Bits of Convention Business Wrapped Up

Pershing Square, ground zero for protests during the Democratic National Convention, was taken over Friday by white lawn furniture, purple umbrellas and colorful balloons, as downtown merchants thanked the Los Angeles Police Department and other law enforcement officials for keeping downtown “safe, secure and unscathed” during the convention.

The merchants, some of whom closed up shop during the convention, fearing violence, turned out at noon to eat Dodger Dogs and potato salad and to snap photos with law enforcement officials.

Carol E. Schatz, president of Central City Assn., an organizer of the event, presented Police Chief Bernard Parks with a key to downtown Los Angeles, reflecting “the fact that the LAPD is key to downtown’s success.”

“We know that being prepared and being effective as you were . . . helped to make this the most successful convention ever,” said Schatz, who is also president of the Downtown Center Business Improvement District.

As scores of law enforcement, merchants and downtown employees watched, Parks thanked other agencies--including the California Highway Patrol and the FBI--for their work during the convention and said his department had achieved the goals it set for itself.

“We made sure that the city continued to function, we made sure the convention went uninterrupted and we certainly made sure that those who wanted to demonstrate legally got a chance to,” Parks said. “But we also sent a message that those who wanted to disrupt the city could not do that.”

But the day of praise was not without protest reminiscent of the convention week.

About a dozen protesters held signs accusing the LAPD of violating their 1st Amendment rights and turning the city into a paramilitary state during the convention. Some walked through the crowd carrying cutout cardboard images of police officers. On the batons were written “intimidation, repression and excessive force.”

As the chief spoke on stage, some attempted to shout him down, countering his praise with accusations. At one point the chief directed his comments to the protesters.

“We even invited those who dissent here today, to say what they want to say.” Parks said. “But what they don’t understand often is, we have civil rights too. We get to speak at our sessions and if they were orderly and had common sense and if they also had some etiquette, they would allow other people to speak.”

Susan Goldberg, 26, said the problem was that protesters were not invited to the day’s festivities--a glaring omission, she said, given that they had worked hard to keep the peace in the face of excesses on the part of the police.

“It’s like violence and repression are being celebrated,” said Goldberg, who handed out leaflets during the event. “It’s like a surreal movie. The LAPD goes running in like an army, then they get a party.”

After accepting the key, Parks moved through an adoring crowd, past the protesters, shaking hands and accepting thanks.

Laurel Lichty-Engmann and Scott Engmann were among those who introduced themselves to the chief--but they had no praise to offer. They were among 71 bicyclists arrested during an Aug. 15, demonstration, accused of reckless driving, and kept in jail for three nights.

“We wanted to let him know we had a very bad time in jail,” Engmann said.

Parks told them, “You shouldn’t have been breaking the law,” Engmann recalled. The couple had just left the downtown Criminal Courts Building, where a judge dismissed all charges against them, Laurel Lichty-Engmann said.

“It’s taken three weeks of our lives,” she said.

During the most violent convention week confrontation between police and protesters, several people were injured. The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a federal lawsuit against the LAPD, alleging that police officers violated the civil rights of some news media representatives.

Some who were present Friday, such as Staples Center President Tim Leiweke, said it was unfortunate that some innocent people had been “caught in the mix” and injured by police. But others seemed simply pleased that their nightmares of mass violence and property damage had not come true. Those fears prompted some merchants to shut down during the convention.

“In speaking to a lot of the merchants, in retrospect they wish that they had remained open during that period,” said Senior Lead Officer Terry Cammak, who patrols Pershing Square and the jewelry district.

Many members of the LAPD--and other city agencies such as the Department of Transportation--soaked up the praise, a rare occasion to hear “thank you.” Some, such as Lt. Mike Felix, a 27-year department veteran, were philosophical about the dissenting voices.

“We’re going to get criticized, no matter what we do,” Felix said. “I’d rather be criticized for taking action than for not taking action after the Lakers game.”