Did Malibu Lagoon Activists Issue Death Threat to L.A. County Worker?

By Simone Wilson Tue., Jun. 5 2012 at 3:30 PM

(More) trouble in paradise.

The unshakeable activists who've been fighting the Malibu Lagoon "restoration" project since it was proposed 20 years ago have always been passionate.

But have some waxed a bit overzealous? LA Observed reported this morning the L.A. County Department of Beaches and Harbors "notified county officials on Monday that a beach maintenance worker in Malibu was threatened that he would be 'wearing a toe tag' if he worked on the Malibu Lagoon restoration project." And department spokeswoman Carol Baker tells LA Weekly that indeed...

... a county maintenance worker who was cleaning Trancas Beach around 5:30 a.m. on Friday was approached by two men who appeared to be in their 20s.

"They waved him down and asked him if he was going to work on the lagoon project," says Baker. "And he really had no context for that, so he said he didn't know. And they said, 'If you are, you will be wearing a toe tag.'"

According to Baker, the worker -- whose "job is to basically rake and groom the beach every day" -- wasn't aware of the protests scheduled for later that day.

(As it would happen, state officials postponed last Friday's construction kickoff until
this week, so as not to interrupt a Malibu city councilman's weekend surfing contest -- conveniently forgetting to notify the public until the morning of. But that's another story.)

According to Baker: "Later, when [the worker] became aware of the protests, he then realized, 'Oh, that's why they said that to me.'"

So he told his supervisor, who passed the word onto the Lost Hills sheriff's station. Mostly, says Baker, her department just didn't want protesters to blame beach workers for something they have no control over. "I think there can be some confusion between what's happening at the lagoon and what our maintenance workers do every day," she says.

But some lagoon preservationists see this as an attempt by their enemies to paint the opposition in a bad light.

A commenter named M. Stanley (whom activist Marcia Hanscom calls a "seasoned activist" at the lagoon) writes on Malibu Patch:

"There's a pattern of propaganda being thrown here, don't fall for it. They have a vested interest in changing public perception to save their jobs and reputation, I desire to stop government waste consumed by such projects and recognize a pattern of behavior."

Although the alleged toe-tag threat "would not be something we advocate at all," says Hanscom, she's suspicious that county officials are using it to overshadow gaping flaws in the lagoon restoration project.

Environmental workers are currently scrambling to relocate lizards, fish and other endangered lagoon critters before pre-construction wraps up and the bulldozers roar in. And despite the schedule change, Hanscom says a handful of protesters are still staking out at the lagoon 24/7, including about a dozen who showed up this morning.

The latest cause taken up by local surfer Andy Lyon, a centerpiece of the movement, has to do with the sandbagged dam that he says officials plan to use as a pedestrian bridge at the site. Just yesterday, Lyon grilled California State Parks official Suzanne Goode on the subject:

"The project looks like a circus right now," says Hanscom. Which is probably the one thing we can all agree on.

[@simone_electra / swilson@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

Tags:

death threat, Department of Beaches and Harbors, Malibu Lagoon, protesters, restoration project

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johnqpublic

Who is the obnoxious as***le whose voice is on tape. They should take his camera and shove it up his asteroids. Activist=jerk.

Get Planted

Matthew Horns Certain people are dumbstruck that all legitimate scientists and environmental professionals agree with each other regarding Malibu Lagoon. They claim some sort of conspiracy. What they do not seem to know is that no scientist or environmental professional is willing to make a statement that is not backed up by facts, and the facts back up their opinions. I loved it at the Malibu City Council meeting last year when Siebert stated “we are all entitled to our own opinions, but we are not entitled to our own facts.”

Devoted to Mtb Ecology

Please disregard the former comment.. i thought i was at a different site... actually, the waste of taxpayer/bond money to destroy a wetland is a real crime.. the lack of sensitivity and knowledge about how nature actually worked to make a new viable ecosystem out of the site of destructive human invasion is miraculous and recognized by those who oppose the bulldozers and concrete..... and who would be willing and able to use the money to gently, sensitively amd economically restore and maintain the area for the benefit of all.

Md4peace

help... i cannot access my personal profile... i don't remember my user name and pass word and have not gotten a response from missussmartypants... help....

M. Stanley

I'm M.Stanley and I'd like to add to the comment that is embedded within the article. I take firm issue with the headline as I have seen no indication in any of the articles and official statements that the two individuals credited with the "threat" were associated with the Lagoon in any way whatsoever. This is a highly visible project which is easily seen from PCH and it has been a hot topic in town for a long time, tempers are flared everywhere but that does not mean that these "hotheads" have ever been to any meeting, spoke on behalf or representing the oppostion to the project nor have led any actions that identify with the opposition. Another important note is that sunrise on Jun 1st was @ 5:43am which is AFTER the reported incident and I would offer that the Zuma area is a known homeless encampment and hangout. This homeless population has grown in summertime to the point I no longer feel safe walking there even at the 7am-8am hours due to the increasingly aggressive nature of the homeless population a couple of years ago. I walked with two dogs and that did not allay my concerns! I believe that should be factored into the article as well as the wide distance between the Malibu Lagoon and Zuma Beach - approx 13 miles. Malibu is most often recognized as distinct separate neighborhoods as proven in elections, development issues and more. The West End includes the Zuma Beach area while the Lagoon is located within the Civic Center area. The maintenance worker has worked that Zuma beach area for many years, he should be familiar with the regular crowd that surfs and could identify them. No mention? I consider this very murky and suspicious, given that the Lagoon Project proponents received considerable negative feedback regarding the massive enforcement presence that they amassed based on unfounded and unproven previous claims of threats. Now they have a 'perfect justification' although the massive enforcement presence was already in place after having been planned quite a bit in advance of the action date. There are several press releases that have been produced by proponents of the project that appear to be acting as agents of State Parks and other groups with vested interests in this project. Those press releases contain inflammatory and misleading headlines that include claims of multiple threats rather than identifying this as the single incidence it is. Finally, I take issue with any labeling of me as a "seasoned activist" as I am merely an active, concerned resident who voices my opinions over issues that concern me and affect my lifestyle. The Lagoon project upsets me due to the consumption of bond fund money with no measureable results, I entered this very divisive issue to attempt to highlight the need for Bond Reform Legislation which will add oversight and corrective actions to situations in which misappropriation of bond funds occurs. I have concerns over the constantly changing and morphing "Plans" with regards to how the competitive bidding process was followed - or not - and to bring attention to the need for State Legislative Audits to be performed on a large percentage of the constant consumption of bond funds in our surrounding area. I feel that there are organizations that focus on procuring bond funds outside of the priority voter intent in approving bond initiatives.

yeuellysses

My cousin, John Carroll, former editor of the LA Times, once told me about being hounded by the conservative press, especially cable news celebrities. "All heat but no light" was how he characterized talking heads like Bill O'Reilly who had attacked John on his show more than once. That is the best thing I can say about Andy Lyon: all heat, no light. He's lost. He lost the race for a council seat, and now he's lost the debate on the lagoon project. He's long since lost the high ground with anyone but a noisome few. Look at what he's doing in his videos: ambushing people with circular questioning that leads back to the point that Lyons is trying to make -- Bill Clintin used to call that "telling me a question". Don't be fooled. As long as he champions a lost cause, he has an audience.

Realmalibu411

Andy Lyon is a starving Real Estate Agent who pissed off that the Restoration Project is going to spoil his rental income this summer. I've known him for 15 years in Malibu. He has always been a bully and a loudmouth. Im sorry that Suzanne has to stomach him for this. He must be getting money from Marcia Hanscom to be making such a fuss over this. We sure are glad that the Restoration Project is finally happening. What a wonderful , fully functioning wetland it will be. Thank you State Parks!

Fear of Attacks and Reprisals

Typical personal attacks and insults coming from The Real Malibu 411, sad that they are the very ones responsible for escalating the tensions in town by becoming agents of State Parks and likely creating the venue for violations of Government Codes by state employees. The codes specifically include language prohibiting release of information to organizations, contractors and individuals for dissemination or publication when those very outlets are dependent on contracts or any employment on that project or future projects with State. Sad that it comes to this, collusion and violations in the planning phase suggest a pattern that will continue and likely increase.