Protest Rally Near UCLA Leads to Arrests

Written by City News Service
Participants in a protest rally conducted near UCLA Friday by the union representing University of California hospital workers blocked a major Westwood intersection during afternoon rush hour, resulting in the arrests of at least two dozen people.
The demonstration organized by AFSCME Local 3299 began about 2:30 p.m. Marchers proceeded to the intersection of Wilshire and Westwood boulevards, where between 25 and 40 protesters sat down in the middle of the intersection in an pre-planned act of civil disobedience, according to Los Angeles police.

Police gave the order to disperse about 4 p.m., and the protesters who were blocking the street waited for officers to begin making arrests.
"The union worked with us and gave us the names of about 40 people who they said were going to engage in civil disobedience," said LAPD Sgt. A. Bone, watch commander at West L.A. Division.
"We told them if they gave us the names, it would speed their release once we put them on the bus and transported them for processing," Bone added.
Asked shortly before 5 p.m. when the protest would be finished and the intersection reopened to traffic, Bone said, "I don't know how long it will take for us to finish the arrests and put the people onto a bus."
Bone also said the LAPD used officers from the Metro Division to handle the rally and demonstration.
"They (command staff) didn't want to tax the resources here at West L.A. for this," Bone said.
The remaining protesters, who included Sen. Ted Lieu, D-Redondo Beach, left the street after the order to disperse was given and stood on the sidewalk watching the arrests begin, according to reports from the scene.
The protest stemmed from a stalemate in contract talks between AFSCME and the University of California over pensions, wages and claims by the union that UC medical facilities are understaffed and poorly managed, according to the union's website.
A UC representative previously countered that staffing levels at UC medical facilities have risen over the last five years.