LAPD brass and officers have shown enormous respect and restraint in handling city hall occupiers and downtown protest marches.
Sure there have been some minor street battles and arrests. But Occupy L.A. has none of the rancor and brutality that has marked OWS in New York and Oakland.
Occupiers seem more comfortable and trusting of civic authorities here than they do in other cities.
Let’s keep it that way.
Politicians, police and protesters can thank the Southern California labor movement – no stranger to “street heat" and other militant actions – for helping to maintain calm. L.A. union activists are pretty good mentors. They know how to apply pressure but still maintain mature and productive relations with elected officials and law enforcement.
LAPD Chief Charlie Beck earns high marks for his composure and for insisting that his officers employ minimal force when faced with crowd control and civil disobedience. Mayor Villaraigosa praised LAPD’s handling of the recent protest for its “world-class professionalism.”
(The only outlier among L.A.’s political leaders appears to be City Attorney Carmen Trutanich who has an overtly belligerent posture toward protesters in general).
Of course, the real test will come if and when occupiers are asked to relocate.
A rainy winter could incentivize a mass evacuation. But because downtown temperatures never drop below freezing, it’s hard to imagine unprovoked occupiers picking up their tents and going home.