Hundreds March in L.A. to Protest Police Abuse

Hundreds of black-clad demonstrators carrying posters and making obscene gestures to helmeted police officers marched in front of the Los Angeles Police Department headquarters on Wednesday afternoon to protest what they said was police brutality and excessive use of deadly force.

“They stole my son’s life,” shouted protester Norma Martinez. “They’re getting away with murder. Enough is enough.”

Martinez was one of a number of protest participants who have had relatives shot and killed in police confrontations. Her son, Gonzalo Martinez, 26, was shot to death by Downey police officers after a Feb. 15, 2001, vehicle pursuit. Although the dead man was unarmed, an investigation by the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office ruled that the shooting was justifiable because officers reportedly believed the suspect was reaching for a weapon.

The march, which began at Olympic Boulevard and Broadway and ended at Parker Center, was monitored by scores of police officers. An LAPD spokesperson said there were no incidents or arrests during the protest and estimated the crowd at roughly 300 people. A Times reporter estimated the crowd at more than 500.