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Los Angeles Police Harass Chinese Community
from Getting Together (circa 1972); Chinese-American Workers: Past & Present
LOS ANGELES - Close to 100 residents, primarily youth, of the Los Angeles
Chinese community held an emergency meeting on August 5 to discuss ways
to handle a new wave of recent police harassment of that community. Since
a shooting several weeks ago, over 15 additional policemen have been assigned
to the L.A. Chinatown area and have carried out a series of racist and
arbitrary actions against many in the community.
The following are from a statement from the L.A. Chinatown Youth Council
and Teen Post describing several of these harassment incidents.
INCIDENTS
One incident was reported as follows:
This 18-year-old youth had been stopped about four times before this reported
incident. Four policemen stopped the youth on Broadway and Alpine at 6:00
p.m. on August 1, and these statements were reported to have been said:
Officer: "Hey, chink I told you to get out of Chinatown.
Youth: "I'm just going home."
The officer took the youth's wallet and found a legal rights leaflet telling
the youth to take down the policeman's badge number if stopped on the
street,
Officer: "If you want my badge number, I'll give it to you right
in the mouth."
The officer wrote with his pen on the youth's chest.
Officer: "I don't want to see your fucking face in front of me
again."
Another officer comes to the scene.
Other officer: "I don't want you to work at the Teen Post. I don't
want to see you in Chinatown anymore, Chinaman!"
Another incident involved a teen post staff worker on August I at 8:30
p.m. This was the fifth time this 20-year-old youth was stopped,
Officer: "If I ever see you in Teen Post I'll get rid of you. And
don't let me bump into you in Chinatown!"
Youth: "I work in Teen Post."
Officer: "I don't care. You better shut your mouth!"
The officer took the youth's picture and began searching the youth's coat.
Youth: "Show me a warrant. Do you have one?"
Officer: "Yes."
Youth: "May I see it?"
Officer: "Shut up. You better watch out!"
On August 2nd at 6:15 p.m., two 15-year-old NYC (Neighborhood Youth Corps) workers were approached by policemen near the Teen Post.
Officer: "You're the guys we're looking for."
Youth: "What guys?"
Officer: "Come here, boy! We saw you steal something!"
Youth: "What do you mean, I didn't steal anything."
Officer: "Let me see what you stole."
Policeman starts to search through the youth's pockets.
Youth: "Am I under arrest?"
Officer: "No."
Youth: "THEN WHY ARE YOU GOING INTO MY POCKETS?"
Officer: "You're under arrest!"
The youth was hand-cuffed and taken to the squad car where he was told to put his face on the car's hood. Then the officer yanked him up by his hair and put him into the patrol car. On the way down to the police station, the policemen made many racist remarks about the Chinese, and certain Chinese individuals who work at the Teen Post. Midway to the Police Station, the police officers decided to let the youth go since the police had no evidence that the youth had done anything wrong.
The Youth Council has sent an open letter to Edward Davis,
Chief of Police of Los Angeles demanding an investigation of the police
activities and that he attended an open community meeting to discuss this
problem.
NATIONAL TREND
The recent events in L.A. are not unique. Throughout the country during the past year, there have been numerous newspaper articles on the question of youth gangs and crime in Chinese communities. The New York Daily News revived images of "tong wars in Chinatown's back alleyways." The San Francisco Chronicle described the growing Chinese "mafia" in the western U.S.
These articles have been used by Chinese reactionaries and U.S. government officials to increase their surveillance and control over the working masses of Chinese people. FBI, immigration, and other Federal agents have joined with local law agencies to swarm down on the Chinese communities, but they are doing nothing to solve the real problems. All this has been to the advantage of the local Chinese reactionaries who fear the loss of their power. It is a reflection, however, of the weakness of reactionaries when they must resort to such open means of intimidation.
Section 4
Section 2
A Life of Struggle, The Bitter Sadness
Things I Saw and Heard Working in A Restaurant
Interview - Account of An Injured Chinese Restaurant Worker
Restaurant Workers Unite
Working in a Packing House
The Best or the Worst
Story of an "illegal" Immigrant Worker
Section 3
Women in Chinatown
New York Schools
Interview with a Garment Worker
A Credit to Your Race
Interview with an Ex-Secretary
Interview with a Garment Worke