Will Patrons Of Other Downtown Events Get Through The Lakers' Lockdown Tonight? [Updated]
It sounded logical enough. Los Angeles police Chief Charlie Beck warned ruffians to stay away from Staples Center for Thursday night's final game of the NBA championship series between the Lakers and the Celtics. So he implied that people without tickets to the game wouldn't even get close to the Staples Center/LA Live area. Problem is, there are other events happening there, including the Los Angeles Film Festival, which has screenings scheduled at the same time the game will be happening. [Update after the jump].
cliff1066 via Flickr
"If you do not have a ticket, do not come downtown," Beck told reporters at an afternoon news conference. "You will not get through anyway."
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa made a similar statement: "If you don't have a ticket for game seven ... save money, save gas by celebrating at or near your home," he said.
An L.A. Film Festival spokeswoman indicated that the holders of tickets to other events, including the fest's, were included in the chief's and mayor's warnings: "Festival patrons are also included, in addition to Lakers ticket holders," Elise Freimuth told the Weekly. "So festival attendees for opening night are just fine."
*[Update]: A spokesman for AEG, the company that runs Staples and LA Live, confirms that ticket-holding patrons of the festival and other LA Live events will be able to get through the facilities.
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