.@GavinNewsom just vetoed a bill passed by legislators to protect reporters who cover protests.
It would've barred law enforcement "from intentionally assaulting, interfering with or obstructing these duly authorized representatives." #SB629
SB 629 would've been a great signal for Newsom to send to Californians that he stands up for the #FirstAmendment.
Aside from protecting journalists from bodily harm, the bill would've made clear they can keep reporting after a dispersal order is called without harassment.
Indeed, Newsom says media access to protests "is essential to a functioning democracy" but he fears giving access to those who may pose a "security risk."
Listen, the pros I've met covering protests can take the hits.
Here's @chrismatography (who shoots for @AP) getting chemical irritant washed out of his eyes. The photo was taken by @LAist@LATaco contributor @bfeinzimer who himself got hurt that night from flash bang explosions
Do you want these journalists to keep getting hit by less-lethal munitions from law enforcement, while reporting from American streets? @GavinNewsom
I'm so grateful for these brave journalists, more than I can name here, who are working into the night when I've made it home.
I fell into covering protests & rallies. I offered to work wknds during covid. I'm usually on Asian Am issues.
Since George Floyd was killed, I've reported near-weekly from events for Black lives & for Pres. Trump.
All I can say is I've never been hurt by any civilians.
You can read Newsom's veto response here. He says he plans to work with the Legislature and implement advisors' recs on protecting journalists & legal observers and "am encouraging every California law enforcement agency to do the same." Pls work fast, thx gov.ca.gov/wp-content/upl…
As it is now, a reporter covering protests could be forced to leave a public sidewalk even before law enforcement calls an unlawful assembly. It happened to @ShotOn35mm in LA.
There's never been a complete list of the people of Japanese descent incarcerated during WWII.
So a team of scholars & volunteers scoured 10's of 1000's of historical documents to come up with all the names — a way to give them back their identities. laist.com/news/wwii-monu…
In news stories, we use the estimate "more than 120,000" when describing the number of Japanese Am's and nationals incarcerated during WWII.
The team has now confirmed 125,284 people by name. The list is printed in a 1,000-page book that will be @jamuseum for the next year.
The team thinks they've got the list 99.5% right but to get it to 100% they're asking survivors and descendants to offer any corrections/omissions.
Aside from the "Book of Names," there's a searchable database going live this weekend: ireizo.com.
Dr. John Cheng, the 52-yr-old man killed in the Laguna Woods shooting yesterday, had tried to disarm the gunman. Other parishioners were able to then hogtie the suspect. "W/o the actions of Dr. Chang, it is no doubt that there have been numerous additional victims in this crime."
OC Sheriff say it's believed the suspect David Chou "was upset about political tensions between China and Taiwan" when he attacked the Taiwanese American Presbyterian congregation in Laguna Woods on Sunday, killing 1 and wounding 5.
FBI has opened a federal hate crimes investigation into Laguna Woods shooting to determine what type of fed'l charges can be brought against David Chou b/c "we have discovered evidence that the individual was motivated by some type of hate."
Up until several years ago I didn't know one of the worst massacres of Chinese people happened in downtown LA.
So many times without knowing it, I've walked past spots where people were strung up and shot. Apparently, I wasn't alone. laist.com/news/la-histor…
LA's 1st Asian Am councilmember Mike Woo is part of a group trying to get a memorial built for victims of the 1871 massacre.
Hard to say where. The attacks played out across LA. But they started on Los Angeles Street, near El Pueblo. Only marker now is a sidewalk plaque.
On Oct. 24, 1871, there was a gunfight btw 2 Chinese men. A white rancher who entered the fray was shot dead. That led a mob to form around a building (no longer there) where many Chinese men were seeking refuge. They were shot at and dragged outside to be hung.
CA has $5.2 BILLION to give out in rent relief. You can get 100% of back rent paid from April 2020 thru this Sept if you've struggled financially bc of covid & are income-eligible.
Applying can be hard if you don't know English well. Here’s ways to make it easier:
If you text “rent” to 211211, you can get help figuring out if you qualify in one of 11 languages.
Aid is available to those who earn no more than 80 percent of the median income for their area. For a family of 4 in the LA area, that’s just under $95,000.
You can also call for interpreter help: 1-833-430-2122. It’s available for Vietnamese, Mandarin, Spanish, Korean, Tagalog and Cantonese.
San Gabriel Valley is coming out big tonight for the victims of the Atlanta shootings. I’d estimate 1000+ btw 2 vigils.
People feeling the loss hard in this swath of LA Cty, which has 1 of the country’s largest concentrations of Asian residents. 10 cities have Asian majorities.
Leaders from these Asian-majority cities - Arcadia, Rosemead -- kick off a vigil in downtown San Gabriel.
Emotions run strong.
San Gabriel’s mayor Chin Ho Liao shouts “We have to stop the hate! We are Americans!”
Crowd in San Gabriel is older, more immigrant (I hear Mandarin and Cantonese being spoken) than those attending another vigil happening next door in Alhambra.
That one is being put on a 22 yo first-time organizer Betty Hang. Will come back to hers.