Activists paint Westwood crosswalk to improve safety. Police shut down effort, cite volunteer for vandalism

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Jonathan Hale and more than a dozen other activistss were halfway through painting a third crosswalk at an intersection in Westwood on Sunday, when two police cars pulled up.Los Angeles Police Department officers told the group to stop painting and cuffed Hale, video footage posted to social media shows.“Leave him alone, he’s not doing anything wrong,” a woman out of frame says.“You’re vandalizing city property without a permit so [I’ll] ask y’all nicely.

Ya’ll can record all you want, but back up or I will take everybody to jail,” the officer cuffing Hale said.Hale was cited with a misdemeanor for vandalizing property.He has a court date for Jan.

5.The arrest marks the latest clash between the City of Los Angeles and civilian traffic safety advocates who are frustrated by the delays in getting street intersections painted and are taking it upon themselves to do the work they say can’t wait.

The tension comes as the city struggles to reduce pedestrian deaths.California Federal agents told Oxnard police that their vehicle had been rammed by a civilian’s vehicle.

Activists say a video shows it was the other way around.The mayor’s office said in a Monday statement that it offered to collaborate with Hale, noting that it is “willing to work with any Angeleno who wants to make our streets safer” and that it hopes to “develop solutions to expedite the installation of crosswalks that meet legal and accessibility requirements.”“Despite communication about City, State, and Federal laws and parameters, Jonathan has chosen to continue to pursue his own course of action,” the mayor’s office said.“Mayor Bass is determined to ensure the safety and accessibility of streets and sidewalks for Angelenos, no matter how they bike, roll, walk or ride.”Hale said he met with representatives from the mayor’s office as well as from the Department of Tran...