BEVERLY HILLS : Janitors Seeking Higher Pay Block Traffic; 50 Arrested

A janitors group protesting low wages snarled traffic in Beverly Hills last week, blocking Wilshire Boulevard for almost two hours.

Police arrested 50 protesters who staged a sit-in at the intersection of Wilshire and Rodeo Drive.

About 1,200 demonstrators from the Justice for Janitors group began marching at noon Wednesday from Century City to Beverly Hills, then stopped to stage a rally at Rodeo Drive in front of the Regent Beverly Wilshire hotel. It was the largest demonstration in Beverly Hills in years, a police spokesman said.

During the sit-in, traffic was diverted to side streets. Crowds of union members and supporters stood on the sidewalks blowing whistles, chanting slogans in English and Spanish, and waving signs to draw attention to the union’s request for higher pay.

Justice for Janitors spokeswoman Maureen Marr said the union was negotiating with companies that contract for janitorial services in Los Angeles County. The old contract was to expire Saturday.

Nearly 60 Beverly Hills police officers in riot gear stood at the intersection and eventually arrested all 50 participants in the sit-in.

Forty-nine demonstrators were booked on charges of blocking a public right of way and failure to disperse. Aura Marina Estrada, 36, of Los Angeles was charged with resisting arrest because she allegedly tried to prevent police from removing her from the middle of Wilshire Boulevard.

“Because of the overwhelming number, it took almost 11 hours, until 1 a.m., to finish processing all the arrestees,” said Beverly Hills police Lt. Frank Salcido. All were cited and released from jail on their own recognizance, he said.