Protests in Pershing Square

The L.A. City Council’s July 7 reversal on designating the use of Pershing Square for free assembly during the Democratic National Convention is consistent with how the so-called “public” park has been used in recent years. Pershing Square was redesigned in the early ‘90s at the request of the surrounding businesses to deter homeless people and other untouchables from using the public park, limit access after work hours and make parking more efficient. Now, at the request of these same businesses, the City Council is backpedaling on use of the park for free assembly. Pershing Square is one of our few public spaces downtown. Even when it is not convenient, public spaces must invite free expression.

GREG SPIEGEL

Pasadena

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* Congratulations. In their efforts to protect a minority of business owners, the City Council has now made Pershing Square the “People’s Park.” The ad hoc committee made its decision, the City Council made its decision, now the people will make their decision. On to the convention!

DAVID TRUJILLO

Los Angeles

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* Your July 5 editorial on the Democratic National Convention referred to City Council member Jackie Goldberg’s coming “armed with a list of demands straight out of a hippie’s anti-establishment handbook.” Let’s review. Goldberg’s requests were to 1) allow peaceful protesters to assemble in a public park, 2) provide for limited oversight of police activity during the convention and 3) ensure that private donors who had pledged money paid up before additional public dollars were spent on the convention.

The police, with their repeated floating of unsubstantiated claims of terrorist threats and their showing of a “Reefer Madness”-style propaganda film to the City Council about the protests in Seattle and Washington, are doing their best to whip up a climate of hysteria and to portray the protesters as violent troublemakers. Goldberg’s proposal was a reasonable effort to protect free speech and the right to peaceful assembly.

KEVIN RUDIGER

Los Angeles

* Last I heard, Pershing Square was a public park. It is neither a private parking garage nor a swank patio for downtown hotels. Open Pershing Square up to the protesters and anyone else who cares to come. Why, even the Democrats should come out and meet the crowd. They’ll find deeper pockets in the Biltmore ballrooms; but they may learn a thing or two about democracy out in the park.

JOSH KAMENSKY

Hollywood