Clash With Police

Re “Confusion Blamed in Beach Clash,” March 2: The only party that is confused about the Venice Beach incident is the LAPD. Their confusion stems from their inability to differentiate between a gang-related event and a peaceful hip-hop event.

The concert was part of a three-day dance event that had been entirely positive and violence-free until Sunday afternoon. Nothing on the part of the concert-goers provoked the initial response of the Police Department. If they were truly chasing a tagger, why were they dressed in full riot gear from the beginning? Why did helicopters circle the area stating we were in an “unlawful assembly”? These events occurred prior to any reaction from the crowd.

I do not condone the actions of those involved in the tagging of the police car. However, was it necessary to take the extreme measures taken by the LAPD? Was it necessary to point guns at kids gathered to dance?

KATIE McCARTHY

Santa Barbara