Police raid in Oakwood
Submitted by Paul T on Tue, 02/19/2008 - 11:46am.
Police raid in Oakwood
At least 19 members and associates of the Venice Shoreline Crips, the dominant gang in the Oakwood area, were arrested by the LAPD this morning in that area, Richard Winton will soon report. Police say the sweep was one of the biggest Westside anti-gang operations in years.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2008/02/police-raid-in.html#more
http://mobile.latimes.com/detail.jsp?key=145769&rc=local&full=1
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Where is the public outrage?
I heard 19 homes were raided and there were no arrests except for some homeless people. How accurate is this report? Why is the fact 19 homes filled with elderly and children and no gang members in residence not recieving more attention & public outrage? These raid were staged to kick to poor out of Venice so money can be made. Are their no journalists that work for the benefit of community anymore? No lawyers who work to investigate injustice? Guess not
Outrage for what?
Dear Anonymous,
You seem to be misinformed. The LAPD arrested gang members and seized guns and drugs. It should come as no surprise that drug selling occurs in Oakwood and we should be grateful for the LAPD deciding to not ignore the problem any longer.
The raids were not staged to kick poor people out of Venice. Do you have any idea how many people oversee the operations of the police department? This raid was a long overdue law enforcement operation. Period.
Paul T.
It's funny they make is
It's funny they make is sound as if they've really "cleaned up something". Can you please talk about the raid that took place and how you put shotguns/guns to the heads and chests of elderly men/women. Knocking down doors looking for ""members and associates" that were already behind bars, that have been on the run for years and have not been to the homes that you raided. That you didn't in fact arrest 19 individuals and the few that you were after 1/2 still remain at large. That you are trying to take property of residents whom have been in Venice for 35 - 55 years for your own personal gain. As they asked at the town meeting last night "where's the media and the cameras when you're not being glorified"? Why are you following young black men and women that have nothing to do with the "gang" of Venice, people that go to work and school everyday to pay taxes just like everyone else in the city. Our families worked and slaved for the property we own in Venice and just like we told you last night, you can say and do what you want, but "WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED". Why would you have a 79 year old woman down on the ground with a gun to her head telling her not to move, then take her outside at 5:43 in the morning to look for her grandson that has been in custody at the LA County jail for two months? Why were there no addresses on your search warrants? What part of what you all did was legitimate?
Can we talk about why they are trying so hard to take the property of the seniors? True some parolees use their families addresses to be parolled to, but if they don't where would they suggest we send them? They send our kids away for petty crimes and tack on 10 - 20 years, they give less to murderers of other races, then place them on parole and tell us they we can't let them come home? Where are they supposed to go? They raided homes of parollees that work all day and obide by the rules set, arresting them for having affiliation. Our families were born and raised here, there are generations of us here...what is it all really about? Do you plan to do this to the hispanic gangs that come in to Venice and stir up wars by shooting innocent children? You've known about the Culver City war for quite some time now and how they shoot anything black moving...does that mean you'll do a deporting sweep in their neighborhood to rid the streets of their violence or is their property value not worth your while???
The issue here is not black
The issue here is not black or brown. Our youth are both criminalized by the state, although our experiences may be different, historically and until this day, we both share a common struggle against racial and class injustice. Just look at the prison population. Always laws and authorities have served to subjugate our communities rather than protect them, and they feed on black and brown rivalary. Gang violence--black on black, brown on brown, black on brown and brown on black--and the state that leaves no other path for our youth are our common enemies.It is during moments like this that we need to come together instead of dividing ourselves based on: "What about the Latinos?" Latinos and their families get harrassed, beat and killed by the cops just like Blacks do. Just last week a teenager was killed by cops in East LA for ridding his bike, right before that another teen in that same area had been beat by the cops. When we call the cops for "help" instead we are the ones that are interrogated and taken to jail. Some of our family members can't even go to work in peace due to fear of getting caught in an ICE raid and getting deported, despite the fact that immigrants documented or not are the backbone of our economy and that we as a people have been here for centuries. It is not a matter of searching for who has it worst off. All working class people of color are subject to state repression and dehumanization, the education system does not respresent us nontheless educate us, the economy exploits our work, and politicans and police officers, regardless of their race, as well as the government and the media at large demonize us and fabricate news to blame us for the injustices committed against us. So, instead we should be asking: "What about affluent white communities?" The bottom line is that the operation ordered by Delgadillo was racsit, classist and downright wrong. The results say it all. Lets come together as a community. We need eachothers efforts and contributions if we trully want to bring about justice and overall change in our communities.
peace and respect!
xochiquetzal
Conplicit
I am a White Male. My first night in Venice. My very first night, I was awoken at 3 am by armed bounty hunters who had surrounded the house I was renting and demanded that I come out side. Lying on the floor terrified, I called 911 and did not arrive until the police arrived. When the police arrived, they examined the documents held by the bounty hunters and they too demanded that I come outside believing that I was whomever they were looking for.
When I was able to produce documents that persuaded all that I was not the was not the "black" male they were looking for, the police pressed me to open up my home and prove that I was not harboring this so called fugitive. After what seemed like forever, they all left. I went to Pacific Division to launch a complaint and was told that bounty hunters in Oakwood were common and that several wanted criminals had given addresses of friends, parents, whomever so they personally would not get caught.
While I sympathize with the seniors, we are equally held hostage by their drug dealing relatives who parade the street fearlessly with their nextel phones pushing others off the sidewalks.
One Month ago, a criminal made a run from Broadway, jumped into my backyard and tried to stash his gun before the police arrested him.
This is not Brentwood.......all those that live here and do nothing are complicit
Complicit- You should speak
Complicit-
You should speak with an attorney immediately! The conduct of the bounty hunters was criminal, violating the Penal Code of the State of California: Section 602/Trespassing, Section 418/Forcible Entry, and most importantly, Section 236/False Imprisonment, as well as possibly Section 182/Conspiracy, since they obviously planned and acted in concert. It is despicable that the police, whom you called to enforce these laws, did not perform their duty and enforce these laws, but instead decided to join in with the criminals. The CA Attorney Generals office handles these complaints, and here is the link: http://ag.ca.gov/consumers/pdf/complaint_form_law_enforcement.pdf
Also, immediately speak with a personal injury lawyer and obtain remedy for your injuries. You clearly have been victimized by terrorists in your own home, and if you don't take action...who's home is next?
Meeting at Oakwood Rec
I understand there will be a meeting at the Oakwood Rec center tonight at 6pm for those interested in getting more information about the police raids today.
Now we need to have the
Now we need to have the illegal can recycling center on the N/W CORNER OF 6th and Broadway abated.
The renters provide an illegal service for the drug using homeless to obtain money for crack from the cans they swipe from our city containers. One stop shop for Cash and Drugs on the same corner.