Anthony Loscano, Occupy L.A. Protester, Gets Book Thrown at Him After Two Arrests, One of Which Was Caught on Video

By Dennis Romero Wed., Dec. 7 2011 at 12:05 PM

YouTube

This, apparently, is Loscano on Dec. 3.

Nineteen-year-old protester Anthony Loscano might be the unluckiest occupier in L.A. Or maybe he's just the most aggressive. He's been arrested twice, at two different Occupy L.A. demonstrations. And in one case a lowly security guard even appeared to take part in the action.

Now he's getting the book thrown at him by the L.A. City Attorney's office.

The first arrest happened Nov. 17 at the Bank of America branch of Hope Street, when Loscano allegedly failed to move from the private property as requested by cops. The second happened ...

... over the weekend at a Bank of America branch on Broadway not far from Pershing Square.

His arrest was captured on video:

The City Attorney's office today alleged Loscano refused to stay on a sidewalk and resisted arrest during the Saturday march and demonstration:

When officers attempted to issue a citation, he allegedly resisted arrest by grasping his hands and tensing his body.

Occupiers claimed that Loscano had just been released from jail following his November arrest and that he was "beat" by cops outside the B of A branch Saturday about 2 p.m.

The suspect appears to be an active occupier who has taken some leadership roles.

Interestingly, at least one private security guard for the Downtown Center Business Improvement District is seen on video helping cops arrest Loscano.

The purple shirts, as the BID security team members are known, are enlisted to help with crowd control with big events downtown. We contacted the district to ask why one of their security guards was helping police keep Occupy in check.

Fellow occupiers are heard chanting, "Let him go. Let him go."

For the two arrests Loscano was charged by the office today with "resisting arrest, refusing to obey officer's orders, pedestrian walking in the roadway, trespass on private property, interfering with property rights and refusing to leave private property," according to a City Attorney's statement.

He's scheduled to be in court Dec. 19.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

Tags:

Anthony Loscano, Bank of America, City Attorney, LAPD, Occupy L.A.

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Craig

What I don't understand is - when the LAPD issues an order for civilians to get out of the street, under what authority do the DCBID Purple Patrol get to stay in the streets?

Seriously. I don't know the answer. I would really love to.

Sue Basko

He should talk to a lawyer about filing a civil lawsuit for battery or aggravated battery against the BID and each Purple that jumped him. They have no authority to stop him, tackle him, jump on him, or arrest him. He might be able to sue them for battery, aggravated battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping, intentional infliction of emotional distress, intentional interference with civil rights, etc.

Sue Basko

Craig, there was no order to disperse, not that I know of. He was just walking in the street. since the raid on Occupy LA, LAPD has been ticketing or arresting people for things such as slowing their cars to let someone off to a GA, honking hello to people at a GA, etc. All he did was step in the street and actually it looks like he was about to step onto the curb. There is no way he "resisted arrest," with about 5 or 6 cops instantly on him. They were targeting him as a leader.

He needs a good lawyer who will gather these videos and get them admitted as evidence. He also needs to stay on the sidewalk.

Also, someone should be filing a lawsuit / injunction to keep the LAPD and Purple Police from harassing First Amendment protesters. //

but also, the people of Occupy LA need to have training in how to follow the law and how to instill discipline in their followers to follow the law. They should be keeping out of the street and off private property. This is not "civil disobedience," this is sloppy protesting lacking in proper leadership training. Effective protesters do not get arrested over nonsense like this. They practice beforehand and practice with the march group beforehand. These people are frittering away their collective energy due to lack of knowledge of the law and lack of training and discipline. Someone needs to train them in how to march like a protest army.

You want to know what SCARY IS, protest wise? Scary is protesters organized, marching in formation, silent, looking serious, and looking smart. An organized ARMY of protesters marching in like they mean business. That is effective. That is what the Civil Rights marchers did. They just silently walked, two by two, down the sidewalk, dressed in their Sunday church clothes.

This bunch just looks chaotic, disorganized, not in formation, about to "go off," etc. The leaders need to learn the law and plan their protests accordingly. It is impossible to take them seriously as potential nation-changers when they cannot even keep a group lined up and on the sidewalk. They need to get some kids from ROTC or marching band to train them or something.

gorbal

You can see the beginning of his rest better here-http://www.youtube.com/watch?f...

If you look closely he doesn't appear to be doing anything differently than the other protestors, before he is grabbed from behind. He was obviously targeted.

Langdon_algers

"We contacted the district to ask why one of their security guards was helping police keep Occupy in check." is it too much to ask for you to tell us what the result was?

Throw away the key

Theyshould lock this guy up indefinitely. Ihope congress passes the bill to allow U.S. citizens to be picked up in anycountry of the world including the U.S. and be held indefinitely withoutcharges if they are suspected of being involved in any way with terroristactivity (terrorist activity should be interpreted very loosely). The bill passed in the Senate with flyingcolors and the amendment to exclude U.S. citizens was shot down. I think it is time that we truly sacrifice ourfreedom for our security. Let’s hiresome people to build detention facilities to lock up everyone who is not behindwhat the powers that be want. We shouldbe required to check in with the police every day to tell them what we plan todo for the day and be subject to detention if we fail to do so or deviate fromour plan to often. I think it is time todetain people for having the capacity to commit terrorism whether or not theyare actually planning too. Isn’t it better to be safe than sorry? If you don’t like it then leave, right?

/sarc