On Saturday, July 14, 2007 there was a big outdoor "rave" on the streets in downtown Los Angeles. A friend and I were in the city anyway and looking for something to do, so we stopped by the event. We got there in the afternoon, the party didn't start until 8pm. During the day the sidewalks were all open so we wandered through the venue and got to hear them testing out the sound system.
After dinner we wandered back to the area. The sidewalks were closed now, and the main entrance was manned by CSC Event Staff who were basically strip searching everyone entering. We thought about going in, but the $60 ticket was more than we were willing to pay. So, we wandered around the perimeter to see what else was available.
It turns out that the organizers had been thoughtful enough to leave one part of the street, fairly close to the stage, open so that the public could see a bit of the stage and hear the music. How nice of them! Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell their security staff. The party was at Hope and Wilshire. The image shows where the roads were blocked off, and the green dot is where we were standing.
8:00 pm
Party Starts
8:30 pm
We wander around, check out the entrance, the VIP line, how invasive the security pat-downs are, and where to buy tickets (way too expensive).
9:45 pm
We decide to hang out in the free area, there's four of us at this point. Myself, a friend, and two others we met on the street. We hang back about 20 feet from the fence. On the other side of the fence is the medical tent and LAPD hang out. Guarding the gate are one yellow-jacket CSC staff member, and one guy in a CSC jacket who is clearly in charge of security for that area.
As soon as we get there, the lady in the yellow jacket tells us that the entrance is around the corner. We thank her and say that we're waiting on a friend. She backs off, and goes to get her supervisor.
He walks over to us and starts yelling that we have to get out of there right now. That we're not allowed to be there. I politely inform him that we're standing on a public sidewalk, outside the venue, and that we have the right to be there. He gets literally toe to toe with me, shines his flashlight directly in my eyes and yells at me. My back is literally against the wall we were relaxing against, so I have nowhere to go. I assume that this intimidates most people into leaving, but I wasn't going to take it. First I ask him if he's Law Enforcement. He continues yelling that I have to leave, and that I'm not allowed to be there. So I ask him again, and again he ignores the question. At this point I know that he has no actual authority over me. He threatens that the LAPD are right on the other side of the fence, and that he'll get them if I don't leave immediately. Since I know I'm not doing anything wrong, I tell him to go ahead and get the police. I don't have anything illegal on me, and I haven't even had a drop of alcohol in weeks.
He comes back about 2 minutes later with an LAPD officer. The officer doesn't even ask us any questions, he calmly explains to the security guard that we're not doing anything wrong, and that it's completely legal for us to be there. We thank him, and the security guard storms off. A few minutes later as we're enjoying the music he walks by and hits one fist into his palm, clearly a making a threatening gesture towards me. Obviously he's pretty upset that someone called bullshit on his "authority".
10:00 pm
Another security guard comes out, and starts to head towards us. Flashlight in hand, clearly to ask us to leave. Before he can even say a word, the first security guard gets his ear and he must have told him what happened, because they both went back inside the fence.
10:45 pm
Shift change time, the security guards must rotate around, because another guard comes out and boy is he pissed. I stand my ground again, and tell him that it's completely legal for us to be there. He gets toe to toe with me again, holds his extremely bright surefire flashlight about 3" from my eyes and shines it in them. He yells and is practically spitting he's so mad. I calmly tell him that he should get the police if he wants us to leave. He finally gets that he can't intimidate us, so he storms off back inside the gate. I bet he complained to the officers, who then probably got annoyed that the private security couldn't seem to understand what "freedom" means.
This part is all captured on video, download it or click on the image at right to play it.
It took a second to get the video recording, but no conversation was missed. Just him walking up to us, we're still about 15' away from the fence at this point.
Security: "I don't give a shit, just move back. Just move back. Let's go."
Me: "We have a right to be here."
Security: "Just move back."
Me: "...Come back with a law enforcement officer."
Security: "Just move back."
Me: "Are you a law enforcement officer?"
Security: "Just move back."
Me: "No."
Security: "I'm asking you to move back."
Me: "I'm saying no."
Security: "Move back."
Me: "No."
At this point he turns on my friend, standing to my left, who is also recording this on his camera. The guard shines the light on the camera to disrupt the video.
Me: "We are not breaking the law."
Security: "I don't give a shit what you're doing. I don't want you jumping my fence. I don't want you to jump my fence. I don't want you to come up to my fence."
Me: "I promise I won't jump your fence."
Security: "I don't care if you promise."
Me: "I'm done with this conversation."
Security: "Okay, move back then."
Me: "<chuckle> That's ... not what I meant."
Security: "You're a fucking idiot."
Security: "You're fucking cheap, why don't you go buy a ticket?"
Me: "Because I choose not to."
The security guard then walked back inside his gate.
I'm finally tired enough to head home, and have been waiting an hour for most of the drunks to get off the freeway. They're still selling $60 tickets to the event, even though it's mostly over and the headliner has already finished. I wish they would have made it cheaper, if it was $30 to get in I would have paid it in an instant. Oh well.
The Event Staff company, CSC (Contemporary Services) states on their web page "Courtesy is our motto. Integrity and honesty are our Golden Rules." I do not feel that they actually live up to this motto. They had two employees behave the exact same way, clearly not courteous nor did they display integrity since they continued to harass us even after the Police had said it was okay for us to be there.
No one ever physically touched me, or made overt physical threats against me. Both aggressive guards clearly knew exactly where the line was that defined assault, and they both pushed it right up to that line but they didn't cross it. I too know where that line is, which is why I felt comfortable defending my rights. I do *not* suggest trying to stand up to them if you're drunk. And remember, if the police tell you to leave, you leave. Even if it's illegal for them to tell you that, you still can't win on the street. Get their name and badge number and file a complaint afterwards.
