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Protesters: City Ordinance Discriminates Against The Homeless In LA

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Activists Monday are expected to protest outside of Mayor Eric Garcetti's home in response to a recently approved ordinance that discriminates against those who are homeless.

Protesters said they will demand for Garcetti to make revisions to the city's municipal codes that make it easier for city officials to seize and destroy the belongings of those who are homeless.

According to activists, the ordinance includes discriminatory provisions that make it impossible for street vendors and those who are homeless or have disabilities to live peacefully.

"These changes impact anyone resting their bag on the ground at a bus stop or someone with a small cart of goods to sell," said Cynthia Ruffin of the Downtown Women's Action Coalition. "Primarily, they will cause un-housed individuals to be targeted by law enforcement simply because they do not have a home of their own to store their property."

"We can't ignore the racial dynamics and ongoing institutional racism at play here," Pete White added. "It's time for Mayor Eric Garcetti to demonstrate leadership that shows the Black lives matter, instead of just empty words."

Last week, Garcetti announced he would not sign the ordinance and he would block enforcement until the City Council eliminated the misdemeanor penalty for violations that removes medicines and documents from the list of items that can be seized.

At 8:30 a.m., members of the Los Angeles Community Action Network and the Downtown Women's Action Coalition will address their concerns during a news conference.

The ordinance will become a law on Tuesday if Garcetti does not veto the bill, protesters explained.

(©2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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