speak onstage who won a case against police abuse. Another thing about this rally that I liked was seeing a poet on stage. I was told that at the rally people would break off and have different workshops and teach-ins, but I guess that didn’t happened and the focus was on stage again. I did think this rally was powerful but here are some of my constructive criticisms: - CAMPUS OUTERACH: I used to see a lot of college students, campus organizations (like MECHA, Asian Student Clubs, Black Student Union from San Diego, Orange County, Long Beach, Riverside, UCLA, etc.) I was told that people who used to organize Oct. 22nd left and they are doing other things. I think that Oct 22nd should form a committee that goes to these different college campuses and high school campuses to do mass outreach, so next year we can bring them all out. -COMMUNITY OUT REACH: We need to go door to door in our neighborhood and flyer and talk to our neighbors. There are so many people who are not involved with the movement and are sick and tired of police oppression. We need to bring our neighbors and friends out. -SIGNS: For past ten years (every year I go to the march)– I’m really getting tired of the same old slogans on the banners like “Stop Police Brutality”, “FUCK LAPD”, or “End Police Oppression”. What we need to do is blow up pictures of cops who kill innocent people and make a banner with their full names and badge numbers. Their faces should be known, along with their full name. -Taking the struggle to a higher level: Next step should be organizing a rally in front of their houses so their neighbors will know. Most of these cops live in Northridge, Palmdale and Simi Valley. Get their full names and do some research and organize a protest in front of their house. Just imagine the killer cops coming home every night after work worried that the people know where they live. This is a tactic that was used by many animal rights groups who protested in front of the vivisectors’ houses so the people in that community knows what kind of cruel person lives in that area. -Bringing lawyers to the next October 22nd. Like I said, I have much respect for the families coming out and sharing their stories of their love ones. I saw family members in tears on stage because of their lost ones. I would like to see victories as well, because there has been many cases progressive ally, radical and revolutionary lawyers have won. And I’m not just talking about civil rights cases. Even in Animal Rights there have been victories. Sometimes I feel helpless just hearing about us getting killed and jailed. These is a very important part of people becoming conscious, but at the same time we need to hear of victories that we’ve won in court and in the streets, because we are winning at the same time that we are struggling. -DIFFERENT SPEAKERS- Next year I would like to see more youth speakers. I have much respect for elders and their long work on activism. But I am very interested on knowing what the youth is doing right now. There are many different youth groups and high school groups that exist that did not make it to the October 22nd rally. -Panther? None of the original Los Angeles Black Panther Party was at the march this year. I remember going to the first one and all the Panthers and CAPA (Coalition Against Police Abuse) members came to this. When I talked to CAPA a couple years ago – they had many disagreements with October 22nd. We need to let them know that RCP is not the only OCT 22nd organizers (and are not really involved in any of the Oct. 22nd Organizing in Los Angeles anymore) so they can all come back out. -DIVERSITY ON STAGE. Sometimes people don’t want to see speakers after speakers talking about themselves. We need diversity. Speakers are important but this year we had a poet and live hip hop which was good. I personally would like to see Aztlan Underground back on stage. They did perform a couple years ago, and not just have hip hop, but punk bands as well (have bands play two songs on stage). I mean this year’s march there was a lot of young punks and new punk band members. These kids should be on stage. The 60’s movement was powerful because of the music, art, literature, poetry, and diversity. ALL POWER TO THE PeOPLE!!! Watch these videos if you think police brutality does not exist in L.A. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVW5_PJHzR4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9hS0ZhpFPA If you've been a victim of police terror contact Cop Watch: http://www.copwatchla.org/ This is a video that everyone should watch.  What to do if you are stopped by the police while driving, waitiing for the bus or even throwing a party at your pad. BUSTED - The Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NmC5wHfCdM