Scenes From the Streets: Three Days in LA

Amin Kamrani, 30, is a visual storyteller and photographer living in Los Angeles. He is originally from Iran but lived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he worked on refugee and migrants rights issues. When his advocacy work became dangerous, Kamrani came to the United States. He works proudly as a minimum-wage barista. 

On Sunday June 8, Kamrani was traveling home from a trip to Las Vegas when he heard about protesters gathering in Downtown LA. He grabbed a camera and headed out, spending part of June 8, 9, and 10 in the streets. He tells Bay Area Current what he saw: 

“Everyone was there”

I went there to take pictures - as a photographer. I thought: this is what I can do, how I can contribute, just take pictures and document. [On Tuesday] I walked 12 miles.

I saw boys and girls of very young age — early 20, late teens. Mostly a very young crowd, all having fun. Passing by on the street, people in bars would cheer. Even Metro buses were honking — service workers — everyone was in support of the people. Every time they were facing the police, they just turned and walked away.

I saw some kids on a skateboard — I literally mean kids, some of them are like 12 years old, 13 years old — something you see everyday in LA. Kids on a skateboard. One of the symbols of LA, they are doing that just alongside the protests going on. 

The crowd — I have seen them talk about it’s only Mexicans or only Hispanics who are showing up — that’s why I took some of those pictures because there was a very good presence — the people of LA. Everyone was there.

There were lots of half-American and half-Mexican flags — you can see the message that these are just Americans with a Mexican background, a Guatemalan background. New Americans who are proud.

“I saw people shot in the face”

On Sunday, I saw a crazy police presence with horses — police on horses. The protesters had set up a barrier. They were just sitting and staying around in front of City Hall. I really saw brutality — [the police] were all standing and would wear their masks — and they were all LAPD police and Sheriff’s Department. 

I didn’t see any National Guard on Sunday night. There wasn’t any. There were rumors in the streets that the National Guard was coming from Westwood, but there was no National Guard on Sunday night at least. The police were just shooting — they call it “non-lethal” — but they were shooting at people. I saw people shot in the face and covering their head and running away. The police were being reckless, and when they felt like it, they were just randomly shooting at protestors.

But the worst thing I saw was on top of a parking lot near the historic Broadway Metro station. There is a parking lot on top [of the station] and inside the parking lot there were police cars and motorcycles going in and out. It’s a public parking lot. We saw these people on top of that rooftop — they had some guns and were showing each other something and shooting at people. They were all un-uniformed but I’m sure they were with the police because you could see the police cars going in and out of the parking lot.

Democrats have been trying to paint the whole thing as if Trump is sending the National Guard and as if they, or ICE, are brutalizing people. The National Guard — I took pictures — the only place they are visible is protecting one random building. The most useless forces. Sending the National Guard for some kids on a skateboard. The clashes were actually with LAPD.

“I felt stronger than ever”

When I saw there were some protests in New York City I thought, maybe this could be good. What if every major city in this country was going to the streets in support of the people — the immigrants? I think by going to the streets you show this is not a “foreign invasion” — as Trump would call it. 

I love the solidarity that the residents of LA are showing. As the fascist forces of ICE are kidnapping immigrant workers, children, and families — the people are defending one another.

I love the solidarity that the residents of LA are showing. As the fascist forces of ICE are kidnapping immigrant workers, children, and families — the people are defending one another. 

In just about two years I completely feel that I belong here. I struggled a lot longer in Kuala Lumpur. The brutality of Malaysian police against migrant workers and refugees was visibly and hurtfully welcomed by many Malaysians of all races. Even though a lot of Malaysians themselves were oppressed by the very same system.

While I was fueled with anger against the injustice about the disruption that the government forces brought to LA, I found myself feeling proud and happy to be among the demonstrators. I felt stronger than ever. And I believe I was not alone in this. 

People are terrorized by police and ICE brutality. But I am sure the streets are empowering because we find one another here.