“Stop Murdering Us!” A Post-Die-In Protest Report

January 27, 2023 Damian Kevitt

Written by Damian Kevitt, Executive Director, Streets Are For Everyone

Leading the protesters at the Die-In Protest for Safer Streets in LA. Photo by Hashimoto Images.

On Saturday, January 21, 2023, hundreds of community members – kids, parents, cyclists, pedestrians, elected officials, and dogs (don’t forget the dogs) – came together at LA City Hall for a massive die-in protest for safer streets in Los Angeles. 312 lives were lost in 2022 due to traffic violence, and thousands more were seriously injured – the highest on record in over 20 years.

Kids, parents, pedestrians, cyclists, and dogs participated in the Die-In Protest for Safer Streets in LA.

Chants of “Stop murdering us!” and “What do we want? SAFE STREETS! When do we want it? NOW!!” and “Safe streets, save lives!” were heard echoing off the buildings around Grand Park. The protesters held 312 white roses, each representing a person, named or unnamed, who is no longer with us.

Over 100 participated in the Die-In Protest for Safer Streets in LA, lying on the steps of city hall for 312 seconds while holding 312 white roses. Photo by Dayna Galbreath.

At one point, everyone laid down on the steps of LA City Hall for 312 seconds, over 5 minutes, remembering each life lost.

A majority of those fatalities, 179 lives lost, are the most vulnerable road users: pedestrians and cyclists. Most of them live in our underserved black and brown communities. However, just those numbers don’t tell the severity of the problem. Since 2011 the number of traffic fatalities has almost doubled. The number of pedestrian fatalities has more than doubled, and cyclist fatalities have nearly tripled.

A young child who participated in the Die-In Protest for Safer Streets in LA City.

Yet in these same 11 years, the population of Los Angeles has increased by less than 3%.

Assemblymember Laura Friedman speaking at the Die-In Protest for Safer Streets in LA.

After 312 seconds of silence, a press conference was held. I spoke. Other speakers included: Senator Anthony Portantino, Assemblymember Laura Friedman, Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, Michael Schneider (Streets for All), Pastor Patricia Strong-Fargas (Faith for SAFEr Streets), Carol Cardona (Justice for Monique), Grandma Beverly Shelton (So Cal Families for Safe Streets), David Roachford (LA Walks), and Chinnaly (Walk ‘n Rollers).

Some recent lives lost remembered at the die-in were:

23-year-old Asherey Ryan, her unborn child Armani, her 11-month-old son Alonzo Quintero, and 3 others – Killed by 37-year-old Nicole Linton after she drove at 130 mph into a busy intersection in South LA while on drugs with known possible side effects of suicidal tendencies. Nicole injured 8 others in addition to those she killed.

77-year-old Andrew Jelmert – Killed by 37-year-old Jairo Martinez, who drove while under the influence of alcohol (and who knows what else) at 80 MPH through a busy Griffith Park.

Trina Newman (a pastor) – Struck and killed in South LA, in front of her foster kids, by a hit-and-run driver on Christmas Eve, after delivering toys to needy children.

Alfredo and Jose Linares, brothers, both 70 years old – Hit and killed while crossing the street after enjoying a doughnut in West LA.

Hundreds lay on the steps of LA City Hall as part of the Die-In Protest for Safer Streets in LA. Photo by Hashimoto Images.

Per TIMs, most traffic injuries and fatalities in Los Angeles are due to speeding – almost 35%.

I made an impassioned plea at the press conference to the people of Los Angeles, the Governor and Legislators of CA, the Mayor of Los Angeles, and our City Councilmembers.

Speaking at the Die-In Protest for Safer Streets in LA with many supporters holding signs. Photo by Vince Thompson.

People, SLOW DOWN! That doesn’t mean only driving at 10 MPH. It means driving at a safe speed for your environment. Care about the people around you. To the Governor of CA and our State Legislators, we need automated speed enforcement as a tool to prevent unsafe speeds around schools and on known deadly roads. This tool has been proven in so many other cities to save lives and will help reduce the need for the use of armed police at routine traffic stops. To the Mayor of Los Angeles and the City Council, we need to treat traffic fatalities and serious injuries as the public health crisis that it is. Declare a State of Emergency for traffic violence! We NEED Vision Zero for real, not the way it’s currently being managed – starved of the personnel needed and grossly underfunded. LA DOT knows which are the deadliest roads in Los Angeles, and they know how to make roads safer for the communities around them. None of this matters unless it has the personnel and funding needed to put words into action. The importance of Vision Zero needs to be re-established with accountability to the people of Los Angeles, with more transparency, and with a driving PURPOSE to actually reduce serious injuries and fatalities through tangible actions, not just plans.

My plea at the press conference, post-Die-In

PROTEST OVERVIEW

I definitely consider the protest a success. Not only did we bring together over 100 people, but 18+ organizations and 4 elected officials (Senator Portantino, Assemblymember Friedman, Councilmember Blumenfield, and Councilmember Soto-Martinez) for the first time to demand safer streets.

This message was amplified by the 7+ media outlets covering the protest and boatloads of social media about it. Why is this important? It means the message of the protest reached an estimated 2 million+ more people as a result. This is a link to one of the media pieces: https://www.foxla.com/video/1169792.

SPECIAL THANKS

Many of you did so much to make this protest successful, and I am grateful to each of you. Every speaker was impactful and spoke the truth from the heart. That said, my personal favorite was Pastor Patricia Strong-Fargas. She moved me and others to tears.

Pastor Patricia Strong-Fargas and her friend, Cindy, participated in the Die-In Protest for Safer Streets in LA. Photo by Hashimoto Images.

I want to thank all the organizations and volunteers who participated, supported, and spread the word. Also, a huge thank you to all our donors these past few months who provided the funds needed to make this protest happen.

While this protest was a success, it was only a small step. MANY, MANY more steps will be needed before we see adequate change on the streets in Los Angeles, and we can start to say that things are getting better.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO BEAT THE DRUM FOR SAFER STREETS AS LONG AS WE HAVE YOUR SUPPORT.

Protester lying on the ground with a white rose. Photo by Hashimoto Images.