There's something happening here. What it is, ain't exactly clear. There's a man with a gun over there, telling me I got to beware — Buffalo Springfield
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Last night I was in a warehouse looking over interesting documents involving some of the machinations going on in City Hall and how they relate to the inner workings of the political machines.
I was told by my source to be worried about having my phone tapped.
I laughed it off.
Late yesterday afternoon, I was getting ready to protest against red light cameras at the corner of Jefferson and Overland when I started getting calls from friends telling me to check my email because they were getting weird messages from it.
When I tried to log on, I discovered someone had hijacked my email account. The person was sending stupid stuff to about 2,300 contacts I have accumulated over the years.
Was it a coincidence?
The red light camera protest was fantastic.
TV cameramen, radio reporters, the Los Angeles Times, and other media — except for our local papers — came to the 90-minute protest I have begun every Monday and Friday, starting at 4:30 p.m.
Not one person voiced opposition to my call to ban red light cameras.
Rather, there was overwhelming support from motorists passing by, especially ones who had been taken by those infernal red light cameras.
The media was going up to motorists and getting their reactions.
I had three student volunteers helping me pass out fliers at other corners of the intersection.
My popularity with the motorists did not sit well with one of the drones of the political machine who called to crybaby complain to the Police Dept. that there were protesters for Mr. Z.
Three police cars were dispatched. The officers blocked southbound traffic at Jefferson and approached me and asked me to leave the median.
I don't think they realized I had a live wireless mike that was attached to me by Channel 34, and they were being filmed.
I politely told the officer that I had a Constitutional right to protest, and I did not wish to leave my spot.
He warned me not to go into traffic and hand out my fliers against red light cameras.
I told him thanks for the warning and listened to him. Meanwhile, the reporters were interviewing motorists in the street.
All in all, I thought everything was going quite well. However, when the reporters left and I was leaving the area with my student volunteers to buy them pizza, three police officers swarmed around my student volunteers and proceeded to cite them for violating some traffic signal infraction.
I think it's called jaywalking.
I asked one of the officers, when was the last time she gave a ticket to someone for jaywalking without giving them a warning.
She said she couldn't remember, but it might have been a year ago.
I started taking pictures of the officers, and then the officers started filming me taking pictures of them.
One of the officers told me not to take his picture and moved away when I tried to take it anyway. (See my attached photos.)
Evidently the powers-that-be ordered the officers to issue citations.
I think this is a case of selective enforcement.
When was the last time officers gave anyone associated with the political machine a ticket for jaywalking?
I will back up my student volunteers who were getting credit for doing community service and testify at their jaywalking hearing.
I will not be intimidated.
I urge anyone who wants to protect free speech to join me every Monday and Friday at the corner of Jefferson and Overland between 4:30 and 6 p.m. to not only protest the Red Light Camera Ripoffs but the corruption of the political machines.
Mr. Zirgulis, a candidate for the City Council in the April 13 election, may be contacted at zirgulisr@yahoo.com
