WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:03.759 You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand. 2 00:00:04.759 --> 00:00:06.839 Hi, good afternoon, Chris Merrill. 3 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:10.400 I AM six forty more stimulating talk today is just 4 00:00:10.679 --> 00:00:14.359 about covering the protests. So we did kind of a 5 00:00:14.400 --> 00:00:16.359 breaking news show earlier. Came out of the air at 6 00:00:16.359 --> 00:00:19.440 noon as protesters are sort of showing up at that 7 00:00:19.480 --> 00:00:22.039 federal building at Alameda and one on one kind of 8 00:00:22.039 --> 00:00:26.320 by Union station. And at the time, Michael Monks was 9 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:27.640 there and he said about one hundred people. 10 00:00:27.640 --> 00:00:29.359 And now we've got i'd say, there's a couple. 11 00:00:29.160 --> 00:00:34.880 Of thousand there there right now, about I'd say, as 12 00:00:34.920 --> 00:00:37.119 we got closer and closer, like by one o'clock, there 13 00:00:37.119 --> 00:00:39.600 were probably a few hundred people there. And then at 14 00:00:39.640 --> 00:00:42.520 one o'clock, all of a sudden, it was like all 15 00:00:42.520 --> 00:00:45.039 hell broke loose, and Michael Monks was in the middle 16 00:00:45.079 --> 00:00:47.359 of what felt like a war zone, and I hear 17 00:00:47.399 --> 00:00:51.479 this pop go off, this loud bang, and I didn't 18 00:00:51.520 --> 00:00:52.759 know what it was. I don't know if there was 19 00:00:52.759 --> 00:00:54.359 a flash bang that went off. I didn't know if 20 00:00:54.399 --> 00:00:56.079 there was a canister that went off, but it sounded 21 00:00:56.079 --> 00:00:59.079 like it sounded like a shot of some sort. But I, 22 00:00:59.439 --> 00:01:01.759 you know, I'm on the other end. Listen you you 23 00:01:01.799 --> 00:01:03.200 could have heard it as well as I could. I'm 24 00:01:03.200 --> 00:01:04.920 just sitting in a studio listening to the guy report, 25 00:01:05.319 --> 00:01:09.280 so I don't I can't see anything. And then he 26 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:14.959 all of a sudden stopped and I said, Michael, y okay. 27 00:01:15.000 --> 00:01:17.319 I mean there was this pause, and I was just dumbfounded. 28 00:01:18.439 --> 00:01:20.640 And one of the things about Michael Monks is that 29 00:01:20.680 --> 00:01:25.159 he's so incredibly talented that I found myself just listening 30 00:01:25.239 --> 00:01:27.439 to him telling the story, painting the scene. 31 00:01:27.560 --> 00:01:29.480 He did such a tremendous job. 32 00:01:29.680 --> 00:01:31.519 And you know, my job is to sit here and 33 00:01:31.519 --> 00:01:33.519 try to think of what the next question is to ask, 34 00:01:33.560 --> 00:01:34.879 and all I could think of was I'm just listening 35 00:01:34.879 --> 00:01:35.599 to him tell the story. 36 00:01:35.640 --> 00:01:36.280 He was so good. 37 00:01:36.879 --> 00:01:42.719 So when this bang goes off, I just said, Michael, 38 00:01:42.799 --> 00:01:44.760 you okay. I don't even know what I was just 39 00:01:44.799 --> 00:01:47.280 thinking I was just going to play out. And then 40 00:01:47.319 --> 00:01:49.319 I realized, oh, dummy, I'm the one that has to 41 00:01:49.319 --> 00:01:51.879 actually find out not I have to determine how it's 42 00:01:51.879 --> 00:01:55.920 going to play out. So fortunately he was okay, and 43 00:01:56.040 --> 00:01:58.400 then things sort of tamed down a little bit, and 44 00:01:58.400 --> 00:02:01.959 we found out that the National Guard was pushing protesters away, 45 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:04.400 so that they could bring this, uh, this caravan of 46 00:02:04.879 --> 00:02:10.840 vehicles in and as they as they start coming in, 47 00:02:10.879 --> 00:02:13.680 we hear all this other noise and you can hear 48 00:02:13.759 --> 00:02:17.000 sirens and and and Michael is sort of talking about it, 49 00:02:17.000 --> 00:02:18.479 and all of a sudden he went from yeah, okay, 50 00:02:18.479 --> 00:02:20.360 well you know we had this, we had this, we 51 00:02:20.400 --> 00:02:21.759 had this incident. And then it sort of calmed down, 52 00:02:21.800 --> 00:02:23.560 and he went, wait a minute, it's popping off again. 53 00:02:24.280 --> 00:02:27.560 And there were there was this sort of chaotic feeling 54 00:02:28.319 --> 00:02:30.080 and you could hear people screaming, and then you heard 55 00:02:30.120 --> 00:02:33.719 these engines revving. They were just raw, they were so loud, 56 00:02:34.240 --> 00:02:37.000 and and these sirens going off, and then Michael's going 57 00:02:37.039 --> 00:02:38.520 in that they're they're pushing people again. 58 00:02:38.560 --> 00:02:41.039 They're pushing people again, and there's a smoke in the air, 59 00:02:41.159 --> 00:02:45.919 and then there's just nothing. It's just silent, and we 60 00:02:45.919 --> 00:02:46.759 didn't know what happened. 61 00:02:47.639 --> 00:02:51.879 And and again here I am in the studio and 62 00:02:51.919 --> 00:02:54.360 I'm supposed to be going, well, we'll get back with Michael, 63 00:02:54.360 --> 00:02:58.560 who it seems that we've lost our connection, But I'm going, oh, 64 00:02:58.599 --> 00:03:02.199 my god, is he okay? Did did he just get shot? 65 00:03:02.680 --> 00:03:04.199 And this is really what's going through my mind. I 66 00:03:04.199 --> 00:03:06.800 have no idea, and I have a clue, right, I'm 67 00:03:06.800 --> 00:03:09.599 thinking that he catch you know. But then I thought, okay, 68 00:03:09.639 --> 00:03:11.759 well if he had, if something can happen to him physically, 69 00:03:11.840 --> 00:03:14.479 then his connection should still be I should hear the microphone, right, 70 00:03:14.520 --> 00:03:17.080 And I didn't hear that, So then I thought, okay, well, 71 00:03:17.080 --> 00:03:20.639 maybe it's just technically, maybe there was just disconnected cell phones. 72 00:03:20.360 --> 00:03:22.000 Got cut off or something. I didn't know, right. 73 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:27.039 So fortunately, then I start getting a text message. I 74 00:03:27.039 --> 00:03:30.400 get text messages almost immediately afterwards. As you know, I'm 75 00:03:30.560 --> 00:03:34.919 sort of playing a little bit, going, uh, I don't 76 00:03:34.960 --> 00:03:38.520 know what's happening, and uh. And so I started getting 77 00:03:38.520 --> 00:03:41.479 these text messages from Michael and he's saying, get me 78 00:03:41.520 --> 00:03:45.280 back on the air, get me back on I'll call in. 79 00:03:46.319 --> 00:03:48.479 And so I'm there's this part of me that's super 80 00:03:48.520 --> 00:03:51.120 relieved because okay, good, he's you know, didn't get shot. 81 00:03:51.199 --> 00:03:55.680 And then he said I got tear gassed. Oh my gosh, 82 00:03:55.719 --> 00:03:58.280 And I gotta be totally honest. He texted me this, 83 00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:02.080 and in my mind, I'm thinking he's tear gassed. He 84 00:04:02.120 --> 00:04:05.159 can't go on the air. The guy's got he's got 85 00:04:05.159 --> 00:04:08.520 these you know, you can't see anything and he can't 86 00:04:08.560 --> 00:04:11.599 breathe and he can't talk. But then I realized he 87 00:04:11.639 --> 00:04:13.240 was texting, so he must have been able to see 88 00:04:13.240 --> 00:04:15.520 his cell phone screen. Genuinely, this is what's going through 89 00:04:15.520 --> 00:04:16.800 my mind. He must be able to see a cell 90 00:04:16.839 --> 00:04:20.920 phone screen, so he's probably got the wherewithal to be 91 00:04:20.959 --> 00:04:23.240 able to go back on the air. And so, you know, 92 00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:26.040 he called into the station. We did. We talked for 93 00:04:26.040 --> 00:04:28.279 a little while via a cell phone until he could 94 00:04:28.279 --> 00:04:32.800 get the whatever it was with his equipment hammered out. 95 00:04:33.000 --> 00:04:34.519 So that was at one o'clock. 96 00:04:34.160 --> 00:04:41.240 Today, and then it's almost as if things started going awry. 97 00:04:42.360 --> 00:04:45.399 And I don't know how the word got spread. 98 00:04:46.199 --> 00:04:48.759 I don't know if it was people listening to us 99 00:04:48.879 --> 00:04:51.519 or other radio, if it was people watching what was 100 00:04:51.560 --> 00:04:54.639 going on on their televisions, or. 101 00:04:54.600 --> 00:04:58.519 If it was just a social media and so you had. 102 00:04:58.360 --> 00:05:03.319 People live streaming this chaos as it was developing, or 103 00:05:03.319 --> 00:05:05.079 if it was people that were calling their friends going 104 00:05:05.600 --> 00:05:06.720 it's popping off down here? 105 00:05:06.759 --> 00:05:09.839 Am I using that word right? Kayla? It's popping off? 106 00:05:10.199 --> 00:05:13.720 Am I saying that right? Okay? Thank you? 107 00:05:14.839 --> 00:05:18.959 I've got confirmation I am. I am sounding hip. It's 108 00:05:19.000 --> 00:05:21.040 popping off? So I don't know if they were calling 109 00:05:21.079 --> 00:05:23.319 and saying it's it's you know, something's going on down 110 00:05:23.319 --> 00:05:23.600 here what? 111 00:05:24.759 --> 00:05:25.639 But I was freaked out. 112 00:05:26.040 --> 00:05:29.240 And and then all of a sudden, the crowd just 113 00:05:29.279 --> 00:05:32.079 started ballooning in size, almost instantly. 114 00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:34.720 And they they already had this. 115 00:05:37.480 --> 00:05:40.480 They had this plan anyway to have a protest at 116 00:05:40.519 --> 00:05:43.439 City Hall at two o'clock, and I think that pretty 117 00:05:43.439 --> 00:05:46.920 well got scrapped because everybody said, the action is is 118 00:05:47.000 --> 00:05:48.160 here at at. 119 00:05:48.639 --> 00:05:53.079 The Federal building. So now, and I apologize. 120 00:05:52.600 --> 00:05:54.399 If I'm just rambling on here, but this was this 121 00:05:54.480 --> 00:05:56.959 was a wild morning, I guess early afternoon. 122 00:05:57.680 --> 00:06:00.600 So now they did start. 123 00:06:00.639 --> 00:06:03.759 The police did form a line, and I don't know 124 00:06:03.839 --> 00:06:06.279 it was not National Guard. I don't know if it 125 00:06:06.319 --> 00:06:10.480 was LAPD or not, but they started slowly pushing the 126 00:06:10.839 --> 00:06:15.360 crowd back and getting them away from that that federal building, 127 00:06:15.399 --> 00:06:17.720 the detention center right there. The thing is is they 128 00:06:17.720 --> 00:06:20.480 were pushing people back and people started smirt dispersed. It's 129 00:06:20.480 --> 00:06:23.759 like they circled around and now they're all over the 130 00:06:23.800 --> 00:06:26.040 bridge where the bridge is I guess I should say, 131 00:06:26.399 --> 00:06:29.319 over the one on one And so that is a 132 00:06:29.360 --> 00:06:30.879 bit of a bit of a mess. 133 00:06:31.199 --> 00:06:34.560 Are you there, Kayla? I don't hear you. I hear you. Okay, 134 00:06:34.759 --> 00:06:35.680 that wasn't That wasn't me. 135 00:06:35.680 --> 00:06:36.720 I don't know whose voice that was. 136 00:06:36.839 --> 00:06:39.519 You heard that? Uh yeah, I'm just I'm hearing you. 137 00:06:39.600 --> 00:06:42.720 Now hey, traffic. 138 00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:45.120 Traffic, okay, great, yes, traffic. 139 00:06:45.279 --> 00:06:46.040 Traffic, traffic. 140 00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:49.959 So I'm looking at the disaster that is the one 141 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:54.279 on one right now, Lucy this, Uh, I am too 142 00:06:55.319 --> 00:06:57.519 what I'm thinking of now, I know it's closed, and 143 00:06:57.560 --> 00:06:59.120 I know that there's some people trying to exit off 144 00:06:59.120 --> 00:07:01.000 the one on one that maybe get the word stay 145 00:07:01.040 --> 00:07:03.639 away from downtown. Take the longest route around. It's still 146 00:07:03.639 --> 00:07:05.360 gonna be faster than trying to take the one on one. 147 00:07:05.480 --> 00:07:07.279 But I'm also thinking of all the cars that are 148 00:07:07.319 --> 00:07:09.959 stuck there as people became as they started to disperse, 149 00:07:10.560 --> 00:07:12.360 they made their way onto the one on one, or 150 00:07:12.399 --> 00:07:15.040 they're covered the bridges on Spring Street and Maine and 151 00:07:15.879 --> 00:07:18.959 Los Angeles and obviously Alameda. And then I'm saying that 152 00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:20.639 there are still some cars that are sort of stuck 153 00:07:20.759 --> 00:07:22.800 behind those protesters on one on one and they've been 154 00:07:22.800 --> 00:07:23.720 there for a long. 155 00:07:23.519 --> 00:07:27.120 Time, yes they have. And CHP is on the scene 156 00:07:27.160 --> 00:07:31.480 right there too, okay, helping out. I mean, the thing is. 157 00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:34.480 I would just say for anyone, just stay away from downtown. 158 00:07:34.519 --> 00:07:36.639 I mean, if you're not gonna, if you're not planning 159 00:07:36.639 --> 00:07:40.079 to be in the protest, just stay away. It's it's 160 00:07:40.120 --> 00:07:41.720 not really rocket science, is it. 161 00:07:42.279 --> 00:07:43.839 No, No, you're. 162 00:07:43.759 --> 00:07:46.639 Right, but but but there's a there's a bit of 163 00:07:46.639 --> 00:07:49.120 a thrill factor. There's people who want to come in 164 00:07:49.160 --> 00:07:51.360 and see what's going on. It's like, oh, let me 165 00:07:51.360 --> 00:07:53.680 see what's gone. You know, this is like live TV, 166 00:07:53.800 --> 00:07:56.399 which it is, so, but I would just say stay away. 167 00:07:56.439 --> 00:07:58.000 It's not worth it now. 168 00:07:58.079 --> 00:07:59.959 Even if you do want to go see what's going on, 169 00:08:00.160 --> 00:08:01.680 like you want to take in and be a part 170 00:08:01.720 --> 00:08:03.600 of it in some way, shape or form, you can't 171 00:08:03.639 --> 00:08:04.720 get close in your car. 172 00:08:05.079 --> 00:08:05.680 You can't know. 173 00:08:06.639 --> 00:08:10.199 So there's there's no reason for you to h to 174 00:08:10.279 --> 00:08:12.120 even get in the car and get down there, because 175 00:08:12.120 --> 00:08:14.120 it's too late. If you weren't there early to see 176 00:08:14.120 --> 00:08:15.319 this stuff, you're not going to be a part of it. 177 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:17.839 You're just gonna be stuck in traffic. And I ain't 178 00:08:17.879 --> 00:08:21.199 got time on a Sunday to be stuck in traffic. True, right, 179 00:08:21.720 --> 00:08:25.480 that's true. Yeah, We're gonna check with Michael Monks, who 180 00:08:25.519 --> 00:08:27.519 has been covering this all day long. 181 00:08:27.600 --> 00:08:28.920 He uh, he was out early. 182 00:08:29.639 --> 00:08:34.200 He was out this morning doing some uh some reports 183 00:08:34.200 --> 00:08:36.039 from city hall. Then he made his way down to 184 00:08:36.120 --> 00:08:38.960 the Federal building at Alameda. We'll check with him and 185 00:08:39.000 --> 00:08:41.879 get the latest from him. I think he was on foot, 186 00:08:41.879 --> 00:08:43.639 so I don't think he got necessarily stuck in this 187 00:08:43.679 --> 00:08:47.159 traffic because it is just it's it's just a mess. 188 00:08:47.240 --> 00:08:49.039 Don't don't even go close to it. Don't even go 189 00:08:49.080 --> 00:08:52.240 close to it. It's yeah, right, he just walked to it, 190 00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:54.279 didn't he. Bro He just walked the whole thing, didn't he. 191 00:08:54.440 --> 00:08:56.759 Yeah, he lives really close, so he's in. He's in 192 00:08:56.799 --> 00:08:57.360 the thick of it. 193 00:08:57.840 --> 00:08:59.759 Well, I hope things calm down so he can get 194 00:08:59.759 --> 00:09:02.519 some even those have to listen to sirens and you know, 195 00:09:02.600 --> 00:09:04.159 pepper bowl shots all night. 196 00:09:04.759 --> 00:09:05.320 No bueno. 197 00:09:06.039 --> 00:09:07.399 All right, Well, check with him in just a second. 198 00:09:07.399 --> 00:09:10.000 It's Chris Merril KFI AM six forty. We are live 199 00:09:10.080 --> 00:09:11.559 everywhere in the iHeartRadio app. 200 00:09:11.960 --> 00:09:15.399 You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand. 201 00:09:17.080 --> 00:09:19.840 Well, good afternoon, my friends, Chris Merril KFI AM six 202 00:09:19.960 --> 00:09:23.440 forty more stimulating talk and on demand anytime on the 203 00:09:23.480 --> 00:09:26.120 iHeart Radio App. All right, So the protest that we've 204 00:09:26.120 --> 00:09:29.919 been covering all day long here around the Federal Building Alameda, 205 00:09:30.919 --> 00:09:33.399 which is the detention center as well. Those who have 206 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:36.759 largely been dispersed. The police have really set up an 207 00:09:36.919 --> 00:09:43.399 entire blockade line I guess around around Alameda all the 208 00:09:43.440 --> 00:09:46.679 way back to Temple Street. They have pretty well made 209 00:09:46.679 --> 00:09:49.000 it so that there are no protesters near that detention 210 00:09:49.080 --> 00:09:52.679 center any longer. The only people who are behind that 211 00:09:52.799 --> 00:09:58.200 line basically law enforcement and some media doing some live. 212 00:09:58.039 --> 00:09:59.120 Shots, some stand ups there. 213 00:09:59.440 --> 00:10:01.679 A guy who was there for most of today is 214 00:10:01.720 --> 00:10:05.399 Michael Monks, and Michael out of the chaos a little 215 00:10:05.440 --> 00:10:07.600 bit there, But it looks like most of the dispersion, 216 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:11.039 many of the people have just made their way into 217 00:10:11.679 --> 00:10:14.639 stopping up one on one right now, and that's a mess. 218 00:10:16.200 --> 00:10:18.720 Yeah, that's what it looks like. Some of the folks 219 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:20.840 who were at the protest and the march and the 220 00:10:20.960 --> 00:10:23.080 rally have made their way on the freeway. That's not 221 00:10:23.600 --> 00:10:26.799 atypical of protests in Los Angeles. It's also not a 222 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:29.360 way to win friends, that's for darn sure. We have 223 00:10:29.480 --> 00:10:31.879 no trouble clogging up the freeways on our own, and 224 00:10:31.879 --> 00:10:35.320 it's frustrating so for people trying to get home or 225 00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:38.039 trying to go to work. This is going to be 226 00:10:38.159 --> 00:10:41.759 very frustrating. The one oh one is already disaster every day, 227 00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:43.279 and this is only going to make it worse. The 228 00:10:43.320 --> 00:10:45.559 one ten also having some problems, and then some of 229 00:10:45.559 --> 00:10:48.879 the surface streets downtown, but that seems to be the 230 00:10:48.960 --> 00:10:53.320 last of the disruption. Is this massive disruption of traffic 231 00:10:53.360 --> 00:10:56.799 flow through the area, because just a little while ago, 232 00:10:56.919 --> 00:11:00.399 there were thousands of people in the streets of Los 233 00:11:00.399 --> 00:11:05.480 Angeles as the protest outside the Federal Building was converged 234 00:11:05.559 --> 00:11:08.559 with this other rally that was taking place at LA 235 00:11:08.679 --> 00:11:11.039 City Hall. And it didn't last very long. 236 00:11:11.240 --> 00:11:11.799 It was a. 237 00:11:11.720 --> 00:11:16.799 Big, massive statement of just population, a big number of 238 00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:19.519 people who came down to LA City Hall, march down 239 00:11:19.559 --> 00:11:22.039 to the Federal Building where a protest was already happening, 240 00:11:22.600 --> 00:11:28.480 blocked long, thousands deep, and then a unlawful assembly was declared. 241 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:31.039 Police threatened to arrest people, and a lot of people 242 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:32.360 turn around and left. 243 00:11:32.519 --> 00:11:34.720 Yeah, I saw that they did make They did detain 244 00:11:34.879 --> 00:11:36.919 a few people who were you know, on the front 245 00:11:36.960 --> 00:11:38.799 lines and were standing up to the police that were 246 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:42.320 trying to push their line back. And again it looks 247 00:11:42.360 --> 00:11:45.879 like most of the coverage anyway, you know, the TV helicopters, 248 00:11:45.919 --> 00:11:47.759 and I've got the monitor up here in the studio, 249 00:11:48.279 --> 00:11:50.759 and it looks like they're really focusing on the stoppage 250 00:11:50.840 --> 00:11:53.039 on the one oh one right now. That seems to 251 00:11:53.080 --> 00:11:55.480 be where most of those protesters have made their way, 252 00:11:55.519 --> 00:11:59.759 either onto the actual freeway itself or some of the overpasses, 253 00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:03.279 whether Alameda or Los Angeles Street or Maine, or even 254 00:12:03.320 --> 00:12:06.000 back to Spring Street. That seems to be where everything is. 255 00:12:06.039 --> 00:12:11.240 So what in my mind, Michael Monks, You've been covering this, 256 00:12:11.240 --> 00:12:14.039 this protest, but obviously many many more in Los Angeles 257 00:12:14.039 --> 00:12:17.799 than than than I ever will. So in my mind, 258 00:12:17.840 --> 00:12:21.120 I'm thinking, all right, maybe this is all over. I mean, 259 00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:23.000 it was start, it was supposed to. The protest was 260 00:12:23.039 --> 00:12:24.840 scheduled to start it too. Yet some people that got 261 00:12:24.840 --> 00:12:27.759 there a little bit early, you know, there there's a 262 00:12:27.759 --> 00:12:30.159 bit of a skirmish around one that you were a 263 00:12:30.159 --> 00:12:32.720 part of. Of course, you had your KFI badge on 264 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:34.960 which we learned earlier is actually a tear gas magnet, 265 00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:36.559 and so you were able to bring some of that 266 00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:39.759 tear gas in. Uh, and then like you said, the 267 00:12:40.039 --> 00:12:43.360 crowd it ballooned in size, but we didn't have the 268 00:12:43.600 --> 00:12:46.840 kind of skirmishes like we did earlier on you know, 269 00:12:47.559 --> 00:12:48.559 just three hours ago. 270 00:12:49.759 --> 00:12:53.200 Is this This wasn't anything like the Black Lives Matters 271 00:12:53.480 --> 00:12:55.720 protests from five years ago that we saw all over 272 00:12:55.759 --> 00:12:57.879 the country, and I wasn't even in LA for those, 273 00:12:57.960 --> 00:13:00.960 but they were happening everywhere and those turned pretty violent 274 00:13:01.000 --> 00:13:04.559 and there were riots involved in those cases. Here, there 275 00:13:04.559 --> 00:13:08.480 were multiple events taking place kind of at the same time. 276 00:13:08.519 --> 00:13:11.759 They were overlapping and then they all converge. By the 277 00:13:11.799 --> 00:13:14.960 time I got to the Federal Building at around eleven thirty, 278 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:19.000 there was word from LAPD they were monitoring that protest. 279 00:13:19.080 --> 00:13:21.480 There was also one on Olbera Street at all Plblau, 280 00:13:21.879 --> 00:13:23.840 and there was also a protest outside of one of 281 00:13:23.840 --> 00:13:27.480 the LAPD division offices here in downtown Los Angeles, but 282 00:13:27.519 --> 00:13:29.759 the one at the Federal Building was the one that 283 00:13:29.919 --> 00:13:32.559 was the most intense. This has been the site of 284 00:13:32.600 --> 00:13:37.519 protests since Friday, and it's because, you know, some of 285 00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:41.200 the people taken into custody by ice are apparently seemed 286 00:13:41.360 --> 00:13:45.879 pained in the car Soro facility there. And what was 287 00:13:45.960 --> 00:13:49.399 different about today was it wasn't just federal police or 288 00:13:49.480 --> 00:13:52.320 local police. The California National Guard was there, as ordered 289 00:13:52.320 --> 00:13:55.080 by President Trump, and so that changed the dynamics of it. 290 00:13:55.360 --> 00:13:57.720 When you and I started talking around twelve, there were 291 00:13:57.759 --> 00:14:01.679 probably one hundred people into two hundred people by one 292 00:14:01.720 --> 00:14:05.360 o'clock when that incident happened. The National Guard pushed people 293 00:14:05.399 --> 00:14:09.279 into the streets quite violently and quite physically and using 294 00:14:09.320 --> 00:14:11.320 tear gas and flash bangs and all that to make 295 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:14.159 way for some federal vehicles to go into the garage. 296 00:14:14.279 --> 00:14:17.960 There After that, the crowd ballooned to about six or 297 00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:22.919 seven hundred people by my account, and then around two 298 00:14:23.279 --> 00:14:26.399 ten somebody got on a bullhorn and said, let's go 299 00:14:26.440 --> 00:14:29.399 to City Hall. And that's about the time that rally 300 00:14:29.399 --> 00:14:33.600 at City Hall was scheduled. But then the LAPD showed up. 301 00:14:33.639 --> 00:14:37.519 They blocked off Temple Street so people could not go 302 00:14:37.559 --> 00:14:40.600 from the Federal Building to City Hall. But what was 303 00:14:40.639 --> 00:14:45.200 happening was the rally at City Hall morphed into a march, 304 00:14:45.320 --> 00:14:48.000 and so all the people who had gathered there poured 305 00:14:48.039 --> 00:14:51.559 into the streets of downtown La, marched down Temple Street, 306 00:14:51.600 --> 00:14:54.799 took a left onto Alameda, and made their way right 307 00:14:54.840 --> 00:14:58.080 back to the Federal Building. And there was probably, you know, 308 00:14:58.399 --> 00:15:00.720 a little bit of drawing there. Some I know a 309 00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:05.279 couple of LAPD officers were injured by motorcyclists apparently, but 310 00:15:05.639 --> 00:15:08.879 that ended very quickly, and now the remnants of this 311 00:15:08.919 --> 00:15:10.519 is what's happening on the freeways. 312 00:15:10.879 --> 00:15:15.240 Yeah, so then it makes me wonder, since we saw 313 00:15:15.320 --> 00:15:17.720 kind of that peak earlier in the afternoon, we're in 314 00:15:17.759 --> 00:15:19.759 a bit of a valley now as far as the 315 00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:23.519 enthusiasm or the excitement around the action goes, is there 316 00:15:23.559 --> 00:15:25.440 any concern that this is going to ramp back up? 317 00:15:25.519 --> 00:15:27.600 Is that sun starts to get lower in the sky. 318 00:15:29.000 --> 00:15:32.399 Absolutely. The LAPD has declared a tactical alert and so 319 00:15:32.480 --> 00:15:35.279 what that means is all officers are to remain on duty. 320 00:15:35.279 --> 00:15:38.320 Everybody should be at the ready to go out into 321 00:15:38.360 --> 00:15:40.559 the field if they are so called. That has been 322 00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:43.279 the case the past couple of days as well. So 323 00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:47.519 the LAPD is mobilized to respond to anything that takes place. 324 00:15:47.840 --> 00:15:50.440 But it was interesting as far as the LAPD goes, 325 00:15:50.480 --> 00:15:53.799 because I didn't see LAPD on the street on Alameda 326 00:15:53.879 --> 00:15:57.720 Street at all today until that march started and they 327 00:15:57.799 --> 00:16:01.600 shut down the road in its entirety for the most part, 328 00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:05.960 even while the protests were pouring into the street. Graphic 329 00:16:06.039 --> 00:16:08.480 was still trying to make its way through there, and 330 00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:11.200 so it lent itself to that conversation about what is 331 00:16:11.240 --> 00:16:14.279 happening with the way law enforcement is supposed to deal 332 00:16:14.320 --> 00:16:17.559 with this situation. Because we saw the National Guard, they're 333 00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:19.720 ready to go. We saw the federal police, they're ready 334 00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:23.440 to go. But what role can LAPD play Even if 335 00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:26.440 they're not going to put themselves in a position to 336 00:16:26.519 --> 00:16:31.000 help execute any type of civil immigration enforcement, what are 337 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:33.960 they supposed to do when the protests against those actions 338 00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:36.960 pour into city streets. It was all very strange to watch. 339 00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:39.600 Yeah, that's gonna be some questions that I think the 340 00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:42.039 talking heads at city Hall are going to have to answer. 341 00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:45.120 In fact, Mayor Bass is supposed to speak. Is what 342 00:16:45.159 --> 00:16:48.759 I'm saying is that she's supposed to discuss this very soon. 343 00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:51.480 So we'll see what she has to say about that. Hey, Michael, 344 00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:54.919 great job. You know, here's the wall and we'll check 345 00:16:54.960 --> 00:16:56.879 in with you again later on on the show if 346 00:16:56.919 --> 00:16:59.600 need be my friend. Otherwise, you know, grab some food, 347 00:16:59.639 --> 00:17:01.759 maybe a a nice meatball with some Sunday gravy. 348 00:17:03.440 --> 00:17:05.440 I appreciate it, you know, you and I we passed 349 00:17:05.440 --> 00:17:06.880 like ships in the night. It's the first time I've 350 00:17:06.880 --> 00:17:08.920 gotten to be on the show with you. I've got 351 00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:11.680 to do that. I just want to talk about Michigan. 352 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:13.480 I thought we get to talk about Michigan a little bit. 353 00:17:13.680 --> 00:17:15.400 You're a Michigan guy and I love Michigan. 354 00:17:15.640 --> 00:17:16.759 Yeah, yeah, we can talk. 355 00:17:16.920 --> 00:17:18.839 We can talk Michigan, we can talk Michigan football. Whatever 356 00:17:18.839 --> 00:17:20.839 you want to do, We'll talk all yeah. Happy to 357 00:17:20.880 --> 00:17:23.000 do all right, all right, sounds like a date. I 358 00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:26.880 love it, all right, Thanks buddy, Michael Monks. Can't fire 359 00:17:26.920 --> 00:17:30.000 reporter who was at all the casts as it was 360 00:17:30.079 --> 00:17:35.279 unfolding earlier today, No doubt about this politically charged. You 361 00:17:35.319 --> 00:17:38.880 heard Michael talking about President Trump, is he called for 362 00:17:38.960 --> 00:17:41.160 the National Guard. The governor, the mayor did not ask 363 00:17:41.160 --> 00:17:44.279 for the national Guard. They're claiming that this is inflammatory, 364 00:17:44.359 --> 00:17:47.519 that this this escalated things beyond where they needed to be. 365 00:17:49.680 --> 00:17:50.880 Could have been a whole lot worse. 366 00:17:51.079 --> 00:17:54.640 You know, listening to Michael speak when we had flash 367 00:17:54.680 --> 00:17:57.519 bangs and we had well, I guess flash bangs yesterday, 368 00:17:57.519 --> 00:18:00.839 pepper balls yesterday, tear gas today, could have been a 369 00:18:00.839 --> 00:18:04.440 whole lot worse. I am seeing some flashes of smoke 370 00:18:04.480 --> 00:18:06.400 going off into the air. Right now as I'm watching 371 00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:08.200 some of the again I'm a monitor in the studio. 372 00:18:08.440 --> 00:18:10.640 I don't know if that's I don't know if that's 373 00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:13.119 from the police. It looks more like maybe it's fireworks. Okay, 374 00:18:13.160 --> 00:18:15.680 you're seeing fireworks too well for sure? 375 00:18:15.799 --> 00:18:16.119 Correct. 376 00:18:16.359 --> 00:18:18.519 And then a drone I see, I see drones that 377 00:18:18.559 --> 00:18:20.319 are flying overhead. I don't think that's doing a whole 378 00:18:20.319 --> 00:18:22.599 lot of good. And I don't know if that's TV 379 00:18:22.680 --> 00:18:24.759 that's trying to get some grown drone footage, or if 380 00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:27.680 that's a YouTuber trying to get really great drone footage. 381 00:18:27.720 --> 00:18:30.599 But I'm sure that probably causes some unease on the 382 00:18:30.599 --> 00:18:31.640 part of the law enforcement. 383 00:18:31.680 --> 00:18:33.519 I know what would if I were there. Both sides 384 00:18:33.559 --> 00:18:34.640 are now closed as well. 385 00:18:35.079 --> 00:18:38.279 Yeah, I see law enforcement is using the Is it 386 00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:40.559 the northbound side that the law enforcement is on, and 387 00:18:40.599 --> 00:18:43.279 that's it looks like they're trying to sort of stage 388 00:18:43.359 --> 00:18:45.839 in an effort to get people off of the southbound side. 389 00:18:46.519 --> 00:18:47.960 They don't seem to be in too much of a hurry. 390 00:18:47.960 --> 00:18:50.519 I think they're kind of letting the protesters tucker themselves 391 00:18:50.559 --> 00:18:54.160 out to some degree, trying not to escalate things any further. Well, 392 00:18:54.319 --> 00:18:56.039 we'll give an update on this. We'll watch, we'll watch 393 00:18:56.039 --> 00:18:57.799 what's going on. We'll get some of your talkbacks as well. 394 00:18:57.799 --> 00:19:00.240 If you're on the iHeart Radio app, feel ready to 395 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:01.640 give us a talk back. Just hit that little talk 396 00:19:01.680 --> 00:19:03.559 back button and let us know what's going on in 397 00:19:03.559 --> 00:19:06.400 your mind. Happy to hear what your thoughts on what's 398 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:10.319 happening today as well, and we'll continue with our coverage 399 00:19:10.359 --> 00:19:14.640 of the protests in downtown. It's Chris Meryl CAFI AM 400 00:19:14.680 --> 00:19:16.880 six forty live everywhere on the iHeartRadio App. 401 00:19:17.240 --> 00:19:20.640