Black Lives Matter protesters call for dismissal of LAPD Chief Beck
Everything that happened at yesterday’s protest
UCI’s Black Student Union and the L.A. Black Lives Matter charter unified to protest the Race and Policing symposium’s, keynote speaker L.A. police Chief Charlie Beck.
Despite the intense heat on Friday afternoon, protesters came together in a circle holding signs saying, “LAPD has murdered 695 since 2000,” and “Fire Beck.” They chanted as a single voice, “Line up. Resist. Put those killer cops in jail, the whole damn system is guilty as hell.”
Trevor Gerard and Shayon Fall of the Los Angeles Black Lives Matter stressed the importance of a peaceful protest. Getting their message across was the goal despite presence of the UCI College Republicans. Shayon Fall said they wanted to focus on “uplifting the UCI BSU’s abolishing police campaign demand” as well as “fire beck.”
With the final preparations finished, the protesters went around the student center and under the bridge to ring road as they chanted, “Hey, Hey! Ho, Ho! These racist cops have got to go!”
They were met with resistance from the UCI College Republicans who chanted, “Who will replace LAPD.?” Their voices, however, where muffled by “No Justice, No Peace. Take it to the streets and fuck the police.”
This small group would often be seen in the back claiming that “All lives matter.”
On several occasions tension would rise despite plans for peaceful protest. Several demonstrators clashed with the UC Irvine College Republicans and tore several of their posters. The Los Angeles Black Lives Matter group were quick to separate their own members and deescalate the situation.
Protesters chanted loudly but kept silent regarding any questions from the media until the end. However, the College Republicans were quick to speak their mind. They argued that no police meant anarchy and chaos and believed protesters “were not being sensical.”
“Look up Roland Fryer,” said Andrew who was wearing a red “Make America Great Again” hat. He looked to the camera and he urged “viewers at home” to look up black Harvard Economist Roland Fryer who, according to him, had come up with data refuting that blacks were killed by police more than whites.
As protesters outside called for the dismissal of Chief Beck, a silent protest took place inside the UCI Student Center Pacific Ballroom. The silent activists stood against the wall and held signs with names of the lives that were killed in police shootings.
In response, Chief Beck stated:
“Many of them are still under investigation…we police a city that can be a violent city, to expect the police to police a violent society with the absence of violence is unreasonable. We want to limit it and make sure we do it better”.
Demonstrators waited for his speech to end before shouting the names of those killed in police shootings. Beck, however, made a quick exit.
Gaby Hernandez, a representative from the Chicans Unidos of Orange County, who had been inside the symposium expressed that Chief Beck hasn’t taken a stand to hold his officers accountable and keep their residents safe.
“More than 5,000 innocent people have been killed by police since 2000,” she claimed.
After two hours under the sun protesting, walking, and chanting their concerns, the demonstrators gathered one final time in front of the student center.
“It is our duty to fight for freedom” they chanted.
Shayon Fall is encouraging students to attend the Race and Policing symposium which is now open to the public. He said that despite Los Angeles police Chief Beck leaving, they were able to protest peacefully and their message had gotten across.